Darius Miles Works Out For Clippers

Look who's trying to come back to the L.A. Clippers? Darius Miles. The Clippers really have nothing to lose with signing him with an open roster spot. Head coach and GM Mike Dunleavy is interested in Miles coming back:

"We have an extra roster spot. He is starting to work out for teams. And so, we're just looking into the situation."

No one has anything to lose, except the Portland Trail Blazers. If Miles plays 10 games, after he serves his 10-game suspension, the Blazers will have his $9 million salary on their cap. Miles signed with the Boston Celtics to play on their pre-season roster. He hadn't played since the beginning of the 2005-06 season. The C's didn't have a spot on their roster and had to cut him. He scored 11 points through 6 games with the team.

The Clippers are a team no one ever thought possible. They have Baron and Ricky Davis, Zach Randolph, Marcus Camby, Chris Kaman and possibly Miles. They have as many potential and former all-stars on the team as they do wins. They're 4-17. They've got nothing to lose in what is already a dismal season. On top of that, the Clippers have been hit with injuries all season. Both Baron and Ricky Davis, Kaman and Camby have been hit. It wouldn't be a bad idea to have a full roster. If Miles is good enough to play, they should sign him.

J-Rich Traded for Bell, Diaw, Good Move for Both Teams

Bigger than the 3-way trade that happened earlier today, Jason Richardson has been traded to the Phoenix Suns for Raja Bell and Boris Diaw. The Charlotte Bobcats denied trying to trade Gerald Wallace. We just found out that it was J-Rich that's gone. With J-Rich to the Phoenix Suns, we're looking at a line-up of Steve Nash, J-Rich, Grant Hill, Amaré Stoudemire and Shaquille O'Neal. Who would have ever thought of that line-up 2 years ago?

Richardson, 27, played the best basketball of his career with highs of 21.8 PPG, 0.7 BPG and 40.6% from beyond the arc. Unfortunately, it was with the Cats. This season, his stats have dropped to wher he's scoring 18.7 PPG. The last time a dip in his production happened, he was traded from the Golden State Warriors for Brandan Wright.

Richardson is not at the peak of his performance yet but with another scorer on the Suns, maybe they could make a run. It definitely gives them scoring, athleticism and more production, if they can work together. Maybe they can finish somewhere between 4-7.

Bell, 33, is still probably a better defender than Richardson. What he brings to Charlotte is a veteran presence with post-season experience. Even with Diaw, 26, coming with him, that still won't spark this team into the playoff hunt because they need time to gel. Diaw has been used less and less since coming to the team in 2005 and continued to see his numbers dwindle. There's a few line-ups Larry Brown could use getting these guys.

D.J. Augustin
Raja Bell/Raymond Felton
Gerald Wallace
Emeka Okafor
Sean May

D.J. Augustin
Raja Bell/Raymond Felton
Gerald Wallace
Boris Diaw
Emeka Okafor

It was a cap-clearing move too because Charlotte will see $3 million in 2010 that they wouldn't have seen if they kept Richardson. They're probably trying to land a big free agent with Okafor and Wallace in their prime. Not to mention Augustin getting better. Not a bad idea for a team who'll be way under the cap come 2010.

Good move for both teams.

Trade Between Hornets, Wizards and Grizzlies Helps Every Team

A 3-way trade went down between the New Orleans Hornets, Washington Wizards and Memphis Grizzlies. The trade looks like it'll benefit every team involved. It gives Chris Paul a back-up, the Wizards a replacement until Gilbert Arenas gets back and the Grizzlies another building block for the future. Here's what it looks like:

Hornets Get: Antonio Daniels
Wizards Get: Mike James, Javaris Crittenton, Waive Dee Brown
Grizzlies Get: First Round Pick back from Wizards

Daniels would be a boost for the Hornets. Devin Brown, who returned to the team after playing for the Cavs, has been backing-up Paul after Jannero Pargo left for Russia. Brown is more of a shooting guard and a lack of depth at the point probably has contributed to their slow start. Mike James was traded to the Hornets from the Rockets and was getting the least playing time this season. Daniels, 33, played well getting near 5 APG last season in place of the injured Gilbert Arenas. The Hornets also get a future 2nd round draft pick from Memphis.

James, 33, has proven that he can be a good player when starting. In the 05-06 season, James averaged 20.3 PPG and 5.8 APG in Toronto but only 10.1 PPG and 3.6 APG the year after in Minnesota. Since then he's been on the decline but now he has a chance to be the starter for the Wizards until Agent Zero comes back. It's also a chance to see how much does he have left in him. Crittenton, 20, will also come in and it'll force Dee Brown off the team.

The Grizzlies will get another potential lottery pick to continue to build their team. Their starters incluede third year player Rudy Gay, sophomore Mike Conley, and rookies Marc Gasol, O.J. Mayo and Darrell Arthur. A very young team, they'll continue to gain chemistry this season and maybe compete for a playoff spot in a few seasons.

Every team wins in this situation.

Breaking News: J-Rich traded to Suns for Bell, Diaw

Wittman Fired By T'Wolves, McHale Takes Over

After a 4-15 start, Randy Wittman becomes the fourth head coach to lose his job, joining Eddie Jordan (Wizards), P.J. Carlesimo (Thunder) and Sam Mitchell (Raptors). VP Kevin McHale will return as a head coach. Owner Glen Taylor explains from an article on ESPN:

"I am disappointed in our record and believe that we have more talent than our record indicates. It is my expectation that Kevin will be able to get the most out of our team and our players in his new role as head coach."

McHale will not work in the front office to focus on coaching. The team isn't feeling good about the firing of Wittman either. Rookie Kevin Love put it best:

"We have hit rock bottom."

Crawford Should Run Point For Warriors

The line-up just got shook up for the Warriors. They just traded Al Harrington to the New York Knicks for Jamal Crawford. In my opinion, this should be the line-up the Dubs should be running when he gets there.

PG-Jamal Crawford

SG-Anthony Morrow

SF-Corey Magette

PF-Stephen Jackson

C-Andris Biedrins

Crawford should run the point for the Warriors like he did most of last season for the Knicks, despite having Nate Robinson. Sure, he's really a shooting guard, but here's the thing. Not only did he score 20.6 PPG last season but he also had 5 APG. This season, he's averaged 19.6 PPG and 4.4 APG alongside Chris Duhon, who has 7.2 APG this season. Plus, Crawford's numbers are a whole lot better than what C.J. Watson, DeMarcus Nelson and Marcus Williams are putting up.

Having one more guy on the floor to distribute won't hurt. Stephen Jackson leads the team with 6.5 APG. The line-up may be small still, but they'd have height at the point.

When Monta Ellis comes back, assuming that he's at full strentgh, Morrow or Crawford goes to the bench depending on their play. When he comes back, it should be interesting how their minutes are set-up. They'll be stacked at the guard spot. Ellis, Jackson, Crawford, Morrow, Magette, Marco Belinelli and Kelenna Azubuike can all play shooting guard. I'm not surprised if one of them, Belineli most likely, gets traded. He almost got traded for the Nets' Sean Williams.

It's going to be fun to watch how the Warriors mix it up this year as the team keeps on changing.

Texas Tech Destroys East Central 167-115, 282 Points Combined

Looking at the boxscores from last night's college basketball games, one game might stand out from the rest. Texas Tech 167, East Central 115. The most combined points in Texas Tech history, and probably East Central too. East Central University is located in Ada, Oklahoma, 88 miles southeast of Oklahoma City.

Ten players from the Red Raiders were in double figures, led by Trevor Cook's 20 points on 9-13 shooting as they shattered Bob Knight's record of 119 and a the school record of 128. They also shot 59.3% from the floor and 52 % from beyond the arc. The legendary Knight only topped 100 points five times with the team. His son, Pat, just beat him by 48 points.

Texas Tech Players in Double Figures:

Trevor Cook, 20
Adam Voskuil, 17
John Roberson, 17
Mike Singletary, 16
Wally Dunn, 16
Nick Okorie, 15
D'Walyn Roberts, 13
Michael Prince, 12
Darko Cohadarevic, 12
Rogdrick Craig, 11

Dontae Figgs led the Tigers with 19 points. Texas Tech also had 62 rebounds and 18 steals. Twenty-four of the rebounds were offensive. Unfortunately, one player from the team didn't score with 18 minutes of play. Tyree Graham went 0-5 from the field and was the only player from the game not to score.

Players Getting Paid More

It's players like LeBron James, Allen Iverson, Kevin Garnett and, of course, Los Angeles Lakers teammate Kobe Bryant that has Luke Walton and every player in the NBA thanking them for getting an extra $25K from their licensing check in the mail. James, Iverson, Garnett and Bryant were the top four in jersey sales worldwide.

"Thanks, Kobe Bryant. Thanks, LeBron James," Luke Walton said, laughing. "You open the mail and have a check you don't even count on, that's beautiful."

President of the NBA Player's Association, and also Lakers teammate, Derek Fisher is thankful to those guys and is also to thank for getting this done, reported by the L.A. Times. Fisher helped

"The good part about it I think -- at least for most guys -- is that it's evenly distributed," Fisher said. "We recognize that our star players, they carry the load, in terms of the face of our game and the jersey sales that go on. So we're appreciative of the fact that they're in it too."

Thanks to Fisher and the top four jersey sellers in the world, everyone playing in the league will get the same amount, whether it'd be a superstar in Dwyane Wade, a bench player in Kyle Korver, a rookie in Anthony Morrow or Antoine Walker, who hasn't even played a minute. Way to spread the wealth.

Stackhouse Wants Out of Dallas

Less than a year ago, Jerry Stackhouse tried to find a way to come back to the Dallas Mavericks after almost being traded to the New Jersey Nets for Jason Kidd. Now he's trying to get out and he's unhappy with new coach Rick Carlisle. Out of the Star-Telegram, Carlisle's offense doesn't mesh well with Stackhouse's style. His agent, Jeff Schwartz, is seeking a buyout or trade. Schwartz is also the agent of teammates Josh Howard and Jason Kidd.

Stackhouse, 34, is averaging career lows of 5.3 PPG, 1.1 RPG 1.3 APG in 17.6 MPG through eight games with the 3-7 Mavs and didn't play in the OT win against the New York Knicks. He was disappointed that he didn't play in the game because he played Wilson Chandler, Quentin Richardson and Jamal Crawford over the summer and that they were "scared" to guard him.

Stackhouse on his options of leaving the team:

"I’m exploring options. The team is always going to protect itself. I can’t force their hand to do anything. I don’t really know all the options right now. I think it’s to the point now where it’s time to start researching some things and seeing if there’s other possibilities that make more sense for me right now."

President Donnie Nelson explains the problem and what he plans to do:

"Our first choice would be for what Jerry brings to the team, with his experience and playoff skins, toughness and intensity. Those things are valuable. It’s just that during this period of time, we’ve got to be able to bring some of our younger players along as well. Therein lies the conflict. With our relationship and openly and honestly communicating, we’ll be able to come up with a game plan and hopefully that game plan will be one that includes Jerry in a Maverick uniform. If it’s just not a comfortable situation, if it’s a situation where the minutes are just not there, then we’ll work together with his agent and see if there’s some win-win together for both of us."

There's no bad blood between him and Carlisle, but Stackhouse has made it clear that he's ready to move on:

"The key part is there’s really no conflict with us. It’s understood that it’s his job to coach the team, but it’s my job to protect my future. I’ve got to have some say-so and dictate with the role that I’m kind of in now, that I’m ready to accept that. I don’t think I’m ready to fully accept that at this point."

It's not like he knew that he wanted to get out when Carlisle came, but Stackhouse had at least a couple of opportunities to get out of Dallas before. The first being the Jason Kidd trade, where he said he would come back after getting traded. The NBA then stepped in and said that any trade the Mavs make for Jason Kidd must not include Stackhouse. If he was, he couldn't go back. The second was over the summer where the Sacramento Kings were shopping Ron Artest and the Mavs offered Stackhouse and Brandon Bass. The Kings wanted Josh Howard and the talks fell through.

He isn't demanding a trade, but he hopes to return to the franchise with a coaching or front office position. In an e-mail to the Star-Telegram, owner Mark Cuban, who's going through legal troubles unrelated to the team, said that Stackhouse could be valuable to the team "on and off the court." The article also says that the Mavs hope for Stackhouse to mentor Antoine Wright and Gerald Green.

Stackhouse, a 14-year veteran, is no stranger to new teams. In his career he's played for the Philadelphia 76ers, Detroit Pistons and the Washington Wizards. If he does move, he'll try to go to a contender, such as the Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Lakers, Cleveland Cavaliers or maybe his old team the Pistons, with recently acquired Allen Iverson.

The Celtics lost James Posey, but Tony Allen has stepped up. What if Stackhouse went there? What if the Lakers got another good player in addition to Kobe and Co.? What if the Cavs fit him into their second unit with Wally Szczerbiak, Anderson Varejao and Daniel Gibson? What if Stackhouse went back to the city that embraced him the most and teamed up with Rasheed Wallace, Rip Hamilton, Tayshaun Prince and A.I.?

All four of those teams could go after Stackhouse. The Cavs made a move for Mo Williams over the summer and are rumored to go after Vince Carter again. The Pistons traded Chauncey Billups for A.I. this year. Every team except the Pistons made moves before the trade deadline last year. Stackhouse could be the difference maker on any of those teams if he's done in Dallas. If he is done, expect him to look for a ring.

Nuggets Looking at Randolph

So far, Zach Randolph hasn't caused any problems for the New York Knicks. That could be one of the reasons they're 5-3 under Mike D'Antoni. He's drawn attention from the Chicago Bulls, Cleveland Cavaliers and now the Denver Nuggets, according to The Knicks Fix on New York Newsday. Every one of those teams are looking for a power forward. Chicago has Tyrus Thomas and Drew Gooden, the Cavs have Ben Wallace and Anderson Varejao and the Nuggets have Kenyon Martin.

After landing Chauncey Billups and Cheikh Samb from the Pistons for Allen Iverson, the Nuggets could make another move by moving Martin to the Knicks. They're still trying to move Randolph for cap space in 2010 and the Nuggets' Carmelo Anthony, Nené and head coach George Karl all agree that they need another big man, according to the Rocky Mountain News. Nuggets' Owner Stan Kroenke rejcted Karl's plea to re-sign Juwawn Howard because of salary cap issues. Another note, the Knicks traded Renaldo Balkman to Denver over the summer for Taurean Green and Bobby Jones, both waived after the trade.

Randolph has three years left with $48 million on his contract. He's been an effective center for the Knicks thus far. Martin also has three years left on his contract with a player option for 2010, so both can be traded for straight-up. The Knicks would have to trade him again before 2010 or involve a third party like the Charlotte Bobcats because Martin most likely won't want to give up over $16.5 million in 2010. The Bobcats have been shopping Gerald Wallace, but his contract has four years left, so the Knicks might not want him unless they see him as a good trade piece.

If you package Wallace with Sean May (one year left on contract) to the Knicks, Martin could go to Charlotte and Randolph to Denver. It could work. Randolph could make an instant impact for Denver with Anthony, Billups, Nené and Dhantay Jones. Another big man, capable of going 20-10 any night could help the Nuggets into the playoffs. Out of the first round, maybe not. He could also break this team if he goes back to his old attitude instead of his new one. It's all up to him.

David Lee would have to step up for the Knicks in place of Randolph. After starting for the first few games, he was benched when Wilson Chandler played very well off the bench. Eddy Curry hasn't hasn't seen any time this season, getting benched and out with and injury. It'd be fun to see the super-athletic Wallace in the mix with Lee, Chandler, Chris Duhon and Jamal Crawford.

Martin getting in with the Bobcats with Emeka Okafor, Jason Richardson, Raymond Felton should be interesting. They might have to move Okafor to center and put Adam Morrison in the starting line-up at small forward. It should be interesting how Larry Brown would incorperate him into their game.

Randolph is gathering some attention from at least three teams with his play and the Knicks early success. Eventually, he'll be traded, but for now, it looks like he's turned over a new leaf. When asked if he'd have any hard feelings towards the Knicks if he was traded, it sounded like a more mature person.

“Nah, it’s a business, it’s not personal. I learned that from a lot of older guys...Whatever do happen, I’m going to be ready.”

So as he wonders which team will land him as his agent keeps him updated on who wants him, Randolph will have to keep his new attitude, play hard, and reap the benefits he's been missing out on for a long time.

2009 NBA All-Star Ballots Open (My Selections)

The 2009 NBA All-Star ballot has just been released and the voting is under way, so I'm picking up what I did last year by picking who I vote for and why. Two teams. Two guards, two forwards and a center each, and a write-in. It's not about the top talents like Chris Paul LeBron James and Kobe Bryant. They're already getting in. It's about getting other all-star talents recognized.

You can vote online everyday until January 19. You can vote on nba.com, or you can do it right here, using the NBA All-Star 2009 widget on the top-right side of my blog. T-Mobile will be helping out the Phoenix community by donating $1 for every ballot you cast in a T-Zone or T-Mobile's wireless web portal. So if you can, do it.

Enough talk, let's get it on.

WEST

FORWARD: ANDREI KIRILENKO Utah Jazz. He's coming off the bench now as one of the best sixth men in the league. He's getting 14 PPG on 55% shooting, 6.8 RPG, 2.9 APG 1.1 SPG and 1.4 BPG. He's an all-around player, efficient on both sides of the ball helping his team to a 6-1 record, which includes winning five straight. If he keeps this up, he'll make his first all-star team.

FORWARD: LAMARCUS ALDRIDGE Portland Trail Blazers. Aldridge, in only his third year, will be a dominant force in the NBA with his ability shoot. His numbers are 18.3 PPG, 7.1 RPG and 1.4 BPG. He has the ability to have a 20-10 game and he's had a 24 point, 13 rebound outing this year already. In the future when he's working with Greg Oden, the Blazers frontcourt will be a force to be reckoned with.

GUARD: KEVIN MARTIN Sacramento Kings. K-Mart looks like he's back with a vengence. He's come out as more agressive and has made his case on a 4-game homestand after starting 0-4 on the road. He's averaged 28.7 PPG on 53% shooting, 3 RPG, 3.7 APG and 1.6 SPG, leading the Kings on a 3-game win streak at home. Unfortunately, he re-sprained his ankle against the Warriors, but he should be back in a week. Otherwise, with some all-star moves early on in the season he's sure to make his case to get on the team again this season.

GUARD: STEPHEN JACKSON Golden State Warriors. Since Baron Davis left for the Clippers and Monta Ellis was injured and out until January and now Corey Maggette injured, Captain Jack has taken charge of the team with the best numbers of his career so far. He's averaged 23.3 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 5.6 APG and 1.4 SPG. Even though the team has struggled with a 2-5 record, he's doing everything he can to get his team through some tough times.

CENTER: ANDRIS BIEDRINS Golden State Warriors. Biedrins has been very good early on. Averaging 16.8 PPG on 53% shooting, 14.3 RPG 1 SPG and 1.8 BPG, Biedrins is an unstoppable force on both ends on the floor. He fights for every board, which is why he averages nearly five offensive RPG. There's no other way to put it, he's the best center in the West on the ballot.

EAST

FORWARD: ZACH RANDOLPH New York Knicks. So far, he's stayed out of trouble. Maybe Mike D'Antoni straightened him out. He's averaging 19 PPG, 11.5 RPG and 1.5 SPG as the Knicks' new center at 6'9. He's also helped lead the team to a 4-3 record. As long as he stays out of trouble and puts up some good numbers, I'll vote him. If he's really changed, there's a spot on the team for him.

FORWARD: TAYSHAUN PRINCE Detroit Pistons. In 2005, Ben and Rasheed Wallace, Rip Hamilton and Chauncey Billups were all-stars. Prince was the only one of the starting five who wasn't chosen. I think it's time he became one. He's averaging 18.7 PPG, 7.7 RPG, 2.6 APG and 0.9 BPG. He's really coming into his own. Don't worried about him being injury prone, he's an iron man. He's started in all 82 games for four straight seasons. He's played in all 82 games for five straight seasons. Even with Allen Iverson coming in, it's still Prince's time to shine.

GUARD: JOSE CALDERON Toronto Raptors. The Spanish Sensation up north, Calderon is starring beside Chris Bosh and Jermaine O'Neal. He's averaging 13.5 PPG and 9 APG and has over a 5:1 assist-to-turnover ratio. He was a big part of the Spanish National Team in the Olympics before he was injured, missing the gold medal game. Calderon came out of nowhere last year when T.J. Ford was injured. Now with the starting role he continues to shine.

GUARD: JOE JOHNSON Atlanta Hawks. JJ has led this team to 6-game winning streak to start the season, and he was questioned by Paul Pierce last year on why he made the team last year over Ray Allen initially. He's averaging 24.4 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 4.9 APG and 1.6 SPG in an effort to make sure the Hawks finish better than an eight seed. He and the Hawks are making sure that the whole NBA knows and Johnson is the perfect canidate for the Hawks.

CENTER: ANDREW BOGUT Milwaukee Bucks. He's probably one of the most balanced centers in the East right now when it comes to stats, but he's done better in the past. Averaging 10.1 PPG, 10 RPG, 1.2 SPG and 1.1 BPG, he's ready to prove that he earned his extension. He's playing with two very good scorers in Michael Redd and Richard Jefferson, but if he gets rolling like he did at the end of last season, the Bucks can start see some wins coming their way.

WRITE-IN: NENE Denver Nuggets. Filling the void Marcus Camby left at center when he was traded, he's bounced back from testicular cancer to play one of the best seasons of his career so far. He's avveraging 15.6 PPG on 67.2% shooting, 8.9 RPG, 1.4 SPG and 2 BPG in a bounce back season when it looked like his career may have been over. Now it's about staying healthy for his team because he's a key piece. Without him, even with Chauncey Billups they can't think about the playoffs. Nené is that important.

LAST THOUGHTS: There's a few newcomers on the ballot. Yi Jianlian, after getting a lot of votes as a write-in last year, is on the ballot this year. Rookies Derrick Rose, Michael Beasley, O.J. Mayo and Greg Oden have made the ballot as well. If you haven't noticed, there're five international players that I've picked. Kirilenko (Russia), Biedrins (Latvia), Calderon (Spain), Bogut (Australia) and Nené (Brazil). It's amazing how many good players there are from overseas. Rudy Fernandez and Ricky Rubio could be next.

I'm done now, so go vote. There's 67 days left to do it, and you can do it every day. Be on the lookout for Part 2 in a couple of weeks.

Martin Dunks Over Azubuike, Wright

Kevin Martin skies over block-minded Kelenna Azubuike and Brandan Wright for the throwdown from Brad Miller's nice pass behind Andris Biendrins.

Kings Win Three Straight After 0-4 Trip

The Kings would tell you, "There's no place like home."

The road trip, it was horrible. We can blame Disney on Ice for denying the Kings their first game as a home opener since 2003 (LeBron James' NBA debut), or at least a shorter road trip. Four straight losses to the Minnesota Timberwolves 98-96, Miami Heat 103-77, Orlando Magic 121-93 and Philadelphia 76ers 125-91. The last game in Philly, they looked like they gave up and just wanted to go home. Who could blame them. They lost a close game to start off the season followed by three straight 20+ point blowouts. The thing that hurt the Kings fans the most was lack of effort on both sides of the floor.

They didn't start the season pretty. Brad Miller was suspended the first five games. Francisco Garcia strained his calf in the pre-season. Kevin Martin and John Salmons were inconsistent. Beno Udrih and Bobby Jackson didn't look like they knew how to run the point. Mikki Moore, the starting power forward, grabbed four rebounds on the entire road trip. If you started from their last win from the pre-season, the Kings would be 0-10 since then. The only bright spot on the entire trip was the exciting play of sophomore center Spencer Hawes and rookie power forward Jason Thompson.

Hawes averaged 12.5 PPG, 9.3 RPG, 2 APG and 2.3 BPG on the road trip starting for Miller. He had six blocks against the T'Wolves. Thompson averaged 14.3 PPG, 7 RPG, 2 APG and 0.8 BPG on the road trip, coming off the bench. He earned the respect he deserved be ranked as one of the top rookies early in the season (#3 by ESPN, #5 by NBA). It was a welcome sight during a road trip that has much more to forget than remember.

The Kings started the same way last year. Ron Artest was suspended for the first seven games and the Kings went 0-3 on their first road trip, which included the New Orleans Hornets, Dallas Mavericks and San Antonio Spurs. During the start of the season, Salmons and Garcia played better than expected and the Kings came home to win a couple of games. So far, it's started the same way.

The Kings came home to win against the Memphis Grizzlies 100-95. They were up by as many as 19 points before rookie guard O.J. Mayo led the team on a 22-8 run to fall short of a comeback. That door was shut when Martin dove to the foor under a pack off Grizzlies' players, tipping the ball to a wide open Salmons for an easy dunk. The Kings got their revenge against the T'Wolves 121-109. K-Mart had an all-around game with 26 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists and a block with a sore ankle. Salmons had 23 points, Miller had 11 points, 10 boards, 3 assists and 2 blocks, Hawes had 13 points, 8 rebounds and a block and Udrih had 15 points. Six Kings finished in double figures.

Getting Miller back came with a price. Thompson only had 11 minutes and scored 2 points and grabbed 2 rebounds. He was the odd man out despite his great play. The next game, he'd bounce back.

Going against the Warriors, the Kings were tied for 3rd in Pacific Division and 10th place in the West. Coach Reggie Theus has never been within one game of a .500 record. If they won, they could be tied for 8th place in the West. The Kings' accomplished that goal behind Martin's electric play for three quarters, getting the edge over the Grizzlies in the standings and routing the Warriors 117-98. The bad news is that he re-sprained his ankle, but the MRI was negative and he's listed as day-to-day.

The rest of the team did played very well. Hawes and Thompson combined for 21 points and 18 boards. Rookie point guard Bobby Brown had 13 of the bench's 48 points. Miller had 14 points, 10 rebounds, 6 assists and 2 blocks and the Kings held the Warriors to 17 points in the 3rd quarter and outrebounded them and outscored them in every quarter.

Defense and energy were welcome changes. The Grizzlies' Rudy Gay and the T'Wolves' Al Jefferson and Marc Gasol were non-factors. Gay and Jefferson are the most important players on their respective teams. Shutting down Jefferson and Gasol, two very physical players, was great to see from a team not known for banging down low on defense. Their most physical player on the block is Shelden Williams, who was definitely a help in containing them.

Martin has proved to be a willing passer, which has been a knock on him. He's shown that he has the ability to be an all-around player in a few games this year, but he still needs to work on staying in front of his man. Since the Kings have come home, he's averaged 28.7 PPG on 52.6% shooting, 3 RPG, 3.7 APG. The Kings have scored 111 PPG on the homestand.

Now they have to try to take it on the road against the Los Angeles Clippers and back home against the Detroit Pistons the night before. The Kings went 0-9 on the road before getting their first win. They also struggled against division rival teams. The Warriors and Clippers might not be as much as a problem this year because they just beat the Warriors and the Clippers lost six straight before beating the Dallas Mavericks for thier first home win.

With Dallas and the San Antonio Spurs struggling early in the season, if the Kings keep up the momentum they might be able to surprise a few teams along the way like they did last year. All they have to do is take it one game at a time. By tonight, the Kings could be in 7th place if the Portland Trail Blazers if they lose in Orlando.

Jason Thompson is for Real

For years, Kings fans have had to wait a few years to see how good a player really was. For 2001 draft pick Gerald Wallace, it took a move to Charlotte in 2005. It took a Bonzi Wells injury for 2004 pick Kevin Martin to rise to becoming a near All-Star. For Francisco Garcia (2005), it took a Martin and Ron Artest injury for him to shine last season. Now 22-year-old JT could rank with Jason Williams, Peja Stojakovic and Hedo Turkoglu. All were draft picks that made an instant impact on the Kings.

Thompson, a 6'11 250 pound forward-center from unknown Rider, has jumped onto the national scene ranking #6 on ESPN's Rookie Rankings. He earned it by posting 18 points (64% FG), 10 rebounds and a block in 22 minutes off the bench in his NBA debut against the Timberwolves. He was the only rookie to even think about a 20-10 game. In week 2 he's #3, with only Derrick Rose (1) and Rudy Fernandez (2) ahead of him. He earned that with 10 pts (50% FG), 7 reb and a block in under 19 minutes against the Heat and 12 points (71% FG), 5 rebounds, 3 assists, a steal and a block in 24 minutes against the Magic. Now, he's #5 and "might have been No. 1 in these rankings if the Kings weren't so awful."

Two nights ago, he put up 17 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assist againts the Sixers in front of 350 screaming Rider fans consisting of family, friends and former temmates. Rider, in Lawrenceville, NJ, is only 47 minutes away from the Wachovia Center. Not bad for a "hometown" debut.

His production might fall with veteran center Brad Miller coming back from suspension with 2 more games to serve, but with starting power forward Mikki Moore struggling, he has a chance to earn minutes. According to Reggie Theus, it'll take an effort "above and beyond" to to take a veteran's spot. Getting 22 rebounds in a combined in a combined 65 minutes is pretty good for a rookie's first 3 games. That's one rebound per 2:57. He ranks #5 among PFs with a 28.26 PER behind Walter Herrmann, Carlos Boozer, Tim Duncan and Dirk Nowitzki. He's the top rookie in PER overall.

The Kings took a lot of heat for drafting him after surprising everyone with picking him at #12.

Chad Ford, ESPN,

"Wow! This is the biggest surprise of the draft. Though the Warriors liked him at No. 14, we had Thompson projected as a late first-round pick. He's solid, but that's it. There are much better players on the board here. Perhaps the Kings were shell-shocked after losing out on Bayless and Augustin, the two point guards they wanted. A team should not be criticized just for doing the unexpected. But the Kings made a huge reach for Thompson at No. 12. He's going to be a solid rotation player at best. But it looks like he might be the Shelden Williams of this draft. With solid players like Brandon Rush, Darrell Arthur and Mario Chalmers and upside guys like Anthony Randolph and Marreese Speights on the board, I think the Kings blew it."

Sports Illustrated Ranking

"4/10"

Bill Simmons, ESPN

"The Kings take Jason Thompson 12th, which would have been fine if this were the second round. Stern sums the pick up best: "Jason is not here." There's a 75 percent chance that the Maloofs made that pick after downing three bottles of Patron shots at the their VIP table at Rain."

Chris Mannix, SI.com

"Geoff Petrie is smarter than all of us. He has to be. Why else would the Kings' president select a player with the 12th overall pick (Rider power forward Jason Thompson) who was rated in most mock drafts in the mid-20s? A quick glance at Thompson's collegiate career is telling. He averaged 20.4 points and 12.4 rebounds, but was never really dominant against the weaker MAAC competition. This was the biggest surprise of the first round."

Now, JT has one more game to prove that he should be a significant part of the rotation, or in my opinion, start. He's averaging 14.3 PPG (62.5% FG), 7 RPG, 2 APG, o.3 SPG and 0.8 BPG in 23.9 MPG. Not only does his size, speed and skill resemble to a rookie Karl Malone, a comparison he's been getting since summer league, but so does his stats. The Mailman averaged 14.9 PPG (49.6% FG), 8.9 RPG, 2.9 APG, 1.3 SPG and 0.54 BPG in 30.6 MPG in 1985-86. The rest is history.

JT has a bright future in this league, and so far he's shown more than enough that he belongs on the team and in the NBA. Kings fans are going to have fun watching him for years to come.

Kevin Johnson, Sacramento's New Mayor

Congratulations to Sacramento's Mayor-Elect Kevin Johnson, beating out imcumbent Heather Fargo. He became the city's first African-American Mayor. I couldn't vote for him because I live outside the city limits, but he'll definitely improve the city.

The Sacramento native grew up in Oak Park, right down the street from where I go to school at. KJ was drafted by the Cleveland Cavliers and traded his rookie year to the Phoenix Suns, where he enjoyed becoming an NBA All-Star and a great career. He reached the Finals in 1993. After retiring in 1998, he came back in 2000 to replace the injured Jason Kidd for the Suns in the playoffs. He helped the team into the second round, losing to the Los Angeles Lakers.

He finished with career stats of 17.9 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 9.1 APG and 1.5 SPG. One of his many career highlights was his dunk on Hakeem Olajuwon.

After he retired again, KJ helped revitalized the neighborhood he grew up in through St. HOPE, the organization he founded. It created 14 businesses, 282 jobs, and $11 million in development, not to mention involvement with the youth of the community.

In his first interview since being elected mayor with KCRA 3 television station this morning, KJ intends to meet with the city manager, treasurer and each member of the city council. With him in office, he could work on getting the Kings a new arena at Cal Expo, which means a major revitalization of the home of the California State Fair.

KJ has a plan for his and my hometown. He wants it to become a city like Los Angeles or San Francisco. I don't know how it's going to turn out, but with what he's done with Oak Park, I'd like to see with Sacramento. I believe it's a step in the right direction.

Iverson's New Look

Allen Iverson will wear Chauncey Billups' old #1 uniform, since Rodney Stuckey is wearing #3. I can imagine the Chauncey will wear #3 when he gets to Denver, since J.R. Smith wears #1. Underneath are some of the many uniforms AI's seen since 1996 up until now.

Rookie AI 1996

2001 NBA Finals


Alternate Blue Uniform

Retro Syracuse Nationals

Europe Live 2006 (Spain)

Denver Nuggets Home Uniform

Nuggets Road Uniform

Nuggets Alternate Road Uniform

Analysis on the Iverson-Billups Trade, Hamilton Extended

According to ESPN, the Denver Nuggets' guard Allen Iverson has been traded to the Detroit Pistons for point guard Chauncey Billups and power forward Antonio McDyess.

Now that's a sign of rebuilding, for both Nuggets and Pistons. The Pistons are going to see $20 million that they wouldn't have had since Billups is signed for 3 more years and an option for the 4th. Now, it seems like that'll be the Nuggets problem, or not. With Billups from a perennial championship contender, two time Eastern Conference finalist and 2004 MVP, he can bring the Nuggets very valuable veteran experience. He's signed through 2011 with a team option for 2012. Although it doesn't fill the void Marcus Camby left when he was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers, he's a good defensive guard from a team who was known for defensive.

Denver Nuggets

Ever since getting booted out of the first round of the playoffs last year by the Los Angeles Lakers, Charles Barkley branded the high scoring team the "Enver Nuggets" for their lack of D. With Billups and Antonio McDeyss, defense, at least at the point, could be coming their way. Billups is a stronger guard than AI, though not as fast. Him and Melo are especially good in late game situations. They don't call him Mr. Big Shot for nothing. One man can't slow down a whole team by himself. The Nuggets are going to have to defend to even think about getting out of the first round, even with Billups.

Ever since Melo was drafted in 2003 the Nuggets have been kicked out of the first round ever since. The trade for AI in 2006 didn't change that either. With Camby gone the Nuggets, who finished in 8th place last year, are the favorites to miss the playoffs. If the Nuggets can do more than try to outscore their opponents and defend, with Billups on their side they can get out of the first round. He hasn't gotten out of the first round since 2001 and 2002, when he and Kevin Garnett were teammates.

Here's a side story. For McDyess, who's contract expires next year, it'll be a homecoming for him, again. This will be his third stint with Denver. After his first 2 years as a Nugget and spending 4 more being trade to Phoenix, he was on pace to be a solid star in the NBA, averaging 20.8 PPG and 12.1 RPG in the 2000-01 season. After a horrible season ending knee injury the next season, he never got his career back on track. He got on board with the Pistons too late and now he's a Nugget again.

If the high scoring continues, Billups' assist numbers will go up, but can he keep up with the running game. He's from a team that controlled the tempo, usually at a low pace. If he can't keep up, scoring goes down, the only thing that keeps them winning. They'll be rebuilding starting next year. Extension talks with their back-up forward Linas Kleiza fell through and he and his agent will be looking at other teams and Europe. With only 7 gauranteed players next year, they'll be seeing some new faces very soon. They could a good free agent this summer.

Projected Line-Up: PG- Chauncey Billups, SG- J.R. Smith, SF- Carmelo Anthony, PF- Kenyon Martin, C- Nené

Detroit Pistons

Low scoring isn't a problem when the team they play scores lower than them. With AI heading back east, this team could be able to compete with the Boston Celtics in the conference finals again if there scoring increases. Despite his age AI never seems to slow down his speed and scoring, even with a high scorer on his side like Melo. He led the team last year with 26.4 PPG. If he can score and the they can play D, this team can be very good throughout the season.

This might be their last chance for a championship though. Next year, Rasheed Wallace and AI will be free agents. With young guys like Rodney Stuckey, Amir Johnson and Jason Maxiell on board and Rip Hamilton agreeing to a 3-year, $34 million contract (more details on bottom), the youth movement could be underway next season. They'll also have a lot more cap space and they can go for a big free agent in 2009 or 2010.

Projected Line-Up: PG- Allen Iverson, SG- Rip Hamilton, SF- Tayshaun Prince, PF- Amir Johnson, C- Rasheed Wallace

In the end, the trade will work right now and in the near future for the Pistons. For the Nuggets, it might be a project. It should be fun to see how this trade turns out. Watch out for January 9 when AI reurns to the Mile High City as a Piston, March 3 when Chauncey returns to Motown. AI will play the Sixers for the first time this year on December 5 and will play his only game at Philly on April 4.

Late Breaking News: Rip Hamilton and the Pistons agreed to a 3-year, $34 million extension, according to ESPN through team sources. The third year is also partially guaranteed, but it looks like he'll be part of their future. He could also be a trade piece if things don't work out. It's possible with an contract making over $11 million a year.

Farmar Gets Alley-Oop from Walton

Jordan Farmar shakes off Mike Taylor goes behind Chris Kaman and Steve Novak and throws down a two-handed alley-oop jam from Luke Walton. If you want to see a point guard get an alley, Farmar's your man.

Top 10 Rookie Debuts

There were a lot of big rookie debuts in the NBA for the past 2 days, and the only one of note who hasn't played yet is the Bobcats' D.J. Augustin. The best debuts, however, were from the most unexpected rookies.

Mario Chalmers had the best debut performance of any rookie. The numbers say that he can flourish in a fast paced game like he did running against Mike D'Antoni's fast paced game. 17 pts, 7 reb, 8 ast.

Arthur had the best defensive performance. One of 3 rookies to get a double double, all who are on this list. With his athleticism, rebounding can be a strentgh for him in the future. 11 pts, 15 reb, stl, blk, 2 blk.

Jason Thompson, wasted lottery pick for the Kings? Apparently not. He was the only rookie to even come close to a 20-10 game. He could be the real deal and is already better than starting power forward Mikki Moore. 18 pts, 10 reb, blk.

Derrick Rose had the first big rookie performance of the season giving coach Vinny Del Negro and the Bulls their first win. He shined in pre-season and the #1 pick will definitely be dangerous in the future. 11 pts, 4 reb, 9 ast, 3 stl.

Kevin Love was a huge on the offensive boards with 4 of them along with 2 blocks. He might not be the definition of athleticism but he gets the job done. 12 pts, 9 reb, 2 ast, stl, 2 blk.

Rebounding, it's in the family. Unlike his brother Pau Gasol, Marc is said to be more physical and that is a huge advantage. He'll be one of the best rookie big men in the NBA. 12 pts, 12 reb, ast, 2 blk.

Russell Westbrook will eventually take the reins from Earl Watson at point guard. He's fearless going to the basket, which should help his playmaking ability when he drives into the lane. 13 pts, 4 reb, 4 ast, blk.

Rudy Fernandez is an all-around guard who can play both guard positions as well as small forward. Already a fan favorite in Portland, he's a fast rising star in the NBA. 16 pts, 2 reb, 4 ast, 2 stl.

It's safe to say that he had a better outing than twin brother Robin Lopez. Brook should see a lot of playing time with the rebuilding Nets and was 2 points and 2 rebounds away from a double-double. 8pts, 8 reb, ast, stl, 2 blk.

There are high expectations for him, and some people think who should be ROY. Shooting 5-20 won't cut it in the NBA, but as talented as he is, it'll all be a distant memory by next week. 10 pts, 5 reb, 2 ast, 2 stl.

The Memphis Grizzlies had 3 players on the list with Arthur, Gasol and Mayo. Throw in Rudy Gay and Mike Conley and they have a talented line-up for the future ahead of them.

Some rookies, like Greg Oden or Michael Beasley, didn't make the list because they just didnt play well in their debut. Not that they're not talented, they're expected to compete for ROY.

Looking at the draft class of 2008 right now, hopefully there will be performances like these all season long and better ones for many years to come.

Trade Possibilities for Al Harrington

Rumor has it, Harrington wants out of Goledn State. Where to?

There's a report by the Mercury News in San Jose that Al Harrington doesn't want to play under Don Nelson. Just as he was made the last tri-captain of the team.

So, Al doesn't want to play for Nellie anymore? Tough for him because he just signed a 2-year extension with the Golden State Warriors. The Dubs really don't need him anymore. By getting rid of him, sophomore Brandan Wright and rookie Anthony Randolph will have the chance to get more playing time, not to mention more floor time for veteran Ronny Turiaf. Oh, and more cap space.

They have a youth movement at power forward with a veteran which makes Harrington expendable. Harrington, though, is a really tough player to shop. Who wants an undersized power forward that averages 5.4 RPG and 0.2 BPG? He also jacked up 408 three pointers and made only 153 (37.5% shooting, not good). He shot more 3 pointers than he did in both of his stints in Indiana comined (172) and more than what he put up in the previous 2 seasons (193). Many teams are looking to get ready for the magical year of 2010 and some for 2009. Harrington's contract would be over by then and perfect for their plans.

So with over $19 million due to him over the next 2 years if he doesn't opt-out next year, where can he go and who and what can the Warriors get in return?

Chicago Bulls: Packaged with Marcus Williams/C.J. Watson for Kirk Hinrich

Derrick Rose will be the point guard of the future for the Bulls. Ben Gordon wants to start. The Warriors need a point guard. Their depth at that position starts at undrafted rookie DeMarcus Nelson followed by Watson and Williams. Despite a horrible season, the recently benched Hinrich is on another level compared to any point guard the Warriors have.

Gordon can fill in for the departed Hinrich. He can score starting and off the bench. So shipping Hinrich would be no problem, except that they have no point guard to back-up Rose, and injured Larry Hughes is not point guard. Williams or Watson could be packaged with Harrington. Watson or Williams will easily get playing time being the only true point behind Rose. Harrington, on the other hand will battle for time behind starting forwards Luol Deng and Tyrus Thomas. His competition: Andres Nocioni and Joakim Noah.

Minnesota Timberwolves: Rodney Carney, Jason Collins

The T'Wolves are spending over $80 million on their players. They'd love to have him, if they knew that he'd opt-out. Harrington doesn't fit in the rebuilding T'Wolves' plans with Al Jefferson, Kevin Love, Ryan Gomes and Corey Brewer set for significant frontcourt minutes.

Carney and Collins would find their way to the Warriors bench. Carney could possibly find some playing time behind Sthephen Jackson and Corey Maggette, but once Monta Ellis comes back in January, he's done. Collins is injured but could provide size at 7' and 255 pounds. When he comes back he can help against certain teams. Both are free agents next year.

New Jersey Nets: Stromile Swift, Maurice Ager & Cash

Swift turns 29 next month and has no future with the Nets because of the youth movement in the frontcourt with Yi Jianlian, Josh Boone and Sean Williams. Swift is thin for a power forward at 220 pounds, much less a center and his stats have gone down since his first stint with the Memphis Grizzlies. If given minutes, he's shown to put up better numbers, but not much better. He's a good shotblocker with 0.9 BPG in only 14 MPG. So if defense is what the Warriors need off the bench, Swift could just come in and get a block. After this season, he'd be off the books.

Harrington could also fill in as a small forward for this team because he's certainly better than Eduardo Najera. It's a pretty good line-up of veterans and young guys with him, Vince Carter, Williams, Boone and Devin Harris. It's probably not enough to get into the playoffs though. Boston, Detroit, Orlando, Philadelphia, Cleveland, Toronto, Washington (in that order I'm predicting) have the 1-7 slots locked up and Indiana and Miami will be competing for the last spot. It might be a good place to land for him for a couple of years. He'll be off the books before the Nets move to Brooklyn, leaving plenty of room for LeBron.

New York Knicks: Malik Rose

The Knicks don't need 33-year-old Rose anymore and really they never did. A straight-up Harrington for Rose trade would work out for both teams. Not only do the Warriors shave off almost $ 2 million immediately, they have over $7 million more after the season when his contract is over. He'd do nothing but sit at the end of the bench. Harrington, on the other hand, has a chance to be part of coach Mike D'Antoni's fast tempo.

Harrington already knows how to play uptempo. Add him to a frontcourt of David Lee and Zach Randolph, he could possibly take Quentin Richardson's spot at small forward. Depending on chemistry, Harrington could help the Knicks.

Sacramento Kings: Mikki Moore, Quincy Douby/Shelden Williams & Cash

The Kings needed a power forward ever since Chris Webber left. The best one they had after him was recently retired Shareef Abdur-Rahim when he played well in 2006. Harrington doesn't do much, but it gives them a bigger body and better overall talent in the paint compared to the 225 pound Moore. On the other hand, Moore's taller, outrebounded Harrington last season and shot better as well (57.7% FG). He has a $2 million buyout option. Douby or Williams would be thrown in to make the trade go through but could bring something to the team if needed.

Douby can play well in an uptempo pace like the Warriors did. After working out with the likes of Baron Davis and Paul Pierce in Las Vegas, he had a great summer league and training camp until an ankle injury marred his pre-season. He can fit well into Nellie's small ball system as an undersized shooting guard. Williams is a wide body back at his playing weight of 250 pounds. Despite his size, he's also accustomed to an uptempo game playing for Coach K at Duke and could give the Warriors size. All players can become free agents.

If Harrington wants to be traded, he could end up anywhere. Anywhere except Indiana that is. He doesn't need a thrid stint with them. But Harrington will be in for a ride wherever he goes.

Kings-Rockets Recap, Pre-Season Recap

This isn't a normal recap I usually do since I'm focusing on the whole pre-season as well. Just a heads-up.

THE GAME

Pre-season or not, any time you score 25 points and grab 16 rebounds over Yao Ming, that's impressive. Twenty-year-old Kings center Spencer Hawes did that. Prediction: I got him making the Sophomore team on all-star weekend.

The Kings showed their potential of how they can play early on in the second quarter and early on in the third quarter. How good were they playing? 6'1, 35-year-old Bobby Jackson was shutting down 6'8, 29-year-old Tracy McGrady. Most of the team was doing good without injured players Beno Udrih and Francisco Garcia.

They forced T-Mac to make 14 points on 14 shots. Hawes grabbed 6 offensive rebounds. Rookie power forward Jason Thompson finished with 10 points and 7 rebounds in 23 minutes. Bobby Brown, although he had a horrible shooting night, finished with 6:1 assist-turnover ratio for the night. Unfortunately, after outscoring the Rockets 35-21 in the second quarter, they couldn't finish the job, again. Despited being tied at 80 at the beginning of the 4th quarter, the Kings were outscored 57-37 in the second half. Capping off a (1-7) pre-season.

PRE-SEASON RECAP

The only pre-season win that they had was a 94-85 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder, where Brown put on his best Mike Bibby imitation by scoring 12 points in the 4th quarter. Hawes came off the bench for 21 points and 7 rebounds and showcased a barrage of post moves and shooting with range. Before that, they were embarassed by the Blazers. The night ended on a better note when Donté Greene scored 12 of his game-high 18 points in the 4th quarter.

Thompson scored a game high 15 points and got 7 rebounds in a 94-89 loss to the Lakers. Kevin Martin dropped 29 points in 21 minutes on 9-11 (near 82%) shooting before the bench gave up a 116-112 loss to the Clippers. There was nothing good about giving up 29 points to Gerald Green losing 124-109 to the Mavs. John Salmons finally woke up and dropped 27 points. with K-Mart's 34 in a 112-98 loss to the Blazers. K-Mart did drop a huge dunk on Greg Oden and LaMarcus Aldridge. Then, last night. Ron Artest made his first trip back to ARCO Arena since being traded, and won. That, however, was overshadowed by Hawes' monster game over Yao Ming.

The thing every Kings fan is relieved about, it's only pre-season and the games don't count. Still, the same things continue to haunt the Kings. Rebounding, defense and assist-turnover ratio. They'll also start the season with injuries and a 5-game suspesion for Brad Miller. Udrih's hip is hurt, but he should be ready for the season opener at Minnesota on Wednesday. Garcia should be out for 1-3 more weeks, but he says he'll try to play in the opener. After a great summer league, Quincy Douby, who will most likely not have his option picked up, missed all of the pre-season. Shelden Williams won't have his option picked up also.

Martin was the most impressive King. For the first six games he played in limited minutes he averaged over 20 PPG on 60.9% shooting, making him the best offensive player in the pre-season. He was also more agressive, more vocal, he had intensity that no one has ever seen before. He's playing angry. Mikki Moore really has to watch his back this season. Hawes can grab the starting PF spot easy being the leading rebounder. Not to mention, Thompson not only scored the same amount of points, but also outrebounded Moore and had less turnovers.

Projected Regular Season Rotation
Bold = Significant Minutes
Center: Brad Miller, Spencer Hawes
Power Forward: Mikki Moore, Jason Thompson, Shelden Williams, Kenny Thomas
Small Forward: John Salmons, Francisco Garcia, Donté Greene
Shooting Guard: Kevin Martin, Quincy Douby
Point Guard: Beno Udrih, Bobby Jackson, Bobby Brown

Whatever the Kings saw wrong in the pre-season they better improve in that area right now, because starting the next game, they count. No one's counting out the Heat (1-5) or the Cavs (2-5), so there's still hope for Kings fans yet.

Rudy Fernandez Back Door Reverse Alley-Oop Dunk

Kevin Martin didn't have the only impressive dunk of the night. Rudy Fernandez goes backdoor on the Kings and hooks up with Sergio Rodriguez for an alley-oop reverse dunk. Spanish Air Flight #5 takes off.

David Lee Won't Get Extension

The New York Knicks' David Lee, along with Nate Robinson, will become restricted free agents July 1 of next year, according to the New York Post. The 25-year-old Lee is set to have a career year starting at power forward since new head caoch Mike D'Antoni benched an out of shape Eddy Curry and moved Zach Randolph to center. The 6'9, 240 pound Lee averaged 10.8 PPG and 8.9 RPG in 81 games last season, 52 games off the bench. He's more than capable of averaging double doubles when he averaged 10.7 PPG and 10.4 RPG.

He's shown everyone in the Knicks' franchise that he deserves an extension. When he started for the Knicks last year his 13 PPG and 10.3 RPG were identical or near identical to Lamar Odom, Shawn Marion and Emeka Okafor. Sure, 2010 is coming and all those superstars, including NY friendly LeBron James, will be on the market, but if you don't lock up a double double, someone else might. New GM Donnie Walsh is not convinced.

Mark Bartlestein, Lee's agent, said this about Walsh's decision in the New York Post.

"I don't anticipate getting something done. As it stands, I don't think it will happen. Donnie is still in the evaluation process with this team. I think he understands David has great value in the league, but is cautious to make a long-term commitment before he gets a feeling what direction his team is going."

Walsh agreed with this response.

"I don't want to make a flat statement, but I don't think we're at a point I can say we're going to extend him. I definitely want to keep Dave and Nate, but you don't have to do it now, you could do it in the summer."

They're plenty of teams in need of a promising young power forward that can throw some money after this season.

• Chicago Bulls
• Denver Nuggets
• Oklahoma City Thunder
• Sacramento Kings
• Utah Jazz (if Carlos Boozer bolts)

If any team throws more money than the Knicks are willing to match or if they're unwilling pay for Lee's asking price, unless Lee really wants to play for the Knicks, he's gone. By 2010, Stephon Marbury, Quentin Richardson, Jerome James and possibly, but not likely, Curry will be off the books. The Knicks have also been trying to shop the troubled Randolph, but couldn't get a deal done with the Memphis Grizzlies because of a dispute over next year's first round draft pick from the Grizzlies.

By then, the Knicks could be spending between $35-50 million before free agency, depending on who's there or not. They could be spending at least $5-15 million more if they keep Lee and/or Robinson. That would destroy the Knicks plans for 2010. Robinson averaged 16.2 PPG and 3.5 APG in 17 starts, but Lee is still a more valuable player. The Knicks might have to let Robinson go.

Lee is a must have for the Knicks' future. They're sure to land a free agent 2 years from now, LeBron or not. If you can only keep one, keep the one who gets double doubles off the bench.