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

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.

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.

Travelin' Man Bobby Jones

Bobby Jones is the most traveled NBA player in the least amount of time. He was drafted by the Minnesota Timberwolves but played for the Philadelphia 76ers his rookie year. He was traded and cut by the Denver Nuggets last year and signed with the Memphis Grizzlies, Houston Rockets, Miami Heat and San Antonio Spurs on 10-day contracts. He re-signed with the Nuggets, traded to and cut by the New York Knicks in the summer, claimed and cut by Miami and picked up by the Sacramento Kings in training camp.

In three years, that's nine teams, 30% of the NBA. He's been moved 11 times and gone through the Nuggets and Heat twice. That doesn't include his D-League stint with the Sioux Falls Skyforce. Do you know how many uniforms he has?

He's only got a taste of what it means to be with one team when he played 41 games with the Sixers. Eight moves later he's wearing #25 for the Kings. The experience he's had constantly joining and leaving teams, that's all the motivation he needs to grab the Kings' last roster spot, not be cut with Noel Felix or join China's Zhang Kai, who's already been cut.

Jones shined the most during his 6-game stay with the Heat where he averaged 8 PPG on 53.1% shooting and 4 RPG. Even though the Heat could use any player they could grab during during their horrible 15-67 season, they don't sign him. In over 23 minutes of play per game, it was shown that even off the bench, if he was given minutes he can produce as a role player.

If he does make the team, he won't be getting much playing time. He stands behind starting small forward John Salmons, 6th man Francisco Garcia and rookie Donté Greene, who also looks at limited minutes. Greene, however, was impressive with 12 of his 18 points in the last 4:31 of the game against the Blazers. Even so, every position would be filled if he makes the roster (as shown below paragraph). The Kings could use help at the small forward position, so it wouldn't be a bad idea to add another swingman to the roster. If anyone got hurt there, he could at least fill in for a few minutes.

PG: Beno Udrih, Bobby Jackson, Bobby Brown
SG: Kevin Martin, Francisco Garcia, Quincy Douby
SF: John Salmons, Donté Greene, Bobby Jones
PF: Mikki Moore, Jason Thompson, Shelden Williams, Kenny Thomas
C: Brad Miller, Spencer Hawes

How I met Jones, I walked into the Kings' Fandemonium at ARCO Arena and saw him right in front of the doorway inside, asked a security guard who he was, because I didn't know if it was him or Felix. It was Jones, and I told him that I heard a lot about him and that I hoped that he made the team. Of course, he said that he did too. "You have the opportunity to play and show this team that you belong here," Jones said in the Sacramento Bee. "So, am I nervous? Yeah, but it's basketball at the end of the day, and I've been doing it awhile."

Coach Reggie Theus mentioned that the team might be trimmed to 15 within the week and Zhang was already cut after the loss to the Blazers, so Jones has to step up his game and score against the Oklahoma City Thunder after the 0 points, 3 rebounds and 2 TOs in 9:30. Hopefully, he'll get himself going and finally land on an NBA team that he can call home.

Rookies Make Marks Around the NBA

Some of these rookies have been impressive already. Only four days into the pre-season. The Blazers, especially Rudy Fernandez, have made the most noise.

Blazers' Rudy Fernandez, Greg Oden & Jerryd Bayless

The Blazers have the most talented rookie nucleus than any other team. Fernandez stole the show in the 2nd half of the first game with 6 points and 5 assists, including a back door alley-oop dunk and an alley oop reverse lay-up high off the glass. Even though he shined playing 36 minutes in his second game, his night ended earlier than expected when he sprained his ankle. He finished with 15 points with 3 three pointers, 5 rebounds, 7 assists and 6 steals in his first start.

In 20 minutes, Oden posted 13 points, 5 rebounds and 2 assists and blocks each for a nearly sold out Rose Garden, who witnessed a 110-81 blowout of the Kings. His second game against the Warriors, 14 points and 9 boards (5 offensive) in the loss. Bayless put up 5 points and 3 rebounds and assists each his first game. Starting in the place of Sergio Rodriguez the next game, he had 13 points and 2 rebounds, but struggled as a point guard with no assists and 5 TOs.

Heat's Michael Beasley & Mario Chalmers

Beasley had an impressive 3rd quarter against the Pistons, scoring 13 of his 16 points in the loss. He also grabbed 6 boards in 21 minutes off the bench. Chalmers came off the bench and didn't do as well. He put up 4 points, 3 rebounds and assists each, 2 steals and 4 TOs in 24 minutes off the bench.

Kings' Donté Greene & Jason Thompson

Even with the massacre they took that was the Blazers, Greene was one of the few bright spots for the Kings. He scored 12 of his game-high 18 points in the final 4:31 left in the game and grabbed 2 boards. JT showcased his quickness and put up 6 points, 4 rebounds and a block. Unfortunately, he also fouled out.

Grizzlies' O.J. Mayo & Marc Gasol

Mayo did a solid job in his 30 minutes, putting up 14 points, 3 rebounds and a steal. He did have 4 TOs though. His second game against the Wizards, not so good with 7 points, 2 rebounds and a steal in 31 minutes. You can't blame Marc when his first game in the NBA is against Yao Ming. He put up 5 points, 2 rebounds and assists each and a block. His second game against Etan Thomas, he had 10 points, 9 rebounds and a block.

T'Wolves' Kevin Love

He didn't start in front of scoreless Mark Madsen, but he should have. Love had 13 points on 6-10 shooting and 5 rebounds in 23 minutes of play. His second game off the bench, 10 points, 5 boards, an assist and a block in 28 minutes. Expect him to start by the regular season.

Celtics' Bill Walker

In limited minutes, Walker did an excellent job. 11 minutes, 8 points, 2 rebounds.

Bucks' Luc Richard Mbah a Moute & Joe Alexander

That's a long name. In his first game he had 9 points, 2 rebounds and assists each, a steal and only one foul in 26 minutes of play. In his first start against the Pistons, he had 4 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists, 4 steals and 5 TOs in 43 minutes. Lottery pick Alexander hasn't even stepped onto the court yet.

Wizards' JaVale McGee

McGee did a decent job in his first game with 7 points in his first game against the Mavs, but he went for 20 points in his second. With Antawn Jamison's injury, his playing time could increase.

Magic's Courtney Lee

He didn't do much his first game. In the second game against the Bobcats, he had 9 points 4 rebounds and a steal on the night in a blowout win over the Bobcats.

Pacers' Roy Hibbert

Hibbert did good in 14 minutes of play with 6 points and 2 boards. He also got hit with a flagrant foul in the 105-71 loss to the Hornets.

Cavs' J.J. Hickson

He had a good debut with 7 points, 4 rebounds, 2 steals and a block in 22 minutes. A solid start.

Thunder's Russell Westbrook

Westbrook had an okay debut with 13 points, 3 rebounds and assists each, but also had 5 TOs.

Warriors' Anthony Randolph

Randolph put up some good numbers. Six points and rebounds each along with 2 steals in 18 minutes. He also had 4 TOs. It got worse for him in his second game. He scored nothing in 10 minutes of play, getting only 3 rebounds 2 assists and a steal.

Raptors' Roko Ukic

The point guard made his debut against the Knicks after coming overseas. He had 7 points, 2 assists, a rebound and a steal.

Sixers' Marreese Speights

Speights played well in the Las Vegas Summer League. This game, he had 8 points, 2 boards and a steal in 19 minutes, but he also had 3 TOs.

Suns' Robin Lopez

Lopez didn't do well against the Hawks. He fouled out in 16 minutes, finishing with 5 points, a rebound and 2 TOs.

We'll see the best rookies of the year at the rookie game during All-Star Weekend in Phoenix this year. The starting line-up for the rookies look like it'll include at least Fernandez, Oden, Beasley and Mayo. In the second half of the season, who knows who could break out? It should be an exciting season watching to see which rookies shine.

Jason Williams Retires

After a career of show-stopping moves and an NBA Championship in 2005, J-Will has called it a career, which really comes as a shocker. The 33-year-old Williams, AKA White Chocolate, signed with the revamped L.A. Clippers for a back-up spot behind Baron Davis, after he and his agent tried to negotiate a return with the Sacramento Kings.

In his career Williams averaged 11.9 PPG, 6.3 APG and 1.3 SPG. He started in 649 of his 679 games played, over 95.5%. Williams was drafted #7 overall by the Kings in 1998. In his rookie year, he was an NBA sensation, bringing streetball to the league and averaged career highs of 3.1 RPG 1.9 SPG 36.1 MPG, along with 12.8 PPG. After playing a career high 81 games the year after, he was traded to the Vancouver Grizzlies for Mike Bibby in 2001. The Grizzlies moved to Memphis that year. He was easily one of the best point guard in their short franchise history, behind Bibby of course.

In 2002-03 season, he averaged a career high 8.3 APG with the team. He made 2 playoff appearances with the team and average 17 PPG and 5.3 APG with Pau Gasol. The team was swept twice in 2004 and 2005.

In 2005 Williams and Grizzlies teammates James Posey and Andre Emmett were involved in the biggest trade in NBA history, which involved 13 players. The trade sent them to the Miami Heat along with Antoine Walker, forming their championship nucleus along with Dwyane Wade and Shaquille O'Neal. The Heat won 53 games, Williams averaged career highs of 44.2% from the field and 37.2% 3PT, and the team won their first NBA Championship against the Dallas Mavericks, coming back from an 0-2 deficit to win four straight games.

The next year, Williams shot his free throws at a career high and an amazing 91.3% and a 5.3-1.1 assist-to-turnover ratio. Unfortunately, they were swept by the Chicago Bulls in the first round of the playoffs, the first reigning champions ever to be swept that early. Things would only get worse as the team finished dead last in the NBA with a record.

After the team made it clear that they weren't re-signing him by signing Mario Chalmers. He signed with the Clippers in the off-season. After an exciting career, he's calling it quits. Jason Williams was one of the most exciting players ever. Most of his best plays came with the Kings alongside Chris Webber, Doug Christie, Vlade Divac and Peja Stojakovic, when they were the most entertaining team in the NBA.

He'll be remembered for all the spectacular plays that he gave the NBA, from the behind the back elbow pass to Raef LaFrentz he did in the 2000 Rookie Game, to the half court alley oop he pulled off with Shawn Marion. He's had plenty of other plays that were consistently in the top 10 plays of the day. Williams is a legend for the style of play he brought to the NBA and no one who watched him play his best will ever forget him.

Beasley Fined $50K for Failure to Cooperate

If you thought Miami's Mario Chalmers and Memphis' Darrell Arthur getting slapped with $20K fines was the end of it, it's not even over. ESPN reported that the #2 overall Michael Beasley, who was also in the marijuana scented room with two women was fined $50K because he "failed to cooperate with the league investigation," and that "the Heat said Beasley eventually chose to reveal that he was part of the incident."

Although there were not traces of the drug other than the scent, Beasley wasn't sent home from the Rookie Transition Program with teammate Chalmers and Arthur. Both rookies who were sent home apologized and denied marijuana use. Both were fined but were not given suspensions, but they'll still have to attend the rookie program next season with the class of 2009. All three players won't be suspended by the NBA, according to the article.

Shareef Considering Retirement, Coaching Career

Shareef Abdur-Rahim, second from the right, says he'll decide if he'll participate in the

Sacramneto Kings' training camp after coming home from a trip South Africa for the NBA.

(From left to right) Milwaukee Bucks' Charlie Bell, San Antonio Spurs' Matt Bonner,
Abdur- Rahim,and Washington Wizards' Caron Butler.

The last time Sacramento Kings' power forward Shareef Abdur-Rahim was heard from before going on the NBA's Basketball Without Borders trip to South Africa, he was practicing with their summer league team in Las Vegas. At the time, he was not doing well. Now that he's home, retirement looks more of a possibility than ever for the 31 year old.

Shareef is due $12.8 million over the next 2 seasons and has an early-termination option in 2009. The Kings, however have insurance on him so they won't have to pay him anything unless he plays for another team. According to Amick, he and the Kings have discussed the possibility of him becoming their big man coach.

The Kings were supposedly looking for a big man coach over the summer to develop the young bigs like sophomore center Spencer Hawes, rookie power forward Jason Thompson and third year power forward Shelden Williams. A good coach would do them well, and Shareef, a former All-Star in 2000, might be a good fit for them. He was one of the best power forwards in the NBA the first 8 years of his career. Right now, the playing part of his NBA career seems to be over.

Shareef was drafted #3 by the Vancouver Grizzlies where he played his best for 5 years, setting franchise records with 23 PPG in 1999 and 10.1 RPG in 2000. He was the by far the best player the Grizzlies franchise has ever had. He also won a gold medal for the men's USA Basketball Team in the 2000 Olympics in Sydney.

The Grizzlies traded him for to the Atlanta Hawks rookie Pau Gasol in 2001 where he played for two and a half seasons before getting traded for Rasheed Wallace, who only played one game for the Hawks before getting traded to the Detroit Pistons. Portland was the only place Shareef wore a different number than #3. He wore #33 there.

After 2 years in Portland, and not one playoff appearance with any team, Shareef was to be signed-and-traded to New Jersey for a first round pick, which Portland planned to trade for the Phoenix Suns' Leandro Barbosa. He failed the physical, putting the trade on hold, but he decided to go into free agency, signing with the Kings.

During his time in Sacramento, he broke his jaw and had it wired shut. Expected to be out for a significant amount of time, he came back early and played, with his jaw wired shut. He made his first and only playoff appearance against the defending champion San Antonio Spurs in the first round. Although they tied the series after being down 2-0, the Kings lost the series 4-2. In the 06-07 season, Shareef averaged career lows of 9.9 PPG and 5 RPG missing the playoffs. The next season, two knee surgeries limited him to 6 games out of the whole year.

If his career is over, he would have missed the playoffs 11 out of 12 seasons. Even so, his resumé includes a gold medal, an All-Star appearance, and 1996-97 NBA All-Rookie First Team. In college, he was the first freshman to win the PAC 10 Player of the Year Award at California. Not to mention, his extensive involvement in the community that extends from Sacramento, to New Orleans, to Atlanta and now, Africa.

Shareef was and still is a great ambassador for the NBA. His contributions on and off the court touched millions of people. He will not be forgotten.

Brown, Affalo, Belinelli Highlight Vegas Day 3

Hornets (1-1) v. Bobcats (1-1)

The Hornets' Bobby Brown continues to impress in the summer league. He had 20 points, including the go-ahead with 30 seconds left to edge the Bobcats 77-75. Brown also had 5 rebounds, 5 assists and a steal. Julian Wright had an all-around game with 11 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, 5 steals and 2 blocks, while Hilton Armstrong posted 14 points and 5 rebounds. He also had an dunked on an alley-oop to tie the game at 75.

Bobcats' point guard D.J. Augustin has shown the ability to score, but hasn't distributed much his first 2 games. He finished with 15 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists and 5 turnovers. Jamereo Davidson played well again putting up 12 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists and a block and Orien Greene had 10 points off the bench.

Pistons (2-0) v. Cippers (1-2)

Arron Affalo starred in the Pistons 75-66 win against the Clippers, hitting 8-10 field goals and all nine free throws for 25 points to go with 4 rebounds. Will Bynum came off the bench for 10 points and center Cheikh Samb had 8 points, 4 rebounds and 2 blocks. Rodney Stuckey, who was a major role in their first win, posted 8 points, 4 rebounds and a steal. Amir Johnson had 9 points, 5 rebounds and 2 steals. Although they were outrebounded 33-31, 6 Pistions grabbed 4+ rebounds.

The Clippers lost Eric Gordon to a hamstring strain for the rest of summer league and did not play against the Pistons. With him out of the way, DeAndre Jordan took control with 15 points, 10 rebounds and a block. Al Thornton had 14 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists and a steal and Mike Taylor had 13 points, 6 rebounds, a block and 7 turnovers. Fatigue could be a factor working against the Clippers because they played back-to-back-to-back days, playing for 3 straight days.

Warriors (2-0) v. Mavericks (0-2)

This time Marco Belinelli was the star, leading his team with 25 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists and a steal en route to a 95-86 win over the Mavs. Anthony Randolph, who scored 30 points in his debut, only had 11 points to go along with 5 boards, 2 assists, a block and a steal. Brandan Wright had 15 points, 7 rebounds, 2 blocks and a steal while C.J. Watson picked up 14 points, 3 rebounds and 4 steals.

James Singleton starred for the Mavs' in their losing effort, putting up 17 points and 8 rebounds. Teammate Charles Rhodes had 12 points on 4-5 shooting, 6 rebounds, 2 assists and a block off the bench and highflyer Gerald Green had 15 points, 3 rebounds and a steal.

Lakers (1-1) v. Grizzlies (2-1)

Coby Karl, out of all people, outdueled O.J. Mayo to give the Lakers a 85-76 win. Karl had a game high 16 points to go with 4 boards, 3 assists, a steal and a block. Sharrod Ford had 11 points and 4 rebounds and a block while Cedric Bozeman had 12 points and 4 rebounds. Nik Caner-Medley had 7 points and a game high 8 rebounds, along with a technical foul. Every Laker on the team who played scored.

Ebi Ere had the best game of any of the Grizzlies with 14 points, 3 rebounds and 3 assists off the bench. Mayo had 15 points and 2 rebounds but struggled with 6 turnovers while Mike Conley had 11 points and 3 rebounds. Javaris Crittenton had 9 points 4 rebounds and 3 assists and Steve Burtt Jr. scored 8 points in 8 minutes. Every Grizzlies' player on the team who played also scored.

Some players, including Danillo Gallinari, Robin Lopez and Nicolas Batum will make their debut on day 4, stay tuned.

Summer League Recap: Day 2 & Rankings

On day 2, many players put out great effort.

Kings v. Raptors

In the kick-off game, Spencer Hawes had one of the top performances of the day with 23 points and 9 rebounds in a winning effort against the Raps. Shelden Williams posted a double double with 16 points and 10 rebounds, while Quincy Douby had 20 points, 2 rebounds, 3 steals and a block. Jason Thompson, the surprise lottery pick, got hot late with 12 points, 7 rebounds and a block and Sean Singletary had 9 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists and 2 steals in the game. Good all-around team effort.

The Raps' Joey Graham, twin brother of the Pacers' Stephen Graham, had a game high 24 points to go with 8 boards and a steal. Deji Akindele had 13 points, 7 rebounds and 2 blocks while Jaycee Carroll had 14 points in 14 minutes off the bench. John Lucas had 10 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists and a steal while Hassan Adames finished with 9 points, 3 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals. Joel Bosh, brother of Raptors' star forward Chris Bosh, did not play.

Grizzlies v. Bucks

O.J. Mayo stepped up big for the Grizzlies, putting up 26 points, 5 rebounds, an assist and a steal, leading the team to a 88-79 win over the Bucks. P.J. Tucker had another great night with 11 points, 8 boards and a block. Javaris Crittenton put up all sixes, 6 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists and German Malick Badiane put up 9 points and 6 rebounds. Mike Conley had 8 points, 2 rebounds and 2 assists and Darrell Arthur had 10 points and 4 rebounds.

The Bucks' Ramon Sessions had 12 points, 9 assists and 2 rebounds and Trey Johnson had 12 points and 7 rebounds. Matt Freije's 3 of his 4 made shots were 3 pointers for 11 points off the bench and Darius Washington had 9 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists and a steal.

Bobcats v. Clippers

D.J. Augustin and the Bobcats toppled the Clippers 81-66. Augustin made his debut and led his team with 14 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals , while rookie D.J. 15 points, 8 rebounds and a block. Kyle Hines had 7 points and 5 rebounds off the bench while Guillermo Diaz came off with him with 9 points and 3 rebounds. Orien Greene had 6 points 3 rebounds, 3 assists and a steal after playing most of the year with the New Zealand Breakers.

Clippers' sophomore Al Thornton highlighted the night with 22 points, 7 rebounds and a block. Eric Gordon had a better shooting game with 15 points on 4-10 shooting, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals and 2 blocks. Mike Taylor, from Iowa State, had 10 points while DeAndre Jordan had 4 points and 6 rebounds. Jordan, through 2 games, is showing why he was a 2nd round pick.

Nuggets v. Sixers

Even in the summer league, the Nuggets continue their high scoring ways outdueling the Sixers 99-85. Dhantay Jones was shining with 21 points. Sonny Weems had 17 points in 20 minutes off the bench for the Nuggets while Elton Brown posted a double double with 13 points and 11 boards. George Washington's Mike Hall had 12 points 8 rebounds and 2 assists while Keith Langford added 14 points and 3 assists in 16 minutes.

Although Thaddeus Young continues to score, his team is now 0-2. Young had 22 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals. Marreese Speights also cooled off from last night's performance, putting up 14 points, 5 rebounds and 2 blocks. Jamont Gordon had 12 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists and a steal for the night. Jason Smith had a good night with 15 points and 4 rebounds.

Now, only 7 teams have to wait to make their debut until Monday including Knicks v. Cavs, Suns v. Rockets, Wizards v. Blazers and the Spurs debuting against the Grizzlies.

Now that a couple of days have gone by, here are the first player and rookie rankings of the summer league.

Player Rankings

1. Anthony Randolph (GSW): 30, 8, 1, 2, 2 (1-0)
2. O.J. Mayo (MEM): 20.5, 4, 3, 2, 0.5 (2-0)
3. Spencer Hawes (SAC): 23, 9, 2, 0, 0 (1-0)
4. Al Thornton (LAC): 21, 7, 0.5, 0, 1 (1-1)
5. Thaddeus Young (PHI): 24.5, 5.5, 1.5, 1, 0.5 (0-2)
6. Rodney Stuckey (DET): 21, 5, 4, 1, 0 (1-0)
7. P.J. Tucker (MEM): 14, 8, 1.5, 2, 0.5 (2-0)
8. Joey Graham (TOR): 24, 8, 0, 1, 0 (0-1)
9. Shelden Williams (SAC): 16, 10, 2, 0, 0 (1-0)
10. Eric Gordon (LAC) 19, 5.5, 2, 1, 1 (1-1)



Rookie Rankings

1. Anthony Randolph (GSW): 30, 8, 1, 2, 2 (1-0)
2. O.J. Mayo (MEM): 20.5, 4, 3, 2, 0.5 (2-0)
3. Eric Gordon (LAC): 19, 5.5, 2, 1, 1 (1-1)
4. Marreese Speights (PHI): 18, 9, 0, 0, 1.5 (0-2)
5. D.J. Augustin (CHA): 14, 3, 2, 2, 0 (1-0)
6. Deji Akindele (TOR): 13, 7, 0, 1, 2 (0-1)
7. Jason Thompson (SAC): 12, 7, 1, 0, 1 (1-0)
8. Darrell Arthur (MEM): 14, 3.5, 1, 1, 1 (0-2)
9. Trey Johnson (MIL): 12, 7, 0, 1, 0 (0-1)
10. Sonny Weems (DEN): 17, 3, 0, 0, 0 (1-0)

Summer League Recap: Day 1

The big game, Warriors v. Sixers. Warriors' rookie Anthony Randolph went off for 30 points and 8 rebounds in his summer league debut against the Sixers, winning 96-89. Sixers' sophomore forward Thaddeus Young had 27 points and 6 rebounds while rookie teammate Marreese Speights finished with 22 points and 13 rebounds (7 offensive).

Blowout of the night goes to the Clippers ousting the Mavericks 86-69. Clippers' sophomore Al Thornton had 20 points to go with 7 rebounds, while their rookie, Eric Gordon had 21 points on 5-13 shooting. I guess hitting 10-11 free throws would help and 5 of his 7 rebounds were offensive. James Singleton, former Clipper playing for the Mavs, had team highs of 13 points and 7 rebounds. Undrafted Charles Rhodes went for 10 points and 6 rebounds while Gerald Green added 12 points.

O.J. Mayo and Darrell Arthur made their Grizzlies debut in an 88-75 victory over the Hornets. The real star of the game, however, was their teammate P.J. Tucker with 17 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, and 4 steals. Arthur had 18 points on 9-12 shooting and 2 steals, while O.J. Mayo had 15 points, 3 rebounds, 5 assists and 8 turnovers. Let's not forget Mike Conley with 14 points and 6 assists. Hornets' center Hilton Armstrong had 13 points and 9 rebounds while Julian Wright 12 points, 5 boards and 11 turnovers. Bobby Brown out of Oregon also did well with 11 points and 5 assists.

Finally, Rodney Stuckey led the Pistons over the Lakers 84-73. Stuckey, who starred in the playoffs, had 21 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists, while Cheikh Samb had a near double double with 9 points and 9 rebounds. The Lakers' Coby Karl had 14 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists while Sharrod Ford out of Clemson had 10 points and 5 rebounds.

Pretty good day for day 1 in Vegas. More debuts to happen today.

Look Ahead for the Western Conference

Ever since the Pau Gasol trade, the West has been loading up with talent. Shaq goes to PHX, Damon Stoudemire to the Spurs, and before all the trades, Kyle Korver to Utah. It's going to be a fight to the finish for any position in the West. There are 10 teams that are contenders for a playoff spot, but 2 teams are going to be pushed out.

1. New Orleans Hornets have been an incredible team this especially when you consider that they're in the Southwest division. What makes it even more incredible is that it's in a conference loaded with a bunch talent. Chris Paul has been incredible, maximizing the frontline in Tyson Chandler, David West and Peja Stojakovic. Need to go inside? TC or D-West. Can't get a lay-up driving inside? Kick it out to Peja for three. No wonder he averages 10.9 APG. Paul's also had an MVP caliber season to go along with the Hornets' amazing season so far. If they keep up the pace that they're on, they're definitely title contenders for this year.


2. Phoenix Suns (37-16) Even though they still have one of the best records in the NBA, a lot of people think that the Suns are worse than before. Maybe that's why they made the move to get Shaq in exchange for Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks. The trade gave them the much needed size that they needed since they lost Kurt Thomas, but it's still in question if Shaq can hang with the run-n-gun style of the Suns. Word is that they're not done trading yet. The Suns have missed opportunities to get to the Finals for the past 3 years and time is running out for them. Still, 2 time MVP Steve Nash still has the drive to lead the new look Suns to a championship.


3. Los Angeles Lakers (35-17) Six months ago, many people thought Kobe Bryant was on his way out of L.A. With the rise of Andrew Bynum they've been labled as contenders. Then they go get Pau Gasol and get rid of Kwame Brown. Now they're labled as the best in the west. Bynum's got a few weeks to go until he gets back on the court since injuring his knee, and Kobe just injured his pinky finger and said no to surgery. If Kobe can't perform the way he usualy does while he's injured, as tough as the West is, a bad run can drop the Lakers to a 7 or 8 seed, or even drop out of the race. If Kobe doesn't perform as well, Gasol and Lamar Odom will have to step up their game to stay in the race for at least homecourt advantage. But we've all seen Kobe.


4. Utah Jazz (34-19) The Jazz are back on track to repeating where they finished last year. Deron Williams and Carlos Boozer have proven to be one of the toughest duos to match up against in the league, averaging 40.8 PPG. Williams has become an excellent playmaker with 9.7 APG while Boozer has been a 20-10 machine. AK-47's been a stat stuffer, Ronnie Brewer's stepped up his game and with the addition of Kyle Korver, the Jazz get a much needed shooter that could help them still be contenders.
   
5. San Antonio Spurs (34-17) The NBA Champions are still in the mix. Tim Duncan has led the Spurs to 4 championships in 9 years but it looked like they were taking a tumble after losing point guard Tony Parker. Many thought that age would finally catch up to the oldest team in the NBA. When Jacque Vaughn didn't look like enough, they turned to newly signed Damon Stoudmire, where they gained control during their annual rodeo trip. Now they look to do what the Spurs haven't done before, win back-to-back championships.
   
6. Dallas Mavericks (35-18) The Mavs have had what has been the best 2 year run in the franchise's history, but at the same time the most disappointing run. They went up 2-0 to the 2005 Finals only to lose 4 straight. They clinched the first seed in the West last year and Dirk Nowitzki got the MVP, only to get booted out the first round by the Golden State Warriors. Now they look to even up with the top teams by trying to acquire Jason Kidd, only to be blocked by Deavean George. They're still working on the trade but if the Mavs don't get the trade through, it could cause problems with the team's chemistry and emotionally hurt them in the second half of the season. It can hurt the players involved with that trade the most.


7. Golden State Warriors (32-20) The Warriors barely made it in last year. This year, they've been in the playoff picture since they hit the .500 mark after starting 1-6. The Yard's own Baron Davis has helped lead this team to where they are dishing out 8.1 APG, Al Harrington and Stephen Jackson are lighting it up from 3 point land, Monta Ellis' stepping up his game. One bad run for this team can cost them the playoffs, but since getting back Captain Jack, that doesn't seem likely. Hopefully Chris Webber will help give the Warriors the size they were looking for.
   
8. Denver Nuggets (32-30) They're right in the mix for leading the Northwest division, fighting with Utah and Portland. As competitive as the West is, they could get knocked out. With a strong line-up Carmelo Anthony, Allen Iverson, Marcus Camby and Kenyon Martin, they're too strong not to make the playoffs. Melo has made it public that he would like to add to the team by trading for the Kings' forward Ron Artest, which will be a major boost in defensive. Seemingly the organization is willing to part with Eduardo Najera, not the up and coming Linas Kleiza. The Kings aren't interested in acquiring just Eduardo Najera with a draft pick or recent cancer survivor Nene. Either the Artest for Kleiza-Najera, Artest for Kleiza-draft pick or Artest for Nene goes through, or they'll go with what they have, which is still pretty good.
   
9. Houston Rockets (32-20) The Rockets were struggling in the first half of the season with Tracy McGrady injuring himself early, Yao Ming had to help carry the Rockets. During a good run that they had earlier, some were starting to think that the Rockets were better without T-Mac. This was during the time that he wanted to be traded from the team. Luther Head stepped in and had some good games to fill in for T-Mac. But now that McGrady is back, they've won 10 of 11 games to be tied for 7th place and they look better than ever. With Head injured, the team is still doing great and is looking to get even better keeping everyone healthy.
   
10. Portland Trailblazers (28-24) The Blazers were the feel good story of the NBA. Once the hottest team in the league, they won 13 straight games after losing 9 out of 10. Brandon Roy emerged as their leader, LaMarcus Aldridge became a threat, the whole team just performed well with their unbelievable chemistry on and off the court. Since their miracle run, the youngest team in the league cooled back down, losing 4 straght games, going to 4 games over .500 and 4 games out of the playoffs. They're not counted out of the playoffs and definitely not counted out as title contenders in the future, espcially with Greg Oden coming in.
    
11. Sacramento Kings (23-28) Looks like it's time to call it a season, because Mike Bibby just got traded to the Atlanta Hawks for Anthony Johnson, Tyronn Lue, Lorenzen Wright and Shelden Williams (all but Williams have expiring contracts). It seemed like a bad season from the start for them. Bibby was hurt for over 35 games, Ron Artest was suspended the first 7 games and injured later, and leading scorer Kevin Martin (23.9 PPG) was injured, it all seemed hopeless. Throw in John Salmons and Beno Udrih's breakout year, 3 Francisco Garcia game winning 3 pointers, and throw in beating divisional leaders 7 times, and they have hope for next year. Looking to finish over .500 for the year under new coach Reggie Theus and having over $1 million in cap space for a big free agent, they look to start fresh. And Artest wanting a trade, he's backed off of it.
    
12. Los Angeles Clippers (17-33) After surprisingly starting out a red hot 4-0, they went on to win only 13 more games. Everyone knew that it was going to be a horrible season without Elton Brand and Shaun Livingston. That gave Chris Kaman the opportunity to become a great center in the NBA. With Brand and Livingston due back, the Clippers look to get back on track for next year, hopefully getting back on track to becoming playoff contenders, shaping back into the form they were 2 years ago. Hopefully, both players will play the same way did before their injuries.
    
13. Memphis Grizzlies (14-38) There's not much to say about the Grizzlies now. After letting Pau Gasol and a 2010 2nd round draft pick go to the Lakers for Kwame Brown, Javaris Crittenton, Aaron McKie, brother Marc Gasol and 1st round picks in 2008 and 2010, Memphis is looking to rebuild for the future. Mike Miller may be on his way out too and they bought out Damon Stoudemire. Rudy Gay and Mike Conley are the 2 essential pieces for their future. Gay could be a potential superstar with the way he's performing. He's one of the league's best dunkers and has a great jump shot. To think he's still developing. Who know's, Darko Milicic might be a defensive key with the way he's blocking shots.
    
14. Seattle Supersonics (13-38) The Sonics are right around where they're expected to be. Kevin Durant has been one of the leading canidates for Rookie of the Year. The line-up has shaken up a little bit. Luke Ridnour lost his starting point guard job to Earl Watson, Damien Wilkins earned the small forward spot then lost it to rookie Jeff Green and Robert Swift was marred by injuries again after expecting to start this season (I know, he told me). Add this bad season with a franchise record 14-game losing streak with the controversy of moving out of Seattle, it's a year to forget, except for the fact they got the number one rookie in the draft. It's a rebuilding year, and they look to develop all the young players that they have, and players like Swift and Delonte West might not come back next year.


15. Minnesota Timberwolves (10-41) It was a dead on predicition that Minnesota would be one of the top lottery teams this year. Seven players have expiring contracts, including point guard Sesbastian Telfair, one of their best players. Obviously after trading Kevin Garnett away, this team was in rebuilding mode. Signing star power forward Al Jefferson to an extension gave the team a centerpiece to work with for the next few years. Rashad McCants has put up good numbers. They brought in some experience too by trading for Antoine Walker, while getting rid of Mark Blount and his big contract. In 10 wins so far they've beaten the Suns twice. Before going on their current 5 game losing streak, the team showed signs of development by getting two 2-game winning streaks, winning 5 out of 7 games. They've got a lot of work ahead of them, but under Jefferson, this team has a future to look ahead too.

It's going to be a wild finish for the Western Conference. Many teams have performed well throughout the season but only 8 can make it to the playoffs. There might even be an upset.

The Best Grizzlies in Franchise History

The best Grizzlies players at their position at their peak year in the Grizzlies 13 year history. It wasn't hard to find them since all of them are still playing. Two are still playing with them, 2 play in Sacramento, and most recently, one just got traded to the Lakers. I wonder who?

C-Pau Gasol (06-07)
20.8 PPG, 9.8 RPG, 3.4 APG, 0.5, SPG, 2.1 BPG
FG 57.8%, 3 PT FG, 27.8%, FT 74.8%

Pau Gasol, of course, is the most celebrated Grizzly. Drafted by Atlanta and traded for Shareef Abdur-Rahim in 2001, he became the Rookie of the Year and went on to lead the franchise in leading scorer (8,872), rebounder (4,051) and shot blocker (868) in franchise history. He led Memphis to 3 playoff appearances. All 3 series, however, 0-4 sweeps for the Grizz. After requesting a trade, Memphis traded Gasol and a 2010 2nd round pick to the Lakers for Kwame Brown, Javaris Crittenton, Aaron McKie, brother Marc Gasol and 1st round picks in 2008 and 2010. Lamar Odom was the original plan, but Memphis was looking for cap space after the season. And so the Gasol area (01-08) ended.

PF-Shareef Abdur-Rahim (99-00)
20.3 PPG, 10.3 RPG, 3.3 APG, 1.1 SPG, 1.1 BPG
FG 46.5%, 3 PT FG 30.8%, FT 80.9%

It's safe to say that he's the best Vanouver Grizzly with the numbers he put up. Teamed up with Mike Bibby, the 2000 Olympic gold medalist got the point guard needed to become the best duo the franchise ever had. Together in 2000-01 they averaged 36.4 PPG. Shareef holds the Grizzlies records for most points in a season (1,829), scoring average (22.3), rebounds (825) and rebounding average (10.1). After never making the playoffs, he was traded for to the Atlanta Hawks for rookie Pau Gasol. After being traded to Portland along with Theo Ratliff and Dan Dickau for Rasheed Wallace and Wesley Person, he eventually rejoined Mike Bibby in Sacramento in 2005 and made his playoff debut in 2006, losing to San Antonio 4-2.

SF-Rudy Gay (07-08 Going into All-Star Break)
19.9 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 1.8 APG, 1.5 SPG, 0.8 BPG
44.6% FG, 39% 3 PT FG, 78.2% FT

Congrats Rudy Gay! Only a sophomore and you're already among the top 5 players in Grizzlies history. There's nothing but a bright future for this highflying sophomore who hasn't even peaked yet as for as we know. A great dunker, a deadly 3 point shooter when left open, and a developing defender, Gay has proved to be one of the best young players in the league, also to participate in the Dunk Contest.

SG-Mike Miller (06-07)
18.5 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 4.3 APG, 0.8 SPG, 0.3 BPG
FG 46%, 3 PT FG 40.6%, FT 79.3%

Mike Miller is probably the best shooter Memphis' ever had. Acquired in a trade in 2003 with the Orlando Magic, the 2001 Rookie of the Year helped Memphis to 3 playoff appearances. In 2006, Miller recieved the Sixth Man Award and went on to have his best individual season to date last year. With the absence of Pau Gasol, Miller has stepped up to help carry his team to score 20+ points the last 3 out of 4 games.

PG-Mike Bibby (00-01)
15.9 PPG, 3.7 RPG 8.4, APG 1.3, SPG 0.2, BPG
FG 45.4%, 3PT FG 39.1%, FT 76.1%

Bibby was drafted by Vancouver a year later after Shareef. He was an instant success as a point guard and holds the record for the assist average (8.4). He and Shareef, as mentioned before, were the best duo the Grizz ever had. However, they never made the playoffs. Bibby was traded to Sacramento in exchange for Jason Williams where he would make the playoffs for 5 straight years and played a major role in the 2002 Playoffs against the Lakers.

If each of these players played together at their best during their stay on the team, these would be their averages.

Points Per Game 95.4
Rebounds Per Game 35.4
Assists Per Game 21.2
Steals Per Game 5.2
Blocks Per Game 4.5
Field Goal Percentage 48.06%
3 Point Field Goal Percentage 35.46%
Free Throw Percentage 77.86%

So there you have it. Through 13 years, these are the Grizzlies all time great players.