2009 NBA Draft Recap: Why Ricky Rubio Is Overrated

All I've been hearing about in this draft is how great Ricky Rubio is and how teams like the Kings are going to regret passing on him. Well, it might be true that Ricky Rubio could turn out to be a great point guard, but I still believe he is highly overrated because he will never be the best player on a championship team. I'm going to try and prove the point that Rubio could turn out to be a great PG and still be overrated in terms of teams passing up on him in this draft.

First, let's look at scouting report for Ricky Rubio to see what kind of player he will be:

Scouting Report (via NBADraft.net): NBA Comparison: Jose Calderon/Steve Nash

Strengths: One of the purest point guards to come around in a while … His vision and ability to deliver precise passes make him the ultimate distributor … Has good size for the position, allowing him to survey the court over top of defenses … A great and natural feel for the game allows him to see plays before they materialize, keeping him one step ahead of the opposition … He is extremely good at maintaining his composure when operating in the pick and roll, he does not panic when the defense converges, but rather shows patience and waits to make his reads … Loves to split the hedge on a high ball screen to get into the paint … Has a wide repertoire of moves off the dribble … Knows how to incorporate head, pass and shot fakes to get defenders off balance and to keep them guessing … Uses change of speed and direction extremely well, always mixing up the moves and staying unpredictable … His shot has come a long way in the last year or so, even to the point where he has become a serious threat from the outside … Defensively, he plays with a lot of energy and puts in a great effort to put pressure on the opposing ball handlers … Quick hands and terrific anticipation allow him to get his hands on a lot of balls … His game is mature beyond his years due to the fact that he has played on the top senior level for a long time … He has been on the draft radar for some years and has been able to maintain a fairly high level of play … Has shown that he can perform on a big stage by being a key member of the Spanish National team in the Olympics …

Weaknesses: Has good speed but lacks the great explosiveness that top tier point guards in the league possess … He is forced to shoot high amount of attempts in the paint because his marginal leaping ability makes it difficult for him to finish around the basket … Heavily depends on the pick and roll to create his opportunities and does not show a great ability to break down defenders in ISO situations … Has gotten better at taking what’s open, but his pass first mentality still gets him into trouble as he passes up open shots … His jumper is still not a finished product by any means … Because it takes him a bit to get his feet set, and his release point is fairly low he still looks like a set shooter … Has battled some injuries over the last year, which raises the question of durability and whether he will be able to handle the rigors of an 82 game season … His game has been up and down this season after coming back from his injury (Had a better overall season last year) … His performance on the international scene does not guarantee his game will translate well to the NBA

Notice that Rubio is praised for his passing abilities, which may very well make him one of the best passing PG's in the NBA some day. However, it appears that he does not have great explosiveness and is not a good leaper, which would make it tough for him to get to the rim and finish strong. It also seems that he is not a great shooter by any means and may not be as bad as a shooter as Jason Kidd, but he is not a Steve Nash type shooter either. However, Rubio is not as quick and strong as Kidd and probably never will be, so if his shooting ability doesn't improve teams may choose to play him like Rajon Rondo or Jason Kidd by sagging off of him. The difference is that he doesn't have the ability to get to the rim like those two PG's do, which could definitely limit his effectiveness.

If he does develop an outside shot, then his best comparisons would be Steve Nash and Jose Calderon, who are both pass first PG's who lack great explosiveness. Nash and Calderon are both great PG's, but they also have trouble stopping penetration on the defensive end because of their lack of athleticism, which I think is part of the reason why their teams will never win a championship.

From the scouting report, we can come to the conclusion that Rubio is most likely going to be a pass first PG who will most likely not be a player who attacks the rim on a consistent basis. His basement is probably a Jason Kidd without the strength and speed of Kidd and his ceiling is probably Steve Nash with more height, which would make him one of the best players in the NBA. Of course, those people out there who are blowing up Rubio's game and saying that teams are going to regret passing on Rubio, expect him to fulfill all of his potential or else they wouldn't feel that way in the first. So in essence, they expect Rubio to be a great NBA player and win multiple championships.

Now let's take a look at the starting PG's on each of the last 20 NBA Champs and what role they played on that team (star, role player, etc.) and what type of PG they were (pass first, scorer, three-point specialist, etc.)

NBA Champions (starting PG):

2009 Los Angeles Lakers: Derek Fisher
2008 Boston Celtics: Rajon Rondo
2007 San Antonio Spurs: Tony Parker
2006 Miami Heat: Jason Williams
2005 San Antonio Spurs: Tony Parker
2004 Detroit Pistons: Chauncey Billups
2003 San Antonio Spurs: Tony Parker
2002 Los Angeles Lakers: Derek Fisher
2001 Los Angeles Lakers: Derek Fisher
2000 Los Angeles Lakers: Derek Fisher
1999 San Antonio Spurs: Tony Parker
1998 Chicago Bulls: Ron Harper/Michael Jordan/Scottie Pippen
1997 Chicago Bulls: Ron Harper/Michael Jordan/Scottie Pippen
1996 Chicago Bulls: Ron Harper/Michael Jordan/Scottie Pippen
1995 Houston Rockets: Kenny Smith
1994 Houston Rockets: Kenny Smith
1993 Chicago Bulls: B.J. Armstrong
1992 Chicago Bulls: John Paxson
1991 Chicago Bulls: John Paxson
1990 Detroit Pistons: Isiah Thomas

Now if you look at this list, you can see that none of these PG's were star players who were pass first PG's. This leads me to believe that having a star, pass first PG is not an essential need for an NBA team to win a championship.

In fact, it actually looks like if a championship team has a star PG, he is usually the quick, attack the basket PG(Rondo, Parker, Billups, Thomas) rather than a pass first, PG who does not attack the rim.

The teams that won with PG's who don't really attack the basket like the Lakers, Heat, Rockets, and Bulls; all had PG's who were not the 1st, 2nd, or 3rd option on offense. Instead, they were role players who shot the ball well from the outside and protected the basketball. All four of these teams also had other guards who could dominate the ball at times: Kobe Bryant, Dwyane Wade, Clyde Drexler, & Michael Jordan. In fact, the Bulls didn't even really use a true-PG during their second 3-peat.

Therefore, it seems like the past 20 NBA Champions are teams that either: have a star PG who attacks the rim or have a ball dominant, elite off-guard combined with a role playing, ball protecting, good shooting PG. The elite pass first guards like Steve Nash, Jose Calderon, John Stockton, Jason Kidd, Chris Paul, and Deron Williams have won zero championships in the past 20 years.

So my point here is that Rubio might win a championship, but he is more likely to do so as a role playing, ball protecting, good shooting PG then he is a star PG who attacks the rim and gets to the line a lot. In my mind, quick PG's who attack the rim are worth high lottery picks, but role playing, ball protecting, good shooting PG's are not, which is why I don't understand what the big stink is over teams passing on Ricky Rubio. I guarantee that if Rubio does win a championship it will be because he is either playing with the best big man in the game or with a ball dominant off guard. I hardly doubt that he will win a championship while being the best player on his team, and maybe not even as the second best player on his team.

Players who aren't elite scorers or rebounders are more likely to be role players on championship winning teams and Rubio doesn't look like he is going to be anything more than a great distributor of the basketball. That's a great skill to have and will help a team win in the regular season and may make Rubio a star, but without a domininant big man or off-guard Rubio probably isn't going to win any championships, which is why I can agree with the logic of some teams passing on him in the early part of the lottery and it not coming back to haunt them.

This is why I think Ricky Rubio is overrated and not worth a high lottery pick. It doesn't mean he can't still be a great NBA player and All-Star. It just means that more than likely he is not going to be a player you can build a championship team around and history shows us that building a team around a PG does not lead to championships in general, unless that PG is 6'8 and named Magic Johnson.

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2009 NBA Draft Recap/NBA Trade Rumors: Ricky Rubio, DeJuan Blair, Ty Lawson, Hedo Turkoglu, Memphis Grizzlies, & More

Ricky Rubio: Seems pretty obvious that Rubio doesn't want to play for the Timberwolves and the Knicks look like the team who is pressing the hardest to acquire him. David Lee & Nate Robinson are the two names being talked about in trade rumors, but I don't really see how the Knicks could find enough minutes for Lee, since they already have Al Jefferson & Kevin Love. Most likely if they acquired Lee, they would then be trading somewhere else. Rubio is not showing up for his introductory press conference and has even said that he may return to play in Spain next season. This thing could get really messy or he could just be bluffing like Yi Jianlian did when he was drafted by the Bucks.

Ty Lawson: The Denver Nuggets got an absolute steal by trading for PG Ty Lawson, who is extremely underrated and will be GREAT off the bench for Denver. He probably could start for some NBA teams right now and the fact that Denver will have him coming off the bench along with J.R. Smith & Birdman is flat out scary. Denver might have the best bench in the league next year. I think the 76ers may have made a mistake by passing on him and going with the unproven Jrue Holiday.

DeJuan Blair: Surprised to see that Blair fell so far in the draft, but when his knees started being talked about I knew he was going to slip out of the lottery and probably into the late teens. I would have never expected the 2nd round though. Fortunately for Blair and the Spurs, he ended up in a great situation. I mean in my mind the Spurs just picked up a younger and more athletic version of Kurt Thomas. Blair should be great alongside Tim Duncan, which will create an absolute dominate duo on the boards for the Spurs. I love the possibilities here. Of course there's always the possibility that the Spurs sign someone like Rasheed Wallace to take over the PF/C duties next to Duncan. Either way, I think Blair will be able to provide a productive 15-20 minutes a game for the Spurs this season.

Stephen Curry: Don Nelson says Curry is staying in Golden State, which is all well and good, but apparently the Amare Stoudemire trade is not going to go down unless Curry is involved. For now the trade seems dead, but it's believed that it could pick up steam again, so don't be surprised to see Curry headed to Phoenix.

Hedo Turkoglu: Word on the street is that he is eventually going to sign with Detroit Pistons at some point along with Carlos Boozer. That would be a pretty decent upgrade for the Pistons, but I don't think it would be a wise one. You're not going to win an NBA title with Hedo Turkoglu and Carlos Boozer as your best two players, so I think it would be better for the Pistons to sit tight and wait for the 2010 free agent class. Hell, I'm not even sure you could win an NBA title with Chris Bosh as your best player. Turkolgu is looking for a deal similar to Corey Maggette's 5 year, $50 deal from last year. Can't say I blame him since he's probably better than Maggette or at least healthier.

Boston Celtics: The Celtics main targets in free agency are Rasheed Wallace, Grant Hill, and Anthony Parker. However, rumor has it that Rasheed does not want to play in Boston despite the fact that KG has been trying to sell the Celtics to him. Other options for the Celtics include Linas Kleiza, Francisco Oberto, and Bruce Bowen.

Memphis Grizzlies: A lot of people are hating on the Grizzlies, but I like what they did for themselves in the draft. They don't need Hasheem Thabeet to be a scorer, he just needs to be a force on the defensive end and since he is still relatively new to the game of basketball there is a chance that he develops on offense even more over time. With their other two picks, the Grizzlies drafted DeMarre Carroll and Sam Young, who should be able to provide energy and toughness to a team that definitely needs some. The could both be solid bench players for years to come. Put those three players along with Rudy Gay, O.J. Mayo, Mike Conley, Hakim Warrick, & Marc Gasol and the Grizzlies have a very solid young nucleus.

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2009 NBA Draft: Undrafted Free Agents - Jerel McNeal, Dionte Christmas, Jeff Adrien, A.J. Abrams, Tyrese Rice, Josh Heytvelt, Jeremy Pargo, & More

Here's a list of some of the better players who were NOT drafted in Thursday's 2009 NBA Draft. It's amazing when you look at how great some of these guys were in college and that they didn't even get drafted, which goes to show you how much talent you really need to play in the NBA. I will be updating this list as the season goes on to show what each of these players is up to.

Jerel McNeal, Marquette: McNeal worked out for 14 teams, including the Bulls, who may or may not need help in backcourt depending on what happens with Ben Gordon. I think he'll be on an NBA roster once the season starts. I still like his game and think he can be a solid bench player.

Update: the former Marquette star from Chicago will be playing in Las Vegas for the Sacramento Kings. (Sports Bubbler)

Dionte Christmas, Temple: Ed Stefanski, ever mindful of the value he places on his local ties, reached out late Thursday night to Temple's Dionte Christmas, inviting him to join the Orlando summer league team the 76ers will be sharing with the New Jersey Nets. Christmas, who had been projected as a second-round selection during Thursday night's NBA draft, went unclaimed. He is likely to have multiple summer league and European offers. The Sixers leave July 2 for Orlando; Stefanski is awaiting a decision whether Christmas will join first-round draft choice Jrue Holiday and second-year big man Marreese Speights on the summer roster. ''He's a great kid, he's local,'' said Stefanski, the Sixers' president/general manager. ''Now, he has to prove it all over again.'' (Philadelphia Daily News)

Update: Dionte Christmas will also be playing for the Clippers in Summer League.

Jeff Adrien, UConn: Rumor has it that Adrian is headed to the Grizzlies, who could definitely use a bruiser like him off the bench. He also apparently turned down Boston, because they wanted to send him to Europe for a few seasons.

Update: Despite being undrafted Thursday, ex-Boston College guard Tyrese Rice and ex-UConn forward Jeff Adrien of Brookline have both landed on NBA summer league rosters. Rice will be playing for Washington and Adrien will be playing for Memphis on teams playing in the Vegas Summer League in July. (Boston Globe)

Update: LSU’s shot-blocking center, Chris Johnson, UConn tough guy Jeff Adrien and Texas sharp shooter A.J. Abrams top the list of players invited to the Nets summer league team. All three were considered possible second round picks, but weren’t called. (Nets Daily)

A.J. Abrams, Texas: Could be headed to Europe, where he's shooting skills would be appreciated more, despite the lack of height that is keeping him out of the NBA.

Update: LSU’s shot-blocking center, Chris Johnson, UConn tough guy Jeff Adrien and Texas sharp shooter A.J. Abrams top the list of players invited to the Nets summer league team. All three were considered possible second round picks, but weren’t called. (Nets Daily)

Tyrese Rice, BC: Sounds like Tyrese Rice could have a chance to play Summer League for the Celtics (although I doubt he makes the team): “Jeff Adrien’s one guy who could play in this league, and Tyrese Rice, that kid, could make it too,” Ainge said. “We have limited spots. We do like Jeff, but I have to be careful of what I say because of priorities.” (Boston Herald)

Update: Despite being undrafted Thursday, ex-Boston College guard Tyrese Rice and ex-UConn forward Jeff Adrien of Brookline have both landed on NBA summer league rosters. Rice will be playing for Washington and Adrien will be playing for Memphis on teams playing in the Vegas Summer League in July. (Boston Globe)

Dominic James, Marquette: After his freshman season, most people assumed he was going to be a 1st round pick. However, he is small and never really shot the ball all that well from the outside. He's also coming off of a foot injury. He may get a chance in Summer League, but I don't see him having much of an NBA career.

Update: The former Marquette star from Richmond, Indiana will be playing in Las Vegas for the Milwaukee Bucks. (Sports Bubbler)

Jeremy Pargo, Gonzaga: Pargo has loads of athleticism and potential, but I think he is too turnover prone to be a PG. I could see him coming off the bench in the NBA though. The Utah Jazz were said to be interested in him, but since they drafted Eric Maynor, they may no longer need him.

Leo Lyons, Missouri: Leo Lyons, not selected Thursday night in the NBA draft, has agreed to play for the Indiana Pacers’ summer-league team. “Then we’ll see where we go from there,” said Mark Bartelstein, the Chicago-based agent who represents Lyons and Missouri teammate DeMarre Carroll. “He may go to Cleveland (the Cavaliers) after that.” (KansasCity.com)

Josh Heytvelt, Gonzaga: Probably was done in by the fact that he was suspended for being in possession of marijuana and psychedelic mushrooms while at Gonzaga. Chances are that some team will pick him up for Summer League though.

Paul Delaney, UAB: Worked out for the Milwaukee Bucks, but other than that not much info out there.

Paul Harris, Syracuse: Paul Harris wasn't selected in the NBA's two-round draft on Thursday, but the Syracuse University junior appears to be on the verge of agreeing to play in an NBA-sanctioned summer league. Jeff Bishop, Harris' AAU coach, said Harris and his agent, Leon Rose of Creative Artists Agency, are mulling over offers from three NBA teams to play summer-league ball. According to Bishop, the Chicago Bulls, Minnesota Timberwolves and Cleveland Cavaliers have expressed in interest in having Harris play for them this summer. Bishop added that more teams could be contacting Rose today. (Orange Basketball)

Update: After weighing offers from the Cavaliers, the Bulls and the Timberwolves, former Syracuse basketball player Paul Harris has decided to join former teammate Jonny Flynn with Minnesota. Harris will fly to Las Vegas and along with Flynn will play for the Timberwolves when The NBA Summer League kicks off. (Syracuse.com)

Eric Devendorf: The third cog in the orange wheel could be headed overseas. Former SU guard Eric Devendorf is fielding offers to play in Europe after going un-drafted in last week's NBA draft. His agent says several European pro teams are interested, but Devo is still hoping to earn a summer league spot from an NBA team.
(WICZ)

K.C. Rivers, Clemson: Couldn't find any news on Rivers. I like him, but my guess is that he is a long shot to make an NBA team.

Update: Undrafted former Clemson wing K.C. Rivers told Clemson basketball SID Philip Sykes he will likely take part in the NBA Summer League July 10-19 in Las Vegas. The summer session gives younger NBA players, undrafted free agents and drafted rookies a chance to get experience before training camp - and a chance to open some eyes. Then from there the likely destination is probably Europe or an NBDL affiliate. (Tiger Tracks)

Lee Cummard, BYU: The ninth all-time scorer for the Cougars will now try to catch on with an NBA team as a free agent and should get a chance to showcase his game on a summer-league roster. He also has offers to play overseas, but will wait for Emens to sort through all the free-agent offers that come his way. (Mormon Times)

Update: BYU senior Lee Cummard has accepted an invitation to play for the Phoenix Suns 2009 NBA Summer League team. The team will include current members of the Phoenix Suns and will potentially include 2009 draft picks Earl Clark (1st round, 14th overall) and Taylor Griffin (2nd round, 48th overall). “I’m really excited to be playing,” Cummard said. “It’s a great opportunity to prove what I can do against great competition. The Suns are a great organization and I look forward to getting started.” (BYU Cougars)

Curtis Jerrells, Baylor: No news on Jerrells who will be looking to play for someone in the Summer League.

Dar Tucker, DePaul: There have been no official announcements for Tucker’s future plans, but he will most likely venture overseas or try to suit up for an NBA Development League team in the coming months after a possible NBA summer league stint. (Examiner)

Luke Nevill, Utah: Nevill will now have to sign with a team as a free agent, and earning a roster spot will be difficult. Nevill's agent, Keith Glass, said late Thursday that he and Nevill will quickly decide which team the Australian center will try to latch on with. It had to have been disheartening for Nevill to go unpicked in what was a weak draft class — especially at his position. Only three centers were selected on Thursday. ESPN's Chad Ford ranked Nevill as the eighth-best center available. The Jazz contemplated taking Nevill with their No. 50 pick in the second round, but instead they went with another senior big man, 6-10 Bosnian center Goran Suton of Michigan State."Luke," Jazz general manager Kevin O'Connor said, "was somebody that was under serious consideration." (Deseret News)

Update: Former BYU guard/forward Lee Cummard has accepted an invitation to play for the Phoenix Suns Summer League team while former Utah center Luke Nevill has been invited to play for the New Orleans Hornets' team. Both teams will play in Las Vegas. "I'm excited about Luke Nevill getting a chance with New Orleans," said Utah coach Jim Boylen. "New Orleans is a quality organization that is good at developing players. I'm thankful Luke will get an opportunity to prove himself there." (Deseret News)

Josh Shipp, UCLA: Neither wing Josh Shipp nor power forward/center Alfred Aboya were drafted, but UCLA coach Ben Howland said he expected both to be invited to an NBA summer league camp.Howland added both players had "high-level European situations" on the table if the NBA didn't work out. (Inside UCLA)

Antonio Anderson, Memphis: Is a great defensive player, but he can't shoot worth a lick. Neither could Bruce Bowen coming out of college either though, so there is some hope that he can develop an outside shot if he puts in the work necessary.

Update: Funny that I compared Anderson to Bruce Bowen and now he will be playing for the Spurs in Summer League. Maybe they see the same thing in him that they saw in Bowen.

Josh Carter, Texas A&M: Great shooter from the outside, who doesn't do much else. Could find a home as 3-point specialist.

Alade Aminu, Georgia Tech: Is an active big, so he should get a look from someone in Summer League.

Wesley Matthews, Marquette: Matthews worked out with the Utah Jazz prior to the draft, so that may be a place he ends up playing for in Summer League.

Update: Former Marquette University and Madison Memorial High School star will be playing in Orlando for the Utah Jazz, and in Las Vegas for the Sacramento Kings. (Sports Bubbler)

Luke Zeller, Notre Dame: Luke Zeller has been added to the Chicago Bulls summer-league roster. The 6-11 forward from Notre Dame, who wasn’t drafted Thursday, will be trying to make an NBA roster as a free agent. (Indianapolis Star)

Ben Woodside, ND State: The Minnesota Timberwolves have picked up another point guard: Ben Woodside. The North Dakota State point guard, who was not selected in Thursday’s NBA Draft, learned Friday that he will play for the Timberwolves in the NBA Summer League to be held July 10-19 in Las Vegas. (Inforum)

Tony Gaffney, UMass: Tony Gaffney never imagined he would say the words he said Friday. "I'm a Los Angeles Laker now. Hopefully, I can turn some heads,'' said Gaffney, the former University of Massachusetts men's basketball forward, who was been added to the Lakers' summer league team roster Friday. Gaffney grew up in Berkley. He has been a lifelong Boston Celtics fan. "I didn't tell the Lakers that,'' Gaffney said with a laugh. Gaffney was not taken in the NBA Draft Thursday. His agent, Sam Porter, said Friday that several teams had shown interest in the 6-foot-8 player as a free agent. Gaffney has not been offered a contract by the Lakers, but he is assured a place on their roster in the NBA's summer league, which will be held in Las Vegas from July 10-19. That alone shows the Lakers are taking him seriously, Gaffney said. (Mass Live)

Garrett Temple, LSU: In the end, the former LSU guard chose the Houston Rockets’ summer league team in Las Vegas, and he announced the decision on Twitter Friday afternoon. Three other teams — Portland, Oklahoma City and Golden State — had also promised him a spot on a summer team. “I just felt like the Rockets were the best situation,” Temple told the News-Star on Friday. “They sounded pretty interested on the phone. They were very animated and just made a great pitch about it, and they really seemed very interested.” (The News Star)

Jimmy Baron: Baron apparently was high on Portland's radar after working out for them last week, but the Trail Blazers opted for high-scoring guard Patrick Mills from St. Mary's (Calif.) with the 55th pick of the draft. Both Baron and Efejuku hope to make an NBA squad's summer league team and go from there. Baron's workout coach and Cranston native Rob McClanahan said that playing overseas is an option for Baron, which is likely an option for Efejuku as well. "The odds [were] against him getting drafted but at the same time he had done pretty well at [NBA] workouts," McClanahan said. " . . . Hopefully he'll play summer league and then maybe go overseas." (ProJo Sports)

Update: Baron will be playing for the Utah Jazz in Summer League: Also expected to participate in camp are former Jazz training camp invitee Kevin Lyde, Utah Flash players Andre Ingram and Kevin Kruger, and former Utah State Aggie Gary Wilkinson. The rest of the roster includes former NBA players James Augustine, Cedric Bozeman and Justin Reed, in addition to rookies Jim Baron, Josh Duncan, Wes Mathews, Reyshawn Terry and Larry Turner. (NBA.com)

A.D. Vassallo: Andrew Vye, the agent for former Virginia Tech star A.D. Vassallo, said Friday that Vassallo will play for the Chicago Bulls' summer-league team next month in Las Vegas. Vassallo was not taken in the NBA draft on Thursday. Chicago was one of the teams that had brought Vassallo in for a workout earlier this month. If AD does well in Vegas, the Bulls could invite him to their preseason camp this fall. (Roanoke.com)

Alex Ruoff: Former West Virginia University guard Alex Ruoff will be heading to Washington and will be playing in a summer league for the Wizards.
Ruoff did not hear his name called during the NBA draft on June 25th and has yet to sign a contract in the pros. But he will still try to make a name for himself in Nevada. West Virginia's former guard will play on the Washington Wizards' summer league team with 12 to 15 other guys. (WOWKTV)

Connor Atchley: Will be playing for the Golden State Warriors in the Las Vegas Summer League.

Diamon Simpson: Former Saint Mary’s men’s basketball players Diamon Simpson and Patrick Mills will compete in the 2009 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas. Simpson will play for the Washington Wizards, while Mills will play for the Portland Trailblazers. The 2009 NBA Summer League will begin on Friday, July 10 and run through Sunday, July 19 at the Thomas & Mack Center and the COX Pavilion on the UNLV campus. Simpson, who finished his Saint Mary’s career as the school’s all-time leader in rebounds, blocks, and steals, will continue his pursuit for an NBA contract on Tuesday, July 14 when the Wizards take on the Cleveland Cavaliers at 3:30 p.m. at the Thomas and Mack Center. Simpson and the Wizards will play five games during the nine-day event. (SMC Gaels)

More: NBA & NBA Draft

NBA Draft & Trade Rumors: Rajon Rondo To Memphis For Rudy Gay & Mike Conley?, Jamal Crawford To The Hawks?, Tyreke Evans, & More

Lots of great trade and draft rumors over at Hoops Hype, so make sure you check them out.

Here's some of the better ones:

Rajon Rando: Apparently, there's a rumor floating around that the Celtics offered Rajon Rondo and Brian Scalabrine to the Grizzlies for Mike Conley and Rudy Gay. I actually like this trade for the Celtics if they feel like they HAVE to trade Rondo, but the Celtics say it's not going to happen. The bigger issue here is that supposedly Doc Rivers and Rondo have a bad relationship and Rivers believes that Rondo is "impossible to coach" and "stubborn." The Celtics think the situation will be even worse if they give Rondo a big contract, so that's why you are hearing his name in so many trade rumors. Definitely an interesting situation developing in Boston. Sounds like KG needs to lay the smack down on Rondo.

Jamal Crawford: Rumor has it that Crawford will be traded to the Hawks for Acie Law and Speedy Claxton. I like this trade for the Hawks if it does go through because they might be losing Mike Bibby and at least Crawford would be a solid replacement for Bibby. He's not a true PG, but he can shoot and should fit in with the Hawks. They would probably need to get a veteran PG to back him up. Maybe someone like Anthony Carter, Anthony Johnson, or Brevin Knight would be a good pickup for the Hawks.

Tyreke Evans: Word on the street is that Evans is at the top of Sacramento's draft board, who has the # 4 pick in the draft. The T-Wolves also have him high on their draft board, so they are trying to trade the # 5 pick and the #18 pick to Oklahoma City in order to get their hands on the # 3 pick and draft Tyreke Evans. In other words, it sounds like Evans' stock is rising pretty high and it sounds like James Harden might be the player who would fall if this trade does happen, because supposedly Hasheem Thabeet is going to be the second pick to Memphis. Evans would go third and then Ricky Rubio would probably go 4th.

Detroit Pistons: The Pistons like B.J. Mullens and Austin Daye in the draft, so look for one of them to go at # 15. In free agency, it looks like they are going to make a strong push for Carlos Boozer and Ben Gordon. Going after Gordon means that the Pistons will be looking to trade Rip Hamilton, but that might be tough to do with his contract extension kicking in soon. The Pistons are a mess in my mind though. I'm almost thinking that they should rebuild, since they don't really have one player on their team they can build around.

Kurt Hinrich: Portland is targeting Hinrich in a trade with the Bulls to solve their PG issues. Otherwise known as their PG right now is Steve friggen' Blake. Hinrich would definitely be an upgrade over Blake because he's not only better on offense, but much better on defense as well. I'm thinking that any trade between Portland and Chicago might include Travis Outlaw as well.

Draft Rumors:

- The Kings are supposedly backing off of Ricky Rubio and instead might go with Jonny Flynn. Althought I find it hard to believe that they would take Flynn at # 4, when they could probably trade down and still get him before Milwaukee picks at # 10.

- The Knicks have talked about trading David Lee to Oklahoma City for the # 3 pick so they could draft Ricky Rubio or Stephen Curry. If they can't complete a trade to move up to # 3, it looks like the Knicks are considering Gerald Henderson & DeMar DeRozan, but the favorite looks to be Jordan Hill.

- Toronto has a similar list of players on their draft board and will look to choose from DeMar DeRozan, Gerald Henderson, and Jrue Holiday one pick after the Knicks at # 9.

- The Nets are supposedly looking at either Tyler Hansbrough or Gerald Henderson at # 11.

- The Utah Jazz love Pitt's Sam Young because of his hard-nose style of play and readiness for the NBA game. I'm also a big Sam Young fan as long as he's headed to a playoff team where he can be a role player.

- If the Lakers don't trade their pick they will draft PG Nick Calathes from Florida and stash him overseas for a few seasons.

NBA Weekly: Richard Jefferson Traded To Spurs, Rajon Rondo & Ray Allen To Pistons?, & TWolves Trade Foye For #5 Pick

Richard Jefferson: The Spurs acquired Richard Jefferson by sending Bruce Bowen, Kurt Thomas, & Fabricio Oberto to the Bucks in what is pretty much a cost cutting move on the part of Milwaukee. I've been critical of Richard Jefferson in the past because I don't feel like he's someone you build your team around as a 1st or 2nd option. However, on the Spurs he would be the 4th option most likely after Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and even Manu Ginobili. What this does for the Spurs is it gives them another wing who can score, especially if Ginobili is not healthy. I also like the athleticism of Jefferson on the defensive end, so the Spurs shouldn't lose too much on that end by losing Bruce Bowen. It's possible that Bowen ends up back with the Spurs anyway though because it looks like Milwaukee is going to cut him in order to save even more money. I like this move for the Bucks too because they were overpaying Jefferson and they need to rebuild. Jefferson is not a player you really want to build around, so they are better off without him even if it makes them worse off this season. Welcome to the life of an NBA role player Richard and I mean that in a good way.

Boston Celtics: There have been rumors that the Celtics offered Rajon Rondo and Ray Allen to the Pistons for Rodney Stuckey, Tayshaun Prince, and Rip Hamilton. I have no idea why the Celtics would offer such a crazy trade and I'm even more clueless why the Pistons would turn it down. Tayshaun Prince was basically useless in the playoffs and Hamilton is probably on the decline as well. Stuckey could turn out to be a decent player, but he will probably never going to be as good as Rondo. What confuses me even more is why the Celtics would offer this trade. If the trade went through, the Celtics would certainly be worse off and I don't think they would have any chance to win a title next season. With KG and Pierce being older players, you would think the Celtics would be trying to load up for 2010 to make a run at another championship. However, this trade offer suggests that the Celtics don't want any part of giving Rajon Rondo a max contract in 2010 and are willing to give him up this year even if it means making the team worse. I think this could be a major story that hovers around the Celtics next season.

Minnesota Timberwolves: So the T-Wolves shipped Randy Foye & Mike Miller to the Wizards for the 5th pick in the draft along with Oleksiy Pecherov, Etan Thomas, and Darius Songaila(otherwise known as a bunch of trash). The T-Wolves now own the 5th and 6th picks in the draft and it should be interesting to see what they do with the two picks. It seems pretty clear that the first 4 picks in the draft will include some combination of Blake Griffin, James Harden, and Ricky Rubio. Hasheem Thabeet is likely to be drafted in the top 4 picks as well, but I've seen some mock drafts that have Hasheem Thabeet not being selected in the top 4, because they have Stephen Curry getting drafted 4th by the Kings. If that was to happen then it's possible the T-Wolves could draft both Thabeet and Tyreke Evans. That would be the best case scenario for Minnesota in my mind because then that would give them a center to back-up Al Jefferson and a big guard in Evans who can also handle the ball. It seems highly likely that the T-Wolves take Evans with one of those two picks and the other pick will probably be either Thabeet, Stephen Curry, Jordan Hill, or Brandon Jennings. I'm assuming that James Harden & Ricky Rubio won't fall out of the Top 4. Another interesting point about this trade is that Minnesota is basically trading away most of their three point shooting with Foye and Miller. Evans is not a strong outside shooter, so I have to wonder if Minnesota is looking at drafting Stephen Curry and pairing him with Evans in their backcourt. That would give them a starting 5 that would probably be Al Jefferson, Kevin Love, Ryan Gomes, Evans, and Curry. Definitely something to keep an eye on at the beginning of the draft.

More: NBA Weekly

2009 NBA Draft: Prospect Profile - Tyreke Evans, James Johnson, Tyler Hansbrough, Gerald Henderson, Demar DeRozan, Wayne Ellington, Sam Young, & More

Tyreke Evans



James Johnson



Tyler Hansbrough



Gerald Henderson



Demar DeRozan



Wayne Ellington



Sam Young



Austin Daye

2009 NBA Draft: Celtics To Trade Ray Allen & Draft Tyreke Evans?, Brandon Jennings, Ricky Rubio, Hasheem Thabeet, & More

I haven't been keeping up with the NBA Draft as much as last year, because they got rid of the Orlando Pre-Draft tournament and most of the news has been related to workouts and physicals, but I put together some news related to the draft on a player and team basis in this post.

Boston Celtics: Of all the teams that have been active in trade discussions the past few weeks, the appearance of the Celtics has been the most surprising and the most interesting. While the Celtics have shot down a rumor that they were talking to the Suns about an Amare Stoudemire for Rajon Rondo swap … we keep hearing their name more and more in conjunction with a top-to-mid first-round draft pick -- a sign that Danny Ainge must see someone he likes up high. While various sources have different players pegged, there seems to be some consensus that one player in particular -- Memphis' Tyreke Evans -- is an Ainge favorite. If the Celtics are going to get Evans, they'll have to get somewhere in the top 10, most likely the top five. The Grizzlies, Thunder and Wizards all have picks in the top five and have been open to swapping their picks. While it's doubtful that Rondo is their bait, Ray Allen and his expiring contract could be. (ESPN)

Antone Says: No way the Celtics trade Rajon Rondo, but Ray Allen? Maybe, but I can't see them winning next season with Tyreke Evans instead of Ray Allen and I think that alone is why you don't make that trade.

Blake Griffin: The Clippers brought in Blake Griffin for a public workout and continue to be on the path to select him with the No. 1 pick. Sources around the league say that trade talks with the Clippers are virtually nonexistent when it comes to Griffin. In other words, Griffin will be a Clipper. Meanwhile, the Clippers are focusing on finding a new home for Chris Kaman or Zach Randolph. (ESPN)

Memphis Grizzlies: The Grizzlies continue to be a bit of an enigma right now. They are talking to a number of teams about a potential trade, and teams including the Kings, Wizards, Knicks, Rockets and Celtics have shown interest. The Grizzlies continue to publicly pursue Ricky Rubio, as well, although a well-placed source in the point guard's camp said it's likely (though not definite) that Rubio will skip Memphis when he goes on a three-city U.S. tour next week. There also have been rumblings that Tyreke Evans is in the mix in Memphis. But when the dust clears, it looks as though the most likely scenario has Thabeet in Memphis on draft night if the Grizzlies keep the pick. (ESPN)

Antone Says: I'm convinced Ricky Rubio will be a bust or at least not worthy of being a top 5 pick in the draft. If I was the Grizzlies, I would be taking Thabeet, because I feel like Mike Conley played well for them at PG to end the season, so they don't really need Rubio. They are already a decent scoring team and the addition of Thabeet would help them on the defensive end.

Oklahoma City Thunder: The Thunder have been their typical quiet selves. GM Sam Presti has told a number of agents that he is interested in their players, but it has been difficult to ascertain the direction toward which the team is leaning. We continue to hear that the Thunder have expressed interest in Rubio, Thabeet, James Harden, Jordan Hill and Stephen Curry. Rubio likely will make a visit to OKC sometime before the draft, but major questions exist about how he would fit there. The team sees Russell Westbrook as its point guard of the future and isn't sure how he would fare without the ball in his hands. Maybe more importantly, Presti is an opportunist. If he can get a couple of good assets in return for the No. 3 pick, he won't be afraid to pull the trigger. But if he doesn't, and if Rubio is off the board, the team will have to make a tough decision. Thabeet would give the Thunder the shot-blocking they desperately need. Harden would give them the savvy of a veteran. Curry would give them shooting. Hill would give them rebounding and energy. Oklahoma City could use all those things, but our guess is that it will settle on Harden. (ESPN)

Antone Says: I'm not convinced Westbrook is a PG, but I don't like Rubio in this spot either. If Memphis passes on Thabeet and OKC isn't in love with any one player, then I think the Thunder should trade down and try to pick up a veteran plus a lower lottey pick then they could choose from someone like Tyreke Evans, Jonny Flynn, Brandon Jennings, etc.

Brandon Jennings: "I see a lot more of Iverson to Jennings' game than I do CP3's," one veteran American scout who has watched Jennings play in both America and Italy said. "Iverson can dish out assists too, but he controls the tempo of a game with his own game, not by making others better. I see a lot of that in Jennings. He makes the pass if he can make a spectacular one. If he can't, he shoots the shot. Either way his mentality is what makes him look the best, not necessarily the team." I've seen some of what those experts describe in the 10 or so games I've watched of Jennings this season via video. More scouts say they see more evidence of the flashy, selfish Jennings in the practices than in the games. However, I've also seen Jennings make the right decisions for his team when it matters. He may have more work to do in that area, but so do Rajon Rondo and Derrick Rose. "He's a smart kid," said one NBA coach who saw him later in the season. "You look at him in high school and now and it's clear to me he's started to pick up the rhythm of the European game. He's never going to be a European-type of player. But neither is Dwyane Wade or Kobe Bryant. No matter how many Europeans you talk to, he's never going to measure up that way. But he's trying and is showing he can be effective in the half-court game. Watch a practice and you see what he can do when that game starts going up and down. I think it's really important that a player learns to play both ways. Jennings has learned that this year." Several veteran NBA scouts, who have been scouting both college ball and the international game for years, rolled their eyes at the criticism Jennings was getting. One scout, who claimed to have watched Jennings in person during "at least a dozen games" and "tons of practices" (the most of any person I spoke with), was particularly adamant. He felt strongly that Jennings was one of the two or three best prospects in the draft. "I ask two questions about every prospect. First, do they have the talent to play in the NBA? Second, have they gotten better? I think Jennings gets two huge check marks on both accounts. "First, Jennings is a crazy athlete. He's as quick as anyone in the draft. No one is going to be able to stay in front of him. He explodes around the basket and he's a clever passer when he wants to be. We saw all of that in high school and if you watched him enough in Europe, you saw it there too. Yeah, he needs to get stronger and work on some stuff. But the raw talent is totally there." (ESPN)

Antone Says: Teams will regret passing on Brandon Jennings if he gets past the 5th pick in the draft. He's catching way too much flack for his play over in Europe.

Sacramento Kings: If they don't trade up and if Rubio doesn't fall to them, they will be in a tough position. The team needs a point guard, preferably a big one, and two players stand out. Jrue Holiday's combination of size and defensive ability is intriguing. However, his lack of production at UCLA is a big concern. Evans was much more productive at Memphis and has terrific upside as a scoring point. The other possibilities here include Brandon Jennings, Jonny Flynn and Curry. (ESPN)

DeJuan Blair: Pittsburgh's DeJuan Blair wowed a lot of people with his improved physique on the first day of camp. But one GM scolded Blair in the interviews for the way he was jogging up and down the floor the first day. "It does you no good to lose all that weight and still play like you're fat," the GM told Blair. Blair took the constructive criticism to heart and raced like a guard through the second day of workouts. (ESPN)

Austin Daye: Gonzaga's Austin Daye continued to generate buzz -- both good and bad -- on the last day of the combine. He measured taller and longer than virtually any small forward prospect in the history of the draft. However, he also measured as the skinniest. Kevin Durant clocked in at 215 pounds at the combine two years ago. Daye? 191 pounds. Daye's going to be one of the more difficult players to project. He has the skill set and height of a lottery pick, but his lack of strength and questionable motor are being heavily taken into account.A number of teams in the late lottery to mid-first round -- including the Bobcats, Pacers, Suns and Pistons -- are all giving him a hard look right now. (ESPN)

Earl Clark: Daye's main competition might be Louisville's Earl Clark, who was also very impressive in drills. He measured out at a legit 6-foot-10 in shoes, has a huge 7-foot-2½ wingspan and weighs nearly 40 pounds more than Daye. He definitely has the size to play the 4 in the NBA, and that could go a long way toward securing him a pick in the lottery. While Clark isn't the shooter that Daye is, he is a better rebounder and athlete, and he's getting a pretty strong endorsement from his head coach Rick Pitino, who has told a number of GMs that Clark is a good kid and has limitless potential. He's just a follower. If he's in the right situation with good influences around him, he could be a player in the mold of Lamar Odom. But if he's in the wrong situation with a bad mentor, it could spell disaster. The Nets are giving Clark a long look at No. 11. The Bobcats and Suns are, too. I doubt he slips past the Pistons at No. 15. (ESPN)

Antone Says: Earl Clark = a more physical Rudy Gay without a jump shot.

Tyler Hansbrough: Another player who really seems to have helped himself at the combine was UNC's Tyler Hansbrough. He has been knocked for being too short to play in the NBA, but he measured over 6-8 in socks, had a solid 6-foot-11 wingspan and a standing reach that was an inch taller than Blake Griffin's. While Hansbrough isn't the explosive athlete that Griffin is, he isn't terrible, either. I hear the Bulls are looking at him as high as No. 16. (ESPN)

Antone Says: 16th seems a little high to be going after Hansbrough, but he could surprise and end up like a David Lee type. I'm not convinced though because he struggled against NBA-type big men in college.

B.J. Mullens: Ohio State's B.J. Mullens continued to impress in drills, with a number of GMs comparing him to last year's second-round slider DeAndre Jordan. Jordan, like Mullens, began the year as a projected top 10 pick, but his lack of playing time combined with criticism from his head coach caused his draft stock to plummet all the way into the second round on draft night. Still, Jordan had a very solid rookie season with the Clippers, who believe he could be a Tyson Chandler-esque player in the league. Mullens' so-so play, along with some questions about his background and character, seem to be having the same effect on his draft stock. But a number of teams are now double-checking to make sure they don't let someone with his talent slip through their fingers. In a draft devoid of bigs, it's hard to imagine that Mullens, who stands 7-1 and is a very good athlete, slips as hard as Jordan did. However, his stock is very much up in the air. "You watch him in the combine and it's pretty easy to fall in love," one GM said. "There are a lot of raw tools there to work with. But in the interview you get the sense that it's going to be a project. I think he's a good kid, but he's got issues to work through." Mullens got pretty mixed reviews from his interview process, with one GM saying "He's better than you think," and another one saying "This kid doesn't get it, and I don't think he's going to get it." (ESPN)

Antone Says: I've watched B.J. Mullins play a few times and he seems like a stiff to me. I wouldn't be using my pick on him unless I was picking in the 20's and was a perennial playoff team. At least then he can bes stashed on the bench as a project and backup big man.

Jeff Pendergraph: Speaking of bigs, Arizona State's Jeff Pendergraph received quite a bit of love from GMs. He measured out at a solid 6-10 and 240 pounds and showed a solid offensive game in the drills. A number of teams I spoke with said they thought he was a lock for the first round. He hasn't been in our first two mock drafts, but that might change Tuesday. (ESPN)

Terrence Williams: Speaking of guys all over the map, Louisville's Williams continues to be the toughest guy in the draft to peg. The Warriors are giving him a serious look at No. 7. The Nets also have interest at No. 11 and the list goes on from there. I doubt he slips past Dallas at No. 22, but that's a huge range from 7 to 22, the biggest I've seen this close to the draft in a while. (ESPN)

2009 NBA Draft: Prospect Profile - James Harden, Blake Griffin, DeJuan Blair, Jonny Flynn, A.J. Price, & Haheem Thabeet

Watch each player talk about the draft and who they model their game after.

James Harden



Blake Griffin



DeJuan Blair



Jonny Flynn



A.J. Price



Hasheem Thabeet

Los Angeles Clippers Win NBA Draft Lottery

Yup, that's right the Los Angeles Clippers have won this year's draft lottery and the right to draft Blake Griffin as the #1 overall pick in the NBA Draft.

My first thoughts are that the Clippers are going to have to move one of their big men. If it was me I would be giving away Zach Randolph for anything useful that another team offered me ASAP. Since it's the Clippers, who the hell knows what they'll do with all those big men.

My second thought is that Blake Griffin is screwed because the Clippers are dysfunctional, but actually if you look at the talent around him, it's not all that bad of a situation for him. He has an All-Star PG in Baron Davis and possibly Marcus Camby or Chris Kaman behind him on defense to help him out on that end. They also have Eric Gordon at the SG position, who I feel is going to a beast along side Baron Davis on both ends of the floor for the Clippers. Al Thornton at the SF runs hot and cold, but he is also a capable scoring threat, so Griffin will have plenty of talent around him on offense, and most likely won't have pressure on himself to score 20 points a game for the Clippers as a rookie.

However, I'm not sure how much he will improve under coach Mike Dunleavy overall, especially on defense. The Clippers, even with Camby, were 26 out of 30 teams in defensive effeciency and it seems like Dunleavy's teams have always been in the Phoenix Suns mode of high octane offense and not much defense. I don't think this is going to benefit Griffin and he may have to either develop under a different coach or with another team before we see his full potential.

Here is the complete draft order and possible picks, via DraftExpress:

1. Los Angeles Clippers: Blake Griffin
2. Memphis Grizzlies: Ricky Rubio
3. Oklahoma City Thunder: Hasheem Thabeet
4. Sacramento Kings: Brandon Jennings
5. Washington Wizards: Jordan Hill
6. Minnesota Timberwolves: James Harden
7. Golden State Warriors: Tyreke Evans
8. New York Knicks: Demar DeRozan
9. Toronto Raptors: Stephen Curry
10. Milwaukee Bucks: DeJuan Blair
11. New Jersey Nets: Ty Lawson
12. Charlotte Bobcats: Gerald Henderson
13. Indiana Pacers: Jonny Flynn
14. Phoenix Suns: Earl Clark

I'm not saying these players aren't good, but I think almost all of them except Blake Griffin have some major question marks about them. My guess is that there will be some other players moving into the lottery as this process goes on. Either way I think this draft is weak in the sense that I don't think many big time stars will emerge from it. Most of these guys could be strong rotation players though.

Undrafted Free Agents - NBA Draft - Summer League - Part 3

Note: I made a few updates to this post so I bumped it up to the top of the blog.

Here are some more updates on undrafted free agents and where they will play in the summer league and also some summer league rosters that include undrafted free agents from past years:

Jamont Gordon, Mississippi State: Jamont Gordon will soon join the Philadelphia 76ers team in the NBA Summer League and won't attempt to return to school, his new agent, Mike Conley, said earlier today.Conley said that while Gordon has not signed papers to be represented by him, "he verbally committed to me." NCAA guidelines don't make a distinction between signed and oral commitments.Conley said Gordon "could have" returned to Mississippi State, but that "must not be his plans. Even though he still hasn't signed with an agent officially. I did go over that option with him when I spoke with him, went over it with his mom, for sure, that's something that they needed to consider. I think they've considered it and decided for him to move on."A 76ers spokesman said he hoped to have his team's summer league roster finalized today.Philadelphia didn't have a second-round draft choice, giving Conley reason to believe that Gordon has a better chance to make the team and earn a contract.Conley is also the agent for former Bulldog Charles Rhodes, who will play for the Dallas Mavericks' summer league team. (Clarion Ledger)

Jamont Gordon should definitely be able to make the 76ers team this season. This is actually a good spot for him to land and he actually could see some playing time because the only other guards he really will fight for playing time with are Andre Miller and Louis Williams. He should be able to get some minutes in the rotation behind those two guys, assuming he makes their squad.

DeMarcus Nelson, Duke: Former Sheldon High star DeMarcus Nelson has signed a free-agent deal to play with the Golden State Warriors in summer league in Las Vegas and Salt Lake City. Nelson, undrafted after four seasons at Duke capped by being named Defensive Player of the Year in the Atlantic Coast Conference, has a good chance to get an invitation to training camp. Up-tempo Golden State would be an obvious fit for the athletic combo guard.The Warriors will play five games in Las Vegas from July 11-19 and then four in Salt Lake City from July 21-25. Brandan Wright, Marco Belinelli, Anthony Randolph and Richard Hendrix are the other familiar names on the summer-league roster. (SacBee)

I agree that this is a good fit for DeMarcus Nelson and now that Baron Davis gone, he should have a great chance to make the Warriors team.

Jamar Butler, Ohio State: Scratch that chance Jamar Butler had for a spot on the New Jersey Nets’ summer-league team.Butler’s agent, John Spencer, confirmed by e-mail tonight that the former Ohio State point guard won’t be joining the Nets after aggravating the hamstring injury he first suffered during the Orlando pre-draft camp in May.Instead, Spencer said, Butler is close to signing with a team in Italy for next season.Butler reinjured the hamstring yesterday working out in his hometown of Lima, Ohio, Spencer said. He’ll have plenty of time to rehabilitate it now before the Italian league season begins in the fall. (Hoops & Scoops: OSU Blog)

Marcellus Kemp, Nevada: Marcelus Kemp is close to a deal with the Los Angeles Lakers, his agent said Tuesday.Kemp, a former Nevada shooting guard, was not selected in the NBA draft last week."We haven't closed on a deal," agent John Grieg said. "We are essentially headed that route with the Lakers, but I really can't discuss it at the moment."Grieg said a deal should be finalized in the next 10 days to two weeks."The Lakers have liked him and have been watching him for a while," Grieg said. "They're feeling fortunate to get him where they have, in a sense. He'll leave on Sunday to head to L.A. to begin his journey."He fits in with their kind of style. The triangle (offense) is a multipurpose guard format. I think he can fit in well with that." Grieg said Kemp, who is from Seattle and did not immediately return a call seeking comment, made a strong impression on NBA teams."I think Marcelus has done an excellent job representing himself on a professional basis," he said. "That carries a lot of weight with teams. His maturity and poise as a sixth-year senior, that carries a lot of weight with them. He should be proud of that." (Reno Gazette Journal)

Sounds like the agent thinks the Lakers are just going to sign Marcellus Kemp but I find that hard to believe. Why wouldn't they just draft him in the second round instead of Joe Crawford, who they have made no guarantee to that he will make the team. At the very least, it looks like Kemp will be in summer camp with the Lakers.

Joseph Jones, Texas A&M: Former A&M basketball standout Joseph Jones will play NBA Summer League ball close to the Brazos Valley--with the Houston Rockets' summer league team. Jones was not drafted in the recent NBA Draft, and has yet to sign with any team as a free agent. Jones and the Rockets Summer League team will tip off their "season" on July 14th against the Suns' team. (ABC News-KXXV)

Russell Robinson, Kansas: Russell Robinson will be joining Joseph Jones on the Houston Rockets summer league team. Also, Mark Tyndale will be playing for the Rockets as well after having worked out with the Cleveland Cavaliers this past weekend. You can check out the Houston Rockets summer league roster here.

Chris Lofton, Tennessee: Coaching Denver in the summer will be assistants Chad Iske and Jamahl Mosley. The first practice is July 10 and first game July 12. The roster includes Bobby Jones and Taurean Green, who have nonguaranteed deals, draftee Sonny Weems, eight-year veteran Jelani McCoy, five-year man Dahntay Jones and undrafted Tennessee rookie Chris Lofton, a testicular cancer survivor. (Rocky Mountain News)

Stanley Burrell, Xavier: Four local players are expected to play in the Pacers rookie and free agent camp that runs Thursday through Saturday at Conseco Fieldhouse. Ben Davis graduate Stanley Burrell, Pike and Purdue product David Teague, Indiana University's Earl Calloway and Butler's Pete Campbell are among those who have been invited and are expected to play. (Indy Star)

Shaun Pruitt, Illinois: The fourth invite so far goes to undrafted Illinois senior, Shaun Pruitt. Shaun’s 6′10″, 240 lbs., and can play either power forward or center, as he did in college. He’s known best for throwing his body around in the paint and coming up with rebounds. He’s working on both finishing around the basket and improving his jump-shot. He’ll need to work on his defense and lateral quickness, but has good conditioning and a freakish wingspan. (Hornets Hype)

New Jersey Nets: You can check out the Nets summer league roster here. Looks like Jamar Butler won't be playing with the Nets anymore in the summer league. Some notables from past years here include Boston College's Sean Marshall, San Diego State's Marcus Slaughter, and Michigan State's Maurice Ager.

Orlando Magic: Summer League Roster Notables: Mark Tyndale is also playing for the Magic.

Detroit Pistons: Summer League Roster Notables: Kentrell Gransberry, South Florida

Indiana Pacers: Summer League Roster Notables: Aleks Maric, Nebraska

Seattle Sonics: Summer League Roster

Denver Nuggets: Summer League Roster Notables: Curtis Sumptor, Villanova & Taurean Green, Florida

Golden State Warriors: Summer League Roster

LA Clippers: Summer League Roster


Previously: Undrafted Free Agents - NBA Draft - Summer League - Part 1 & Undrafted Free Agents - NBA Draft - Summer League - Part 2

More: NBA Summer League