About rookies like Russell Westbrook, Jerryd Bayless, Anthony Randolph, Jason Thompson and Kevin Love, in a review of everyone's summer performances.

Thorpe's so-so on some of the other big names. For instance, here is Thorpe on O.J. Mayo:

I don't see a lot of upside with him, but I don't see much of a downside either. His ability to get open jumpers off the dribble is nice, and he competes pretty hard. But he's not special as an athlete, so his ability to blow by people is average at best. Learning the "shot-fake attack game" will help him a great deal. 

• Marcus Williams to Golden State? ESPN's Marc Stein is on vacation, but he's a gamer, and checked in to say that this move, by all indications, likely shifts Golden State's attentions away from the offer sheet they were flirting with extending to Philadelphia 76ers free agent Louis Williams. The Warriors decided getting this Williams via trade was a lot less risky than signing Philly's Williams to an offer sheet and potentially coming away with nothing if the Sixers match it as you'd expect. 
• A sportswriter vs. the department of homeland security.
• Update to yesterday's post about that Nike campaign that some see as homophobic. All the ads feature photos of a player dunking over another player in such a way that the defender's face is being assaulted, more or less, by the dunker's crotch. Most had been upset by the headline on one, which reads "That Ain't Right." But another headline says "Punks Jump Up." While that's a saying that's around, it's best known (thanks for the heads up, Christian) as the title of a 1992 Brand Nubian single that got the group in trouble. The song is mostly bragging about violence, some of it very specifically targeted to gays. The lyrics could hardly be more anti-gay. They are out there for the googling, but be aware they're PG-13 at least. This is not a good development for whoever it is that will end up having to defend this campaign to those most offended here.
• There is a common idea out there, for instance from Greg Couch of the Chicago Sun-Times that Luol Deng made a mistake by not agreeing to a long-term offer from the Chicago Bulls last summer. And maybe he did make a mistake, if his goal is strictly to make as much money as possible. But given the turmoil in Chicago -- all those coaches, all those blow-ups, all those chemistry problems -- you have to at least consider the idea that Deng, or Ben Gordon, might want to get a sense of what it will be like to play in Chicago before signing up long-term. ... I swear, I wrote all that above before noticing this post noodling around with the idea of Luol Deng in Portland.
• Matt of BlogaBull is nearing the end of his rope with Chicago GM John Paxson: "I want Derrick Rose passing to legitimate teammates, not future cap space in jerseys. This team may be young but they have an opportunity to be young and successful. Being awful and cheap doesn't make the Bulls a good destination in the present or future. Either Paxson failed to draft players worthy of big money, or mismanaged the roster to where the team can't correctly reward them. That could include the foresight of cashing in Deng early for Pau Gasol, or not tossing big money to Andres Nocioni. If Gordon and Deng walk, the team is starting over. And if that's the case, I wouldn't mind having a new GM get a chance to try the rebuilding plan this time around. He can start early on the Tyrus Thomas contract stalemate."
• Wondering which American city might qualify as most racist. 
• Kelly Dwyer, J.E. Skeets, and the all-day chat. 
• A quick examination reveals seven Eastern teams that you'd expect to make the playoffs and a lot of stragglers. That's good if you're Miami, trying to get back into the dance.
• The idea that Chris Kaman and Marcus Camby can play together, as Camby plays the high-post on offense and can guard power forwards.
• This is the closest thing I have seen to trash talking from Memphis fans maybe ever. 
• The pick of Kosta Koufos has inspired an examination of all the "stiff white" guys the Jazz have drafted.
• Eric Musselman on that WNBA fight which is already a YouTube sensation. 
• Anthony Randolph appears to have something his coaches love: nastiness.
  
• It'll be interesting to see what kind of shoe deal Brandon Jennings can get in Europe. If he gets a big one, that will get a lot of attention from high school stars considering a year in Europe instead of the NCAA.

• Sekou Smith of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution: "What looked like a crazy stunt three days ago has turned into a bona fide nightmare for the Hawks, who simply couldn't win in this situation (if they increased their offer to Josh Childress they'd lose all credibility in future negotiations but if they lose him, they lose all credibility with the public). No one is pretending that free agency is anything other than a bare-knuckle brawl for cash between the team and the players and their agents. Losing Childress this way, if it does indeed happen, is a third round TKO for the Hawks, who had their chances to lock Childress up long-term with a legitimate contract extension and never did." (More on Childress reportedly eyeing a contract in Greece.) (UPDATE: Word Childress has accepted an offer. Childress' agents have scheduled a press conference to address these issues.)
• Tom Knott of The Washington Times: "Gilbert Arenas has craved to be acknowledged as the alpha male. Now he is. His contract numbers emphasize it. So it is time for him to respond accordingly in deed and spirit."
• Steve Springer of the Los Angeles Times: "Frustrating. Disappointing. Comical. Which of those words best describes the U.S. men's basketball team in the 2004 Olympics? For Dwyane Wade, it's all of the above. 'It was very comical,' said Wade, a member of that team and the 2008 squad. 'You just had to shake your head. Everybody on that team was a good individual player, but when you tried to put it together, it didn't work. It was like a bad mix of food.'"
• Steve Carp of the Las Vegas Review-Journal: "Nobody on Team USA is going to tell Jason Kidd to act his age. Especially when he's having so much fun playing basketball -- and playing at such a high level. This is the 35-year-old Kidd's last hurrah playing for his country. He already has a gold medal from the 2000 Olympics, and he fully expects to earn a second gold next month when the 2008 Games get under way in Beijing. 'As long as I can play at a high level and give something to the team, I want to be out there,' he said Tuesday. 'It's always a great honor to represent your country, and it's always a thrill to play with guys this talented.'"
• Rick Noland of The Medina County Gazette: "Danny Ferry is not in Las Vegas, but he had spoken to assistant general manager Lance Blanks and assistant trainer Mike Mancias, who are both on hand. He said the organization continues to support James' decision to play in the upcoming Beijing Olympics, just as it has endorsed his decision to participate in international competition throughout his pro career. Along with Los Angeles Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant, James has been the face of the 2008 U.S. squad, which has been dubbed 'Redeem Team' as it attempts to recapture the gold medal. 'This has been a positive thing for LeBron,' Ferry said. 'He's learned a lot and grown from doing it. I'm happy he's had such a positive experience so far.'"
• Marc Berman of the New York Post: "With Mike D'Antoni just having sold his house in Phoenix and still looking to set up roots in Westchester, he now will be with Team USA as an assistant coach until -- he hopes -- after the gold-medal game in Beijing deep into August. He goes from coaching Renaldo Balkman and Mardy Collins to LeBron James and Kobe Bryant. 'I'll be back around Aug. 25,' D'Antoni told The Post. 'If I'm back before that, you can throw me in the Hudson River.'"
• Phil Jasner of the Philadelphia Daily News: "Maurice Cheeks listened to the litany of charges leveled at Samuel Dalembert with more than a measure of surprise. The 76ers' center, recently dismissed from the Canadian National Team in the midst of an Olympic qualifying tournament in Athens, Greece, was described by Canadian coach (and former Sixer) Leo Rautins as: Often late for practices and meetings, inattentive, indifferent, alienated from his teammates, inexplicably demanding more shots. 'Hearing some of the things said about him, that caught me by surprise,' Cheeks said in a telephone conversation yesterday. 'That's not the Sam that I know.'"
• Melody Gutierrez of the Sacramento Bee: "Three days after Shelden Williams accompanied his fiancee Candace Parker to the ESPY Awards, it looks like she could have used an escort to The Palace in Auburn Hills. Parker was one of three players and an assistant coach ejected from Tuesday night's WNBA game featuring the Los Angeles Sparks and Detroit Shock after a brawl broke out on the floor."
• Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald: "One rival executive said the available centers are so bad that the Heat is better off with an undersized front line of Udonis Haslem, Shawn Marion and Michael Beasley, supplemented by Alonzo Mourning (by January) and small doses of Mark Blount. 'Is it conventional? No,' coach Erik Spoelstra said. But 'teams have gone in the direction of playing smaller.'"
• Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News: "Financial terms of the deal were not immediately available, but Kurt Thomas told the Express-News his new pact was good for the next two seasons. For Thomas, who will turn 36 in October before opening his 14th NBA season, that qualifies as a long-term deal. It could be the last pro contract he ever signs. 'Every player in the league wants a little security,' Thomas said Tuesday from his home in the Dallas area. 'It's been a goal of mine to play 15 years, and this will take me to my 15th season.' It is a goal the Spurs are all too happy to help Thomas reach."
• Bob Young of The Arizona Republic: "So, which Matt Barnes did the Suns sign Tuesday? Is it the Barnes who was the darling of the Golden State Warriors' playoff run in 2007, when they stunned the top-seeded Dallas Mavericks? Or the Barnes who the Warriors made no effort to re-sign after he spent much of last season in coach Don Nelson's doghouse? We believe there's a very good chance the Suns stole the version that gave the Mavericks fits in those playoffs and caught the attention of Suns General Manager Steve Kerr, who covered that series as an analyst for TNT."
• Mike Wells of The Indianapolis Star: "Jarrett Jack, T.J. Ford and Travis Diener complement one another because each brings a different dimension. Ford, 6-0, has the quickness, Diener shoots the 3-pointer well and Jack is a solid defender. 'I think one of the main reasons I was brought here was to bring some toughness as far as on the defensive end,' Jack said. 'I think that's something I can definitely bring. With all of us, like coach said, we've got seven new guys. I'm just looking forward to us going together as a cohesive unit throughout the course of the season.'"
• Jason Quick of The Oregonian: "GM Kevin Pritchard is trying to keep his eye on the big picture -- which for the Blazers is in three years. That's when they envision becoming a serious contender in the Western Conference. The question bouncing in Pritchard's mind is whether Koponen with two years of seasoning in the Blazers' system would be better than Blazers starter Steve Blake in three years. Pritchard is also fond of having roster flexibility, which could give him the option of making a 1-for-2 trade at the February trading deadline. He has also talked about valuing the chance to rake through the ashes of the free agent market late in the summer to see if he can steal a capable player who slipped through the cracks."

When I play basketball, joy comes from winning, sure. But even more than than it comes from sharing some kind of understanding with teammates. It is a game of ten thousand understandings. If I draw a double-team, you head to the rim for an open layup. If I front the post on defense, you keep an eye out for a lob. If I'm guarding the unbelievably fast guy, you protect the paint.

And on and on. We go through these things. Often without even talking about them. And a lot of the time, all that leads to wins, which is great. 

But along the way, there is happiness in understanding each other, and being understood. That's teamwork. And there is great joy in teamwork.

I'm not stupid, though. I know that for a big fat chunk of players, most of whom are hopped up on young people hormones, the emotional pinnacle of playing basketball comes not from building something as a team, but from destroying opponents. Not from creating victories, but from vanquishing challengers. From making the big people who might scare you look and feel small.

That's a perfectly good use of basketball, too. If you need to humiliate people, this is a pretty safe way. And let's be honest, if I could dunk, I'd probably be more into that than I am. (Who doesn't have a demon or two to exorcize/exercise?)

Anyway, talk of posterizing, breaking ankles ... that's all about humiliation, and that's absolutely a part of basketball. A big part of it.

And when it comes to using basketball to humilate your opponent, there is a certain scale. Shooting a jumper over someone is maybe a one. Beating someone to the hoop for a layup might be a two. Dribbling through your legs as you do so could make that worth three, dribbling through their legs as you do might get you up to six. Sevens are garden variety dunks and blocks, while there is a special carve out somewhere around eight or nine for using your crossover to make the defender actually fall over. 

But up at the top of the humiliation hierarchy, right there with doing many of the above things with the game on the line, is an explosively humiliating move whose handy shorthand might not belong on this family-friendly website.

We can call it the I'm-jumping-so-high-as-I-dunk-over-you-that-my-crotch-is-in-your-face move.

A lot of basketball advertising taps into that humiliation aspect of the sport. I'm sure we could make 1,000 grad students busy finding out why.

But then we get to this recent Nike ad. (Sorta kinda via Deadspin.)

That's the new pinnacle, or trough, of humiliation-themed basketball advertising.

Click the link above, and you'll see that there are several print ads in the series, and they are undeniably striking. People will frame them. The production is top-notch.

But the main thing people will remember is the shot of one dunking man's junk in another player's face, with the big memorable headline: THAT AIN'T RIGHT.

The ads were created by Wieden + Kennedy. The comments on a Wieden + Kennedy blog (and here's where blogging is pretty interesting -- the creators of these ads are apparently reading and commenting) show a number of different reactions.

• Stephen: "Way to perpetuate homophobic stereotypes ... 'that ain't right' ... I'm sure some 15 year old gay kid who is struggling with his sexuality will see these and think great things about himself. What a positive message Nike!"
  
• Gitamba: "I seriously would hate to have been the guys who had to get some dudes um ... junk in my face over and over til they got the right shot."
• Aaron Eichorst: "They look great but why keep hitting that same ignorant drum that it's not 'right' to have your face next to some dude's junk. There are plenty of dudes that have to deal with this bigoted idea in a real way every day. Love the others though." 
• dontthinkso: "Thanks for helping the gay teen suicide rate climb, even if just by a little. Great work, geniuses."
• Alex: "I'm a copywriter. I get it. But it's still kind of lame to fall back on something so base to get a laugh. Especially when it's at the expense of a whole group of people to whom homophobia isn't a joke. A perfect example is the comment from Gitamba posted above. As an insider, I really do get it. And despite being gay myself, I still think it's kind of funny. Inappropriately funny. But funny, none-the-less. I just don't think it's socially responsible to feed into prejudice to sell a product."
• Brandon: "As a gay male and a black male, I find that some of the commenters are jumping the gun and crying wolf for an ad that I feel is in no way homophobic. Growing up, what made dunking on someone embarrassing was and is not a man's genitals in your face but the fact that you were slammed on. That's what this is about and I can't help but to feel that it is YOU (the negative commenters) that are ignorant by making such knee jerk reactions. I can't help but to feel that these comments are coming from people who don't play or enjoy basketball to get the point of reference."
  

There are many other thoughtful and not so thoughtful comments. 

Man, I have a whole jumble of thoughts. For instance:

• Homophobia is real, it is common, and it is damaging. All that is true in general in society, but especially around sports. There's a reason no current NBA player has ever come out of the closet. People should be aware of that and act accordingly. It's not funny.
  
• These are kick-ass ads, that have meaning and make basketball sense without injecting any homophobia into the conversation. Getting humiliated like that is "just wrong," in a basketball sense, without the male on male interpretation. Pretend the genders were scrambled in that ad -- a woman defender, or a woman dunker, or both. The same headline can work without the implication that the man on man contact is the gross part.
  

Knowing that there is a lot of homophobia out there, is advertising that might stoke those fires in poor taste?

I can't wait to live in a world where this ad would not be commonly interpreted as homophobic, but I'm not sure I do live there now. And in that setting, I guess this counts as ethically sloppy in my book. Or maybe intended to stoke some fires to draw some attention to itself. If I ran Wieden + Kennedy, or Nike, I wouldn't have green-lighted that headline with that image. But I'm not at all surprised that others did, and maybe the conversation that ensues makes us all a little more aware.

Dan Steinberg of the D.C. Sports Bog was at the press conference announcing Gilbert Arenas's new contract.

Most of the talk, reports Steinberg, was disappointingly bland, in keeping with a new Arenas promise to grow up somewhat, with his big new deal. But I bet some of this will raise eyebrows in Cleveland:

The best part was this exchange, after Ivan Carter asked about the responsibility and pressure of being a $111 million man.

"Yeah, yeah, I know, I know, all the little things I do out there is gonna come to a halt," Arenas said. "You know, but I think I'm up for the task. I just need to cut out some of the foolishness I do."

"What foolishness?" asked Abe Pollin, appropriately

"It's a good thing," Arenas answered. "I create hype, I create excitement, I think I can still do that. But some of the other stuff I know I've got to calm down."

I believe Eddie Jordan and Ernie Grunfeld may have been smiling when he said that. Probably not when he said this.

"It's kind of funny when you think about it," he said, of the playoff disappointments. "Everybody says we can't get past Cleveland. Cleveland beat us one year, that was three years ago. The other years they've just been beating up on some hurt dogs. We just want to get our fair shot when we're healthy at the right time, because two years we showed what kind of team we are....We were rolling, we were top five in the league, and that's what kind of team we are when we're healthy. When we're healthy that's the kind of team we are, we're a top five team in the league."

Later, he explained what he had told his teammates after the season.

"You guys played the whole season without me and you guys made it to the playoffs," he said. "Tell Cleveland to play without LeBron. I don't think they won a game last year."

Kobe Bryant sure liked playing (and appearing in YouTube videos) with Ronny Turiaf. Janis Carr of the Orange County Register quotes Bryant on Turiaf's departure, via free agency, to the Warriors:

As a businessman, Kobe Bryant understands why the Lakers let Ronny Turiaf walk. The popular forward, a restricted free agent, had received a four-year, $17 million offer sheet from the Golden State Warriors and the Lakers decided not to match it.

But as a teammate and basketball player, he thought the decision stunk.

"I'm sad about it. I wish we could have kept him," Bryant said. "I love him as a person. I love him as a basketball player and I hate to see him leave. I just wish him all the best.

"He would much rather have stayed with us, but that's the nature of the NBA, man."

• The newest issue of HOOP magazine has a great little tale about the Hawks having a team ping pong tournament. I was going to quote Al Horford -- who says he won every game against all-comers for months in advance -- describing how the whole organization cheered on Marvin Williams' improbable victory in the championship game. But then I found the really heavy part of the magazine, and the ping pong tournament seemed a little silly. Adonal Foyle reviews "Man's Search for Meaning," the gut-wrenching tale of Nazi concentration camp survivor Viktor E. Frankl, who witnessed the deaths of, among others, his pregnant wife, parents, and brother. The atrocities go on and on. It's heavy. But Foyle handles it deftly. He is the kind of guy you want in your book club. "It is so dreadful," writes Foyle, "and yet he is able find a morsel of hope and thus maintain his sanity against all odds. He shows you a window to his soul and he allows you to see his struggle. And I think when you find something that is that honest, you can't help but feel sad, angry, moved, see the world in a different light and love the human spirit all at the same time."
• Thanks to Ben, who e-mailed to point out this odd note at the end of a Yankees write-up in The New York Times: "A report that the relocated Seattle SuperSonics of the N.B.A. will change their name to the Oklahoma City Thunder has inspired a promotion by the Yankees' Class AA affiliate, the Trenton Thunder. Any fan who shows up at the Waterfront Park box office wearing a Sonics cap, jersey or T-shirt will receive a ticket to a Trenton Thunder game. 'We just want to help ease the pain for Sonics fans worldwide,' Trenton General Manager Brad Taylor said in a news release." Here's the release. Weird deal, huh? Not sure this proves much of anything, other than that minor league teams will do just about anything to draw attention to themselves.
• Remember how Nate Robinson had his jersey retired at Vegas Summer League? It's already down.
• Elton Brown is a good story. He's from Allen Iverson's corner of Virginia, and as a too-short and too-wide big man he has never quite been able to make it to the NBA, despite good numbers and results in the D-League and Israel. Now he's a little slimmer and was a bull around the basket in summer league, where he averaged a double-double. I have heard from all kinds of people that Brown is now about to get his shot in the NBA.
• The Utah Flash, the D-League team with with the deep-pocketed young owner/blogger and a fancypants new arena on the way, get to host the D-League's annual showcase next year.
• Knick fans fantasize about the trades they'd like to make on Knickeblogger.net. Italian Stallion suggests: "Marbury and/or Zach for a buttered bagel and warm cup of coffee if we can get that much." Also, you'll notice a lot of people dreaming of Ramon Sessions in a Knick Jersey. This post also points out: the Knicks have never had the league's best player. With the big city, the basketball tradition, the local stars, and the deep pockets, it'd be natural for Knick fans to have a superiority complex. But in practice, that team has largely been mediocre, and Knick fans I know are generally humble.
• Eat this cereal, and your opponent will start playing terrible defense.
• The first-ever outdoor WNBA game.
• Forgive me, as, after my vacation, I am still running across older stories that are new to me. But have you seen George Karl, among others, doing whatever is the opposite of giving NBA referees a vote of confidence? It's really quite shocking. The NBA continues to neither convince nor impress with their strategy of blanket denials whenever these kinds of allegations arise. People, I think, are inclined to believe the NBA. But the League has to give them a credible narrative to explain all this. Ripping into critics, laughing off accusations, and mocking the concept of transparency isn't getting it done.
• UPDATE: Author Sherman Alexie, die-hard Sonics fan, e-mails: "I'm telling ya, unless OK City gets a real coach real soon, Durant is going to become Glenn Robinson 2.0."

• Ailene Voisin of the Sacramento Bee: "Kevin Martin arrived with an agenda and, almost as interestingly, with something to say. The plan is to impress USA Basketball officials while preparing the U.S. Olympic Team for Beijing. Establish eye contact with members of the selection committee, further enhancing his own future Olympic prospects. Maintain his excellent conditioning. Swap stories with Kobe Bryant, LeBron James and Mike Krzyzewski. And then, when the Olympic team scoots off to Beijing, finish scribbling his introduction for 2008-09. That long-sought Kings leader? That would be Martin. His words. His time."
• Jessica Hopper of The Miami Herald: "Miami Heat player Dwyane Wade is feeling the heat from business partners after a failed restaurant venture. On Friday, the company D Wade's Place filed suit in Miami-Dade Circuit Court against Wade, accusing him of breach of contract. The Palm Beach Gardens company partnered with Wade in August 2007 to open D. Wade's Sports Grill. The co-owners of D Wade's Place, Richard von Houtman and Mark Rodberg, would not comment Monday on the lawsuit. The suit comes after the closing of the sports grill's Fort Lauderdale location on July 12."
• Jody Genessy of the Deseret News: "The FIBA Asian champions didn't beat the Jazz, but give the Iranian national team and its supporters credit. They filled the Salt Lake Community College's gym with an electric and party-like atmosphere during Utah's 82-57 Rocky Mountain Revue victory. If Tehran needs a sister city in the U.S., Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad might consider Taylorsville. His country's basketball squad, which wrapped up its brief Utah stay Monday night, is obviously welcome here. Iran standout Samad Nikkah-Bahrami, who topped all scorers with 23 points, would have expected a warm reception like that in a metropolis like Los Angeles. But having that feverish of a fan following in Salt Lake City caught him pleasantly off guard. 'We didn't know that much crowd would come see our games because we're in this city (and) there are not that many Iranians,' he said. 'They really touch us and we were very happy because they protected us tonight.'"
• Ramona Shelburne of the Los Angeles Daily News: "And at end of this most exciting of Julys, the Clippers had essentially swapped Baron Davis and Marcus Camby for Elton Brand and Corey Maggette, drummed up more national media attention than any offseason in their history, spawned about three spinoff soap operas that will run throughout the next NBA season, and, most shocking of all, turned the Lakers' offseason news into secondary events. 'We just wanted to get a little publicity for our team,' coach Mike Dunleavy deadpanned during Camby's introductory news conference on Monday. 'You know, weekly press conferences, free snacks, some nice food for everyone. We try to take care of the media, make sure you guys have something to do in the offseason because we know it can be a slow time.'" 
  
• Rich Thompson of the Boston Herald: "James Posey is a member of the New Orleans Hornets because his practical side trumped his emotional side. 'From a personal and professional standpoint, leaving the Celtics was one of the toughest things I've ever had to do,' Posey said yesterday from his home in Houston. 'But at the end of the day it was a business decision, and there were no hard feelings. I hope this is something that works out for both of us. It was a tough business decision, and that's all I can say. At the end of the day, both sides were happy with what took place, and you have to move on. This was business with no hard feelings. 'For the most part, you understand, you move on and take the next opportunity you can get.'" 
  
• A. Sherrod Blakely of Booth Newspapers: "With most of the 'big-name' free agent small forwards off the board, the Detroit Pistons' chances of landing a player that can help them at the 3-spot via free agency seems slim. But there's one player that's available, who just might be a nice fit. That player is Devean George. He's a nine-year veteran who has spent the bulk of his career as a backup, which is exactly what the Pistons are looking for."
• Kurt Kragthorpe of The Salt Lake Tribune: "After three occasionally eventful years that included his summer league absence, his birthday party starring a rapper and his one night of freedom, swingman C.J. Miles' bizarre adventures in Utah likely will conclude this week when he becomes the property of the NBA's former Seattle franchise, now playing in Oklahoma City. Even though teammate Deron Williams wants him back, the Jazz cannot possibly match the free-agent offer sheet Miles signed. Spending $15 million over four years is not a sound investment for a player who's slotted as their 10th man again this season, because the team is overloaded at the guard and small forward positions and will face payroll limitations in the coming years. Having said that, you just know what's going to happen: Miles will thrive in the OKC, playing regularly and scoring in flurries for a young team that needs help, raising questions about why the Jazz did not do more to develop and keep him."
• Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle: "For a few days, the Rockets got to feel good about their draft choices. Donté Greene showed his shooting touch and range. Joey Dorsey, playing in just two games, demonstrated his energy and intensity. Aaron Brooks, last season's top pick, worked to reshape himself into a more traditional point guard. Then the Las Vegas NBA Summer League ended (the Rockets went 3-2, with both losses coming in overtime), and there was a renewed sense of the work still to be done for the summer players expected to be on the regular-season team and for management still shaping that team."
• Matthew Gaschk for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer: "Less than three weeks ago, Kevin Calabro was in the doldrums after the city of Seattle agreed to a buyout of the Sonics lease with KeyArena, clearing the way for the NBA franchise to move to Oklahoma City. ... His path to recovery was accelerated Monday when he was announced as play-by-play voice of the Seattle Sounders FC for its inaugural season in Major League Soccer next year. The club announced a multiyear television partnership with BELO to broadcast games on KING/5 and KONG/6, 16. 'When one door closes, many will open,' Calabro said. 'It's hard to see the Sonics moving on as they have, but this is something new on the horizon that many people can rally around and I'm enthused to be a part of.'"

A blogger theorizes that NBA fans, as a group, can correctly predict 14 of the 16 teams that will make the playoffs next spring -- before the season even starts.

They're taking your votes now. In a little under a year, we should know how we did.

Maurice Brooks just got home from Las Vegas, and has the following closing thoughts:

By Maurice Brooks

True story. After catching a red-eye flight from Las Vegas to New Jersey, I sat on my couch this morning in an attempt to write my final thoughts on the 21-team, 10-day, 53-game tournament that is NBA Summer League, which came to a close on Sunday. But while typing, I dozed off, leaving me with four pages of the letter "j" to delete. If summer league left me that tired, imagine how the players and coaches are feeling.

With that said, it's time to honor some of my Vegas favorites. Since most of my mid-point award winners would still be my end-of-the-league award winners, here is my last batch of observations:

The Lottery Picks

• O.J. Mayo, Grizzlies (No. 3 pick): He had two signature plays -- the dunk and the buzzer-beater -- but he also showed he has the ability to play both guard positions; the game appears to come easy to him. He is a star in the making.
• Kevin Love, Wolves (No. 5): He put up points (18.0 per game), led the league in rebounds (13.5) and threw a couple of his signature outlet passes before shutting it down with a sore Achilles. His footwork was perfect and he was the league's best all-around big man.
• Danilo Gallinari, Knicks (No. 6): He played in only one game -- stinking it up in the first half and lighting it up in the second half. It appeared he needed a couple of quarters to adjust to the pace of the game and find his rhythm.
• Eric Gordon, Clippers (No. 7): He was arguably the worst shooter in Sin City, making just 32 percent of his attempts in two games before getting hurt and shutting it down. On a positive note, I liked the fact that he was ultra-aggressive.
• Joe Alexander, Bucks (No. 8): On offense, he appears comfortable standing around on the perimeter launching jump shots. That would be fine if his shots were falling, but for the most part they weren't. However, he did demonstrate that he is a good passer. Overall, he averaged 9.2 points, 3.6 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.2 blocks and shot 34.6 percent from the field.
• D.J. Augustin, Bobcats (No. 9): Forget about his assists numbers for now, Augustin was able to get where he wanted to with the rock whenever he wanted to. He played in only three of Charlotte's five games, but when he was on the court, there was no doubt who was in charge. He averaged 19.7 points on just 10.6 shot attempts per game, while connecting on 56 percent from the field.
• Jerryd Bayless, Blazers (No. 11): MVP. 'Nuf said.
• Jason Thompson, Kings (No. 12): See "Favorite Clutch Player" below.
• Anthony Randolph, Warriors (No. 14): The 6-foot-10 forward was practically impossible to stop off the dribble in one-on-one situations and he showed a nice touch from the outside. He is the perfect combination of speed and height.

My Favorite Sixer: Marreese Speights
Even though he spells his first name funny, I was thoroughly impressed with the play of Speights, who was one of just three players to average a double-double (Minnesota's Kevin Love and Denver's Elton Brown were the other two). The 6-foot-10 power forward averaged 18.2 points and was second in the league in rebounds (10.2) and blocked shots (2.2). With his ability to finish around the rim and attack the glass, he could eventually be the perfect backup for Elton Brand and Samuel Dalembert.

My Favorite Bricklayer: Marco Belinelli, Warriors Although I wouldn't bet against him in a 3-point shooting contest, the guy with the pretty shot put up some ugly field goal percentage numbers. Belinelli hit just five of his last 24 attempts and made just 39 percent of his shots from the floor overall.

Mr. Efficiency: Alando Tucker, Suns
Five players (Portland's Jerryd Bayless, Houston's Donte' Greene, Sacramento's Quincy Douby, Phoenix's Alando Tucker and Golden State's Anthony Randolph) averaged more than 20 points per game. Of those five, only Tucker attempted fewer than 15 shots per game (12.6) and had a field goal percentage over 49 percent (57.1).

My Favorite Gunner: Donte Greene, Rockets
Greene sent a message to the teams that let him slip to No. 28 in the draft by scoring 40 points on 12-for-20 shooting in his first summer-league game. He then went out and missed 35 of 51 shot attempts over the course of his next three games. But that mini-slump didn't hurt Greene's confidence. He ended summer league with a strong 9-for-16 showing (22 points) as the Rockets topped the Kings on Sunday. Greene, who shot 42.5 percent overall, finished second to Portland's Jerryd Bayless in scoring with an average of 22.6 points per game.

Not A Point Guard: Brandan Wright, Warriors
Wright had a nice week, highlighted by his opening-day performance of 17 points, seven rebounds and five blocked shots in a win against the Sixers. However, in four games (120 minutes), the forward failed to register an assist. Not a single one.

The Body Guard: Joey Dorsey, Rockets
Houston's Joey Dorsey described himself as "Ray Lewis with a basketball" and then tried to show his toughness by getting ejected from a game while in street clothes. Watch.

My Favorite Comeback: Robert Traylor, Cavaliers
After playing in Puerto Rico last season, Robert "Tractor" Traylor was in Vegas as a member of the Cavaliers. The big body, who was basically auditioning for all of the general managers in attendance, had a decent stretch of games, averaging 5.3 points and five rebounds in four Cleveland losses.

Mr. Clutch of Summer League: Jason Thompson, Kings
Thompson hit not one, but two game-winning shots. His three-point play in overtime helped the Kings top the Blazers, and he had a tip-in and free throw in the final 20 seconds of a three-point victory over the Warriors. The 6-foot-11 forward out of Rider averaged 16.2 points and 8.6 rebounds per contest.

My Favorite For Lottery-Pick Bust: Joe Alexander, Bucks
As of now, this honor has to go to Alexander. Let's see what happens ... 

• Maurice Brooks is an NBA editor for ESPN.com. He can be reached at mbrooksnba@gmail.com.

Video of Kevin Durant shooting a lot of 3's (a little PG-13 for language) off the dribble at the George Goodman Classic.

It's funny, he scores a ton, in a very close game, but somehow because of the style of play -- pound pound, pound, launch -- it's not nearly as fun to watch as a game with passing, fast breaks and all that.

Also, Durant's team lost, in no small part because of missed free throws and turnovers.

There's an article in today's Las Vegas Review Journal about how the NBA's Summer League in Las Vegas has really taken off in recent years, and even now boasts some pretty decent attendance.

Under David Stern, the NBA has become among the best in the world at staging events for television. They put Michael Jordan in your living room, and in your heart. They have microphones on coaches. They can even make drawing lottery balls out of a machine into a half-hour special, without even showing the lottery balls coming out of the machine.

The NBA knows how to make things first class on TV.

But they do not do this for summer league.

It is something of a mystery. Why doesn't the NBA go to the trouble of making Summer League pretty? Why not have 30 teams in one tournament? Why not have it in a big arena with cheap seats for all those fans who can't afford to see actual NBA games? Why not have real uniforms, and some awards and titles on the line? Why not have a real schedule of TV coverage, and not to mention from the news and photo services?

When you're watching on the internet, and even the commentators aren't sure which player has the ball, sometimes it can feel like the existing arrangement is not exactly ready for prime time.

What gives? Who decided to make this amateur hour?

Here's my take: It's a perception thing.

Summer league, as we are starting to see it, is a nifty little public event. 

Summer league, as I believe many in the League see it, is a team event -- a player development and assessment event --  that happens to be somewhat open to the public, because letting some people into the stands is harmless.

I think that's reason number one. 

If there were lots of people in the stands, and real uniforms, and hundreds of thousands watching on TV, well then that might change the dynamic. That might make it so that shooting guards won't be willing to try out playing point guard. That might make it so the coaches aren't reaching so deep into their bench. That might make it a little more AAU and a little less training camp.

Reason number two is that dolling up summer league for big media would cost a lot of money, and I'm not sure what the return on that investment would look like, because in the end the entertainment product is of questionable value.

I say that as someone who recently tried to enjoy watching a summer league game on television. 

As it happened, for my vacation, I was in Portland, Oregon, which is one of very few places where summer league games were actually live on regular cable television.

I was too busy enjoying Oregon to watch a lot of games. But the one game I really did watch closely, my main reaction was: Nothing that happened on the court here today will work in the NBA. At least, not in the playoffs that are still fresh in my mind.

I mean, there were four or five real deal NBA prospects on the floor, and in the case of each and everyone one of them, after watching for a few minutes I thought "Well, this guy might make it, but there will be plenty of improvement to come first."

Even players who play well and get a real buzz going -- last year it was Marco Belinelli, this year it was Jerryd Bayless -- may prove to be fairly meaningless additions to their teams without a steady diet of possessions to play around with. 

Which means, essentially, that what happens in Summer League might matter a ton -- there could be a lot of learning going on -- but it matters almost not at all as an event in and of itself.

And that is pretty much precisely how the NBA has treated it.

• A nice little video compilation of missed dunks. To me the worst here is Tony Parker, who wasn't even attempting much of anything other than to get the ball in the hole, sans defense. Sometimes I see some mammoth NBA player with good position attempt some kind of dipsy-doodle layup, that misses, and I find myself screaming "just dunk it!" With Parker, though, it's the opposite. Just lay it up, please.
• Reports of some tough talk from the Luol Deng camp. 
• The U.S. avoids Argentina in group play at the Beijing Olympics, but gets tons of tough competition. China is at home, Angola has been killing people, and Germany features two elite NBA seven-footers in Dirk Nowitzki and Chris Kaman. And those are the weak teams. The other two are recent international champions Spain (with Ricky Rubio!) and Greece.
• If Josh Childress really does go overseas for more money, David Stern will have to stop citing Frederic Weis when he talks about NBA players getting lured overseas. 
• A pretty sober look at the Heat roster.  
• Let's touch on an older post questioning Marcus Camby's position as a super elite defender. Here's what I see: He does not trap the pick and roll, nor do much of anything to stop dribblers getting a crack at the rim. We judge him by his blocks and rebounds, but those numbers go up with people getting opportunities at the rim, while a perfect defender will stifle a good number of scoring opportunities farther from the hoop.
• Also from a few days ago, the stock market seems to favor current owners of the Sonics, as compared to past ones.
• Is this Oklahoma City Thunder report the final word? Until it is, here are more suggested nicknames for the former Sonics. How about the "Possessed Men."
• The Nets have a lot of new faces. How does it all fit together? Not so well, according to the Wages of Wins people. 
• Bloggers head to a Las Vegas Cheesecake Factory, looking to confirm reports that NBA players love that place. A waitress discusses Kobe Bryant's "special meal." 
• Canada wonders what it has to do to make the Olympics. 
• Matt Barnes has played well in some big games for the Warriors, and now will reportedly get to try to do the same for the Suns.
  
• The worst of the NBA win awards. 
• Also not so new, but new to me: Watch an actual NBA player have actual laser vision correction surgery.
• A big list of things Hubie Brown has said. (Via Eric Musselman)
• Carmelo Anthony, photographer. 
• Mark Cuban has made very clear that he does not like the current set-up whereby teams are asked to risk their players for national teams. German's elite professional soccer league, the Bundesliga, has gone so far as to outright ban its players from the Olympics, and it has caused a major rift. 

• Jennifer Floyd Engel of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram: "Dirk Nowitzki did not do any interviews immediately after propelling Germany to its first Olympic berth since 1992. He couldn't. The Dallas Mavericks' best player was in the locker room in Greece bawling Sunday, like a baby or newlywed or player who has finally delivered on a promise to his country, his coach and himself. He had been thinking of this moment long before he dreamed of MVPs and NBA championships. Anybody who even kind of knows The Big German is giddy for him, with the possible exception of Mavs owner Mark Cuban, who is certainly no fan of NBA players in the Olympics. And even he is happy for Dirk. 'My issues on the Olympics are not with Dirk or the players,' Cuban said via e-mail Sunday. 'I'm thrilled for Dirk. It's a dream of his, and there is nothing that could make me happier for him.'"
• Joe Freeman of The Oregonian: "After two weeks of summer league practices and games, this much has become evident about the player Portland acquired in a draft-day trade with Indiana: Jerryd Bayless is a fierce competitor, aggressive athlete and tireless worker. And the 6-foot-3 guard appears fearless. 'That's what we said in our evaluations -- this kid has a chance to be fearless,' Blazers general manager Kevin Pritchard said. 'He's proven that he's willing to get hit five times and get up five times. I think he has a chance to get out there and play and really compete this season.'"
• Ethan J. Skolnick of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel: "Michael Beasley showed up in South Florida late last month as the No. 2 pick of the 2008 draft. The Heat, rebuilding after a 15-67 debacle, now expects Beasley to serve as a cornerstone of a revival, along with rehabilitating franchise guard Dwyane Wade. 'All eyes are going to be on him,' Kenyon Martin, now a Denver Nugget, said of Beasley. 'So he's got to be ready for it. It's not going to be easy.' Lawrence Frank, now the Nets' head coach, was an assistant when the franchise drafted Martin. Frank said that all rookies must answer this question: 'Can you be relied upon?' That means giving consistent effort regardless of the travel stresses and lifestyle changes. 'That's the number one problem that every rookie faces regardless of talent,' Frank said."
• Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle: "Sometime, somewhere today, dictated entirely by habit and reflex, Donté Greene will have his eyes wide, mouth open and arms raised or hands outstretched just itching for a chance to catch and inevitably shoot. This was his role with the Rockets' Summer League team. It fit with his most NBA-ready skill, and it was enough for Greene to demonstrate why he is convinced and the Rockets hope he was a steal with the 28th pick taken in the draft last month. But the key as he moves from the Summer League to the regular-season Rockets will be adding to his unusual length and uncanny touch to be enough of a well-rounded player to get playing time with the veterans."
• Ivan Carter of The Washington Post: "Before the Wizards left Washington for the NBA Summer League, second-year guard Nick Young threw his arms around fourth-year forward Andray Blatche and second-year forward Dominic McGuire and declared, 'This is new Big Three right here.' Only time will tell whether Young, Blatche and McGuire can be anywhere near as productive as the Wizards' current high-scoring trio of Gilbert Arenas, Caron Butler and Antawn Jamison, but they did have an opportunity to show what they can do this week. The results were mixed. The Wizards finished with a 2-3 record following Sunday's 88-69 loss to the Phoenix Suns, but the team's youngsters clocked plenty of playing time and gained valuable experience that should carry over to training camp in October."
• Charles F. Gardner of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: "Scott Skiles liked what he saw during the Milwaukee Bucks' nine-day run in the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas. 'It was fantastic,' Skiles said of the Bucks' overall showing. 'We challenged the guys on the first day to represent the Milwaukee Bucks with an all-out effort on the defensive end. I think we had the best team here.' Rookies Joe Alexander and Luc Richard Mbah a Moute got their first taste of the professional game and impressed Skiles."
• Steve Carp of the Las Vegas Review-Journal: "There is talk of Houston starting a summer league to go with others in Las Vegas, Orlando and Salt Lake City, where the Rocky Mountain Revue is now under way. That could impact the number of teams that ultimately decide to play in Las Vegas in 2009. But Warren LeGarie said he is getting indications from around the league that he might need to make room for more teams. 'Chicago is coming next year, Boston is talking about returning and so is New Jersey,' LeGarie said. 'I think 24 teams is the max to maintain the quality of the league.'"
• Darnell Mayberry of The Oklahoman: "Forget about the Trenton Thunder, the Double-A affiliate of the New York Yankees, and the Wichita Thunder of the Central Hockey League, there's the Oklahoma Thunder of Tulsa and the World Football League. The law might not prohibit Clay Bennett and Co. from using the name, but marketing experts say they shouldn't want to. 'You don't want your team confused with anybody else's even if it's in another sport. That doesn't help your brand,' said Vince Orza, dean of the Meinders School of Business at Oklahoma City University. Sit tight. We aren't likely to know the truth for another couple of weeks. Unless of course another few brave souls spill the beans."
• Tim Cowlishaw of The Dallas Morning News: "As a native son, it is past time for me to welcome our neighbors to the north to the NBA. You are going to love it. One word of warning: Don't expect a winner anytime soon. Or ever. You think just because the Seattle Sonics went 29 years without a title means the Oklahoma Team With No Name or Colors is due? Guess again. The NBA title is the toughest in pro team sports. It's not baseball, in which 17 franchises have won the World Series in the last 25 years. And they didn't even play one in 1994. You think 29 years entitles you to something?"

Maurice Brooks has been a yeoman of summer league, and I can't thank him enough for keeping us up to date on everything that matters (including, for instance, which players wore long sleeved shirts under their summer league jerseys) while I was enjoying some downtime.

I'm back now, though, rested and ready.

Thanks again, Maurice.