Nuggets Summer League Squad Wins Triple Overtime Thriller

It's not every day you see a triple overtime basketball game. Unfortunately, I only got to see the highlights of the Nuggets last Summer League game ... but it was still fun to see some basketball. Go ahead and take yourself a little view ... click here for the highlights.

Sonny Weems led the way with 28 points and 9 rebounds. Ty Lawson contributed 24 points on 9-17 shooting and Coby Karl added 19 points and went 4-7 from downtown, while also hitting the two game winning free throws for the Nuggets.

Sonny Weems was doing a little bit of everything. In the highlights you'll see a nice alley-oop pass he makes, a pretty three-pointer, as well as a nice blocked shot and beautiful breakaway dunk on the other end of the floor. Weems, as George Karl pointed out, needed to have a stellar five games in Las Vegas and from what I've read ... he didn't totally make the best of his trip as his game was said to be a touch rusty. It's difficult to judge a guy from his summer league and with Weems the jury is still out ... actual NBA games are a different beast.

Ty Lawson is as quick as advertised and it looks like he's having a bit more success with his shot. Lawson makes a pretty three pointer in the video as well as connecting on a circus-layup after being knocked to the floor. They say that speed never has a bad day, and Lawson will surely be the beneficiary of his wheels. We haven't really had a rookie to get excited about in Denver since Carmelo Anthony fell into the team's lap back in 2003-04. Pretty much the one thing I wanted Denver to get this offseason was a lightening quick point guard who can change the makeup of the team when he's on the floor and I still have high hopes that Lawson is the answer. Oh, and he can indeed dunk! (fast forward to the 38 second mark of the linked video)

As Jeremy over at Roundball Mining Company pointed out the other day on his blog ... Coby Karl indeed should be able to find a roster spot in the NBA this season. I'm not going to say he'll get one, but I've been impressed with his game. Karl has a beautiful alley-oop pass in the highlights and he is the type of player that while he may not wow you, surely can get the job done on the floor. Every team needs a shooter off the bench, even if he's the 12th man, and Karl can provide that and a bit more. If his shooting continues to improve I'd say Coby will find a home somewhere in the league.

I did have some hopes that Denver was going to find a big man off this summer league roster ... perhaps in the form of Richard Hendrix (averaging 7.8 points and 4.3 rebounds in just 15 minutes per game), but I don't know if that's going to be true. I'm interested to know if 6'11'' and 240 pound C.J. Giles will get a invite to training camp. Giles averaged 7.2 points and 7 rebounds in 22.4 minutes in Vegas, including 13 points and 10 rebounds in 35 minutes of action against the Hornets.

It almost would have been nice to have Johan Petro under contract and on the floor this summer to see if he could dominate at all. The three guys mentioned above have been the talk of the Nuggets' summer team, but none of those guys are big men. It looks to me like Denver will have to look elsewhere for that fourth big ... perhaps by bringing Petro back. Like I broke down a few weeks ago, the Nuggets don't really have a lot of playing time to offer a fourth big, so a big name guy is probably not going to be an answer.

Denver finished 4-1 in Vegas.

It was fun to get a peek at some of the younger guys and we'll find out which guys will be getting invites to training camp soon. To have just a taste of basketball was nice, but now I find myself wanting more ...

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NBA summer league winds down for former LSU players

BATON ROUGE – Four former LSU men’s basketball players completed their NBA summer league basketball stints as the 21-team event came to a close on Sunday night.

The Summer League took place July 10-19 at two locations in Las Vegas.

Anthony Randolph, who played for LSU during the 2007-08 season and the Golden State Warriors during the 2008-09 year, averaged 26.8 points in four summer league games, hitting 60.9 percent from the floor. He also averaged 1.3 assists and 3.0 blocks per contest. He had 42 points in a win over the Bulls summer league team and three double doubles in his four games.

Marcus Thornton, the 2009 SEC player of the year and a second-round draft pick of the New Orleans Hornets, had three good efforts before having to miss his team’s last two games with a strained right ankle. Thornton average 20.7 points per game in 29.7 minutes per contest. In the three games, he shot 44 percent from the field and averaged 3.3 rebounds and 2.3 steals per game.

Terry Martin, playing as a free agent for the Hornets, played in two games, averaging 6.5 minutes and 4.0 points per game.

Garrett Temple played as a free agent for the Houston Rockets team that tied with the Memphis Grizzlies as the only undefeated 5-0 teams in the summer league. Temple saw action in all five games, averaging 12.6 minutes a contest. He averaged 4.6 points per game and shot 38 percent from the field.

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The Eight Biggest Stories of Summer League

The Las Vegas Summer League is a lot like the Sundance Film Festival of the NBA. Whereas the pageantry of most NBA games has gotten out of control, Summer League games are small indie productions. The event certainly has its share of fanfare, but it also allows participants to brush shoulders with some notables they wouldn't ordinarily have access to during the grind of the NBA season. Just as festival-goers at Sundance might find themselves sitting next to an A-List movie star in a cozy bar, it's not unusual for Summer League attendees to sit down in the stands at Cox Pavilion, only to look over and see a high-profile general manager in cargo shorts and flip-flops.

Since team executives, agents, player development personnel, and veterans who've come to watch their younger teammates are all convened in one place for 10 days, Summer League is one big, casual schmoozefest, and a great place to take inventory of the state of the NBA. 

What were all those big names talking about in Las Vegas this year? Here were eight hot topics:

A Lot of Competent Players, but Only One Sure-Fire All-Star
Since early spring, the 2009 talent pool has been regarded as a one-man draft. By and large, NBA folks left Las Vegas with that consensus intact. Blake Griffin was the story of Summer League. Though he wasn't able to replicate his explosive 27-point debut, Griffin's 19.2 points and 10.8 rebounds per game stood out. There were other players who matched his statistical output, but few generated the enthusiasm Griffin did among those who got a look at the full roster of rookies. "It's not only his work ethic and competitiveness," said one scout. "It's the balance, athleticism, body, and control. The stuff he can't do yet? It'll happen in no time." When asked how many certain All-Stars would materialize from the class of 2009, interviewees set the over-under barely above one, with Tyreke Evans earning a few votes. Despite the low expectations for stardom, many observers were pleasantly surprised by the depth of solid, if unexceptional, players. The prevailing opinion in Vegas was that the 2009 group is a far cry from the notoriously fruitless class of 2000. Though there was little unanimity, James Harden, Austin Daye, Wayne Ellington, Jonny Flynn, DeJuan Blair, and Earl Clark were all mentioned as possible contributors, or "third options" as one assistant general manager put it. But conversations about potential greatness consistently and almost exclusively returned to Griffin.

Anthony Randolph: All grown up?

Anthony Randolph is Ridiculous
Summer League play always warrants a disclaimer, because the level of competition falls way short of what guys will confront in an NBA game, but the Warriors' 20-year-old forward seemed almost too advanced for Summer League play. Normally jaded execs and crusty sportswriters alike had their jaws agape watching Randolph command the game when he was out on the floor. Randolph came into the league as a candy dish of disparate talents, but he's graduated from curiosity to crackerjack. He has a band of admirers who gush over his range of talents, and that group got a lot bigger in Las Vegas, as his skill set was on full display. Randolph saw the court, ran the floor, passed the ball, blocked shots, got to the line, and drained mid-range jumpers as well as anyone in Summer League. In his four games, he averaged a Summer League-high 26.8 points per game on 60.9 percent shooting from the floor. He also got to the line 39 times and blocked 12 shots. But it was about more than the stats for Randolph. There's a moment when a player's talents unify into a single, coherent package. Judging from Randolph's performance, that moment has arrived. 

The Global Economic Crisis
There's an area behind the near basket at Cox Pavilion where European coaches, general managers, and scouts sit and talk shop during the games. The NBA presents Summer League as a showcase of their future stars, but the real business in Las Vegas is being conducted by these guys, along with the agents and bridge-builders who are trying to get jobs overseas for the less recognizable names on Summer League rosters. Although there wasn't a visible black cloud hanging over this corner of the gym, the anxiety was palpable. They had a lot to be stressed about. Basketball clubs the world over are suffering, but none more than those in Europe. After years of escalating salaries and profits, the market has collapsed. "I've told all my European guys to expect, on average, salaries to go down between 30 and 40 percent," one European agent said. "It's definitely a buyer's market." This dynamic puts pressure on everyone -- the players who are facing a pay cut (even if they're coming off banner seasons), the agents who are terrified to communicate this to their clients out of fear of getting fired, and the teams who still haven't filled out their rosters because they're short on cash. The result is an impasse with neither players nor clubs budging, and a few teams on the verge of economic collapse. 

Salary Cap Troubles & the NBA Financial Situation
The international game is in meltdown mode, while the NBA game is suffering from its own set of monetary issues. In Sections 104 and 115, where most of the NBA execs and team personnel sit, the dominant conversation of the week was about the financial pinch NBA franchises are feeling. In his press conference here in Vegas, NBA Commissioner David Stern said that fewer than half of NBA franchises made money last season. Ticket sales, sponsorships, and television contracts are all down. With the salary cap and luxury tax level dropping -- and scheduled to do so for the foreseeable future -- teams are having to calibrate their spreadsheets. This affects everyone: owners, general managers who are under pressure to build legitimate NBA rosters, free agents sitting on the sidelines, their agents, and also the journeymen and undrafted rookies trying to earn a spot on an NBA roster. To save money, a team that would normally carry 15 guys might trim that number down to 13 -- meaning fewer jobs. And players who would've inked rich, multi-year deals are finding that, with some exceptions, they have fewer suitors, with thinner wallets.

The Point Guard Class
Several point guards who came to Las Vegas made strong impressions. Jonny Flynn, despite all the turmoil surrounding Ricky Rubio, stood out. Though many in Vegas questioned the wisdom of playing Tyreke Evans at point guard long-term, few doubted that his strength, size, and capacity to get to the rim would make him a scoring machine. Observers had reserved praise for Brandon Jennings and Stephen Curry, the former for his unrefined shot, the latter for looking more like a gunner than a floor general. Some of the mid-first-rounders earned a lot of praise. Dallas' Roddy Beaubois led Vegas point guards in oohs and aahs, zipping through the lane in traffic and filling it up from beyond the arc. Of all the point guards in Las Vegas last week, Darren Collison was among the most polished before going down with an ankle injury. After starting Summer League 1-for-15 from the field, Ty Lawson bounced back to turn in three dominant performances, averaging 23.7 points over that span. Lawson is the kind of point guard who needs to be surrounded by scorers to excel. He'll have that in Denver.

LO, AI, Booz, and the Blazers
As much as NBA fans love speculation about trades and free agency, nobody appreciates the rumor mill quite like the NBA chattering class. Talk of the disintegration of Lamar Odom's negotiations with the Lakers provided plenty of fodder for late-night dinners. The same was true of the l'affaire Allen Iverson, where Carlos Boozer may land, and what the Blazers will do with the money they threw at Paul Millsap. The Odom situation was far and away the most intriguing to the insiders. Odom and the Lakers are in the second act of a romantic comedy: They need each other. The Lakers would slip measurably without Odom, and Odom needs the Lakers to solidify his place among the Lakers greats -- or at least the Lakers very, very goods. The Iverson and Boozer matters exemplify the financial issues mentioned above. So far as Portland, few teams run as much informational interference, and even some of the wiliest insiders were stumped about what the Trail Blazers might do.

The Death of the Back-to-the-Basket Game
"Name one guy here who can hit a jump hook over their left shoulder," an NBA assistant general manager asked. "I can't think of one." Whether it's the trickle-down effect of the European game, the rule changes implemented by the league a few years ago, or college teams appropriating Mike D'Antoni-style basketball, the vast majority of the young bigs who were in Las Vegas are face-up players who work either along the perimeter or out of the pinch post: Anthony Randolph, Earl Clark, James Johnson, Taj Gibson, Dante Cunningham, DaJuan Summers, Austin Daye, and even Blake Griffin. Is this a momentary trend, or will the pendulum eventually swing back? "If I were a big man about to enter college, I would develop that back-to-the-basket game," the executive said. The implication: At some point, those skills will be at a premium, and that kid will be impossible to defend. Forward-looking teams are all about buying low and, right now, traditional post players are undervalued because they don't conform to the current climate of the NBA game.

Dysfunctional Organizational Structures Breed Dysfunctional Franchises
What is going on with Minnesota? That was a popular topic of conversation among senior NBA people in Las Vegas. The team still has no coach. Though it had one of the Summer League's most prolific players in Flynn, there's no telling if the system he played in over the 10 days will be the one installed by a new coach -- whoever that might be. This makes the Summer League evaluation process a lot less useful. Who's in charge? CEO Rob Moor? General manager David Kahn? Will the new coach be fully empowered to do his job? Critics also looked at Memphis. How did the Grizzlies end up with Hasheem Thabeet? Because owner Michael Heisley reportedly made the call. The Clippers, too, generated buzz this week with the Iverson speculation. While owner Donald Sterling wants to make a splash with Iverson, Clippers management would like to target Ramon Sessions. These historically beleaguered franchises all have one thing in common: There's no clear hierarchy that allows basketball people to make basketball decisions. The best franchises have well-defined roles that emanate from the top. Owners allow their senior executives to do their job. Those executives give their head coaches full reign, and so forth. Look no further than the San Antonio Spurs.

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Blake and Taylor Griffin face off

LAS VEGAS — Phoenix Suns forward Taylor Griffin walked to the free-throw line Sunday night during an NBA Summer League game against the Los Angeles Clippers and was greeted with some spirited trash talk from a group of nearby Clippers fans.

His younger brother, Clippers' top pick Blake Griffin, stood a few feet away on the rebounding block and cracked a smile.

The brothers, teammates the past two years at Oklahoma and for most of their childhood growing up in Edmond, Okla., got their first taste of competing against each other professionally in Phoenix's 87-70 victory.

Just two minutes into their initial game as opponents and with the assistance to the help of a group of about 20 vocal Clippers' fans, it was obvious the Griffins are no longer teammates.

Taylor Griffin made both foul shots, then Blake Griffin, like he did at Oklahoma and during the weeklong summer league, did the job on the court.

Blake Griffin, who before the game was announced as the event's Most Outstanding Player, got the best of his brother with 16 points and eight rebounds.

Taylor Griffin, a second-round selection of the Suns, had four points and six rebounds.

They rarely guarded each other with Phoenix converting Taylor Griffin into a small forward and Blake Griffin playing inside at power forward. Blake Griffin averaged 20 points and 10 points in five summer games.

The brothers exchanged hugs on the court following the game. Blake Griffin is hoping to enjoy a long NBA career while Taylor Griffin is fighting for a spot on the Suns' roster.

Copyright © 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. 

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BASKETBALL: Jonny Flynn named NBA Rookie of the Month

It was a bittersweet week in Las Vegas for Jonny Flynn.

The Niagara Falls native was named the top rookie performer at the NBA Summer League, but for perhaps the first time in his basketball career, his team lost four times in five outings.

“A competitor like me, I want to win every time,” Flynn said in a video interview with NBA.com earlier in the week. “That’s something I can’t turn off, my competitive drive.”

Flynn scored 15 points per game on 48 percent shooting for the Minnesota Timberwolves. His 7.4-assist average was third in the league, and second among rookies to Milwaukee’s Brandon Jennings.

In games on Friday and Saturday, Flynn scored 45 points on only 21 field goal attempts, utilizing pick-and-roll plays to get into the paint at will and draw several fouls.

“Here in the NBA it’s like the lane is wide open,” Flynn said. “There’s more space out there. So there’s more opportunities to create off the bounce.”

Flynn said it felt good to learn he was named NBA Rookie of the Month.

“It means I’m getting acknowledged for the way I played out here,” he told Timberwolves.com. “It means a lot of people took a liking to my game. I just don’t want to be complacent. I want to keep getting better and working on my game.”

Flynn won the award despite an underwhelming performance in Sunday’s 93-85 loss to the Chicago Bulls. He scored seven points on 3 for 10 shooting. But he did record seven assists, and thrilled the crowd with a windmill dunk.

Niagara Falls native Paul Harris received extended playing time for the first time all week, starting the game and playing more than 20 minutes. He contributed six points, four rebounds, one steal and one block.

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Sibling Rivalry Benefits Knicks’ Douglas

LAS VEGAS — Growing up, Toney Douglas traced the footsteps that his older brother, Harry, made before him — with one notable exception.

The backyard basketball games always ended with Toney rushing inside in a flood of tears after taking elbows and a beating from Harry, his elder by 18 months. Harry, grinning, soon followed inside their home in Jonesboro, Ga.

“Toney would come in crying and saying, ‘Daddy, Daddy,’ ” said Harry Douglas III, their father. “Then Harry would came in, smiling and saying, ‘Daddy, I beat him, 140-4.’ ”

After Toney calmed down, his father would tell him that in the end, the games would make him tougher. Eventually they did. Harry left the large footsteps, and Toney is still quick to fill them in his own way. As Toney, a guard picked 29th over all in this year’s N.B.A. draft, embarked on his professional basketball career with the Knicks’ summer league team, Harry readied himself for his second season as a wide receiver for the Atlanta Falcons.

The Douglases are set to become only the sixth set of brothers to play in the N.B.A. and the N.F.L., and the first brother combination since Kevin and Nate Burleson in 2006-7, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

Their brotherly bickering was largely limited to the one-on-one games. While growing up, each excelled at basketball, football and baseball. Together, they made a two-man show on the basketball team, and fans packed the stands in the tiny gym at Jonesboro High School so tight that the fire department routinely turned people away. But Harry craved more contact than is common in basketball.

Toney’s decision was simpler and based in the same casual manner that one would choose a shirt to wear in the morning.

“I don’t like the sun like that,” he said, smiling. “I can play football and baseball, but I decided on basketball. And there’s a lot of action in basketball. In football, you’ve got to wait; in baseball you’ve got to wait.”

As effortless as the decision was, Toney put in the diligence, as did Harry Douglas III, his sons’ biggest cheerleader and promoter. He started a recruiting service that scouts athletes in the South and he developed contacts with college coaches. He and his wife shuffled Toney and Harry to hundreds of athletic contests.

Once, when Toney was 9, the family rushed to a baseball game after a football game and arrived when Toney was due at the plate. He rushed into a bathroom, changed and promptly homered.

But it was a basketball that accompanied Toney to bed and eventually to a pro career.

“He would call me at 6, 6:30 in the morning wanting to get in the gym, and I’d be in bed,” Jonesboro High Coach Dan Maehlman said. “I asked, ‘Couldn’t we wait until 8?’ ”

Toney chose to play in college at Auburn, but became frustrated with the team’s system and transferred to Florida State. There, he progressed and finally turned the tide in the one-on-one games with Harry, who had started to blossom as a football standout for Louisville.

“Me beating up on him in basketball stopped,” Harry said. “He started winning all the games. I always respected him, but that’s when I really started to respect his work ethic, his game and the things that he did well.”

The Falcons drafted Harry in the third round of the 2008 draft. Harry made the trek to Tallahassee whenever he could to catch Toney’s games. Then Toney again retraced his brother’s steps, to Atlanta to watch Harry play football.

“His brother really is his role model,” their father said. “He’ll tell him what he should be doing and what he’s not doing. Toney really takes it well. He takes it better from his brother than me. With his brother playing professional football and seeing his brother do what he did, that really inspired him to prove he can do it, too.”

The Lakers drafted Douglas, and traded him to the Knicks in a deal engineered in the hours before the draft. With the Knicks, he is expected to spell the starting point guard Chris Duhon.

Douglas is 6 feet 1 inch and is categorized as a combination guard, a kind way to label a player without a natural position. That, along with playing basketball at the football powerhouse Florida State, might have caused him to slip to the end of the first round despite averaging 21.5 points as a senior.

In the N.B.A.’s summer league, Douglas’s shot was largely absent, although he said the organization wanted him to focus on his playmaking.

“You can miss on him,” Knicks Coach Mike D’Antoni said. “He’s not a point and he’s not a 2. We just thought he has the possibility to be a pretty good player in the league, and that’s why we went after him.”

With Harry and Toney in the professional ranks, Harry Douglas III’s largest coup, he said, is that they both have college degrees. He is out of sons to promote, but his daughter, Jamila, a softball player in her day, has a 2-year-old son named Caleb. Harry Douglas III has already started pitching his grandson to college coaches.

“A lot of them, they tell me that he has a scholarship right now,” he said.

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Flynn Happens in Las Vegas

Las Vegas (WIVB) - What happened in Las Vegas for Jonny Flynn, will stay with him as he takes the next step in his NBA career.  Sunday night, Flynn finished his five game stint in the NBA's Summer League.  The Niagara Falls native played five games for the Timberwolves team, and averaged 15 points and 7.4 assists per game.  He scored over 20 poitns in two of his last three games.  Flynn showed the ability to drive to the basket, despite his six-foot size.  He had a number of dunks, and also hit three pointers.  His assist totals, including 14 in one game, show he's still retained his point guard mindset despite also being asked to score.
He was named the NBA Rookie of the month for his play in the summer league.
Playing limited minutes, Flynn scored 7 points in the Sunday's 93-85 loss to Chicago.  Paul Harris, Flynn's Wolverines and Syracuse teammate, had his best game.  He started, played 20 minutes, scored 6 points and grabbed 4 rebounds.  Harris played in four games, and averaged 4.5 points per game.
Flynn was the Timberwolves first round draft pick, sixth overall.  The summer league was his first exposure to NBA caliber play. Used to winning in high school and college, Jonny may have to adjust to the Timberwolves rebuilding.  Their summer league team finished 1-4.
The next step for Flynn will be Minnesota's training camp, which opens in September.

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Cavaliers make a bid for Miami Heat's Jamario Moon

As the Heat continues to try to sign the Lakers' Lamar Odom, Miami learned Sunday that restricted free agent small forward Jamario Moon has signed an offer sheet with the Cleveland Cavaliers, reducing the likelihood of the Heat retaining him.
After the offer is submitted to the NBA office Monday, the Heat would have seven days to decide whether to match. Terms were not revealed, but the offer is for at least two years, and the first-year salary cannot exceed the $3.2 million that Cleveland still has available from its $5.9 million midlevel exception.
The Heat might be reluctant to match for two reasons: 1) Unless Miami is acquiring an impact player (such as Odom), the Heat prefers not to add salary for 2010-11 because of its desire to maximize its cap space for the summer of 2010. 2) The Heat already is at next season's luxury-tax threshold and prefers not to pay the tax unless it's adding a high-quality player.
The Heat would be willing to pay the tax to sign Odom, who reportedly spent recent days considering offers to return to Miami, where he played the 2003-04 season, or re-sign with the Lakers.
Miami is offering Odom its full midlevel exception in a multiyear deal that can max out at $34 million over five years, with an ability to opt out after three years. Odom can play both forward positions but likely would be used primarily at small forward if he signs with the Heat.
The Lakers said last week that they were pulling their bid for Odom because his agent had not responded to the offer, but left open the possibility talks could be revived. A Los Angeles TV station reported that Odom called Lakers owner Jerry Buss to try to smooth over the situation.
The Lakers have offered Odom $30 million over three years or $36 million over four years, according to The Los Angeles Times.
Moon, 29, earned $712,000 last season, and the Heat had extended him a $1 million qualifying offer, but only $250,000 is guaranteed. That now becomes moot, with Moon signing an offer sheet.
Moon averaged 7.1 points and 4.5 rebounds and started 21 of 26 games for Miami after being acquired Feb. 13 from Toronto in the Jermaine O'Neal/Shawn Marion trade. Moon led the NBA in steals-to-turnover ratio last season but missed the Heat's final four playoff games after sustaining a sports hernia.
If the Heat matches the offer sheet, it would not be permitted to trade Moon until Dec. 15.
If the Heat does not match the offer, it would have three small forwards on its roster -- James Jones, Yakhouba Diawara and Dorell Wright. The Heat also intends to use power forward Michael Beasley some at small forward.
Meanwhile, the Heat has explored the possibility of trading for Utah power forward Carlos Boozer, but Odom is the priority for now.

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DeRozan, Gibson shine in NBA Summer League

With all the turmoil surrounding the USC men's basketball program, particularly in the case of one aforementioned head coach (Tim Floyd), there are a few bright spots that provide a silver lining for the Trojans’ faithful.

While it came as no surprise to see DeMar DeRozan, Daniel Hackett, and Taj Gibson all cash in their NCAA chips at a shot at professional gold, it was sad to see the core of the squad that led USC to stunning NCAA Tournament berth a year ago disperse and go their separate ways. Even as the Trojans basketball program lays in smoldering ruin, it is nice to see that DeRozan and Gibson look to represent the Men of Troy at the next level of professional basketball, the NBA.

The athletic stylings of DeMar DeRozan intrigued the Toronto Raptors with the 9^th pick in this past NBA draft. In heading to Toronto, DeRozan joins a squad that already includes star power-forward Chris Bosh, center Andrea Bargnani, play making point-man Jose Calderon, and the newly signed Hedo Turkoglu who is fresh off a trip to the NBA Finals.

Jim Mone/AP

Not only did the Raptors make the selection of DeMar because of his many abilities on the basketball court, the acquisition of DeRozan fills a need at the wing for Toronto after they allowed Anthony Parker to exit via free-agency and traded Jason Kapono for spare parts (no offense Reggie Evans). Simply put, DeRozan gives the Raptors something that they have been lacking since the days of Tracy McGrady and Vince Carter, an athletic wing who can penetrate and create.

At the end of the 2008-09 college basketball season, there was no hotter Pac-10 player than DeMar DeRozan, who seemed to elevate his game just when the Trojans needed it most. DeRozan is a far cry from fellow hyped prospect O.J. Mayo in that he's not a flashy scorer, but rather a do-it-all slasher who has a knack for making the right play at the right time.

Fast forward to this summer and DeRozan has picked up where he left off at the end of the last season. While summer league competition should never be mistaken for that of the NBA, there is an added element of competitiveness and skill on hand, and DeMar has once again risen to the occasion.

Most recently DeRozan's skills were on hand in a match up against Southern California native Brandon Jennings and the Milwaukee Bucks. In the game, DeRozan showed again why the Raptors selected him with the ninth pick putting up a solid stat-line of 20 points on 8 of 16 shooting, while snagging 6 rebounds and dishing out 3 assists. While DeRozan's all-around game has not gone unnoticed, it has clearly been overshadowed by his athleticism on the court, particularly “highlighted by a backboard-shaking and-one DeRozan dunk over Milwaukee's [Joe] Alexander.”

For the summer league, DeRozan holds averages of 17ppg, 4.8rpg, and 1.2apg respectively.

Danny Moloshok/AP

In the lower half of the NBA Draft, the Chicago Bulls took a flier on rugged forward-center Taj Gibson and selected him with the 26^th pick in the first round. In Gibson, the Bulls snagged a hard-nosed defender who impacts the game with his defensive prowess as well as his potent play on the low block.

Trojans fans will never forget the impact that Taj Gibson had during his time at USC, especially memories of that impressive performance against Boston College in this past NCAA Tournament. Gibson put himself on the map with a performance of the ages, racking up an astonishing 24 points on 10 of 10 shooting while also contributing 3 blocks and half a dozen rebounds en-route to the USC upset.

Joining up with the Bulls summer league squad in Las Vegas, Gibson has done quite well for himself out on the hardwood, putting up impressive numbers on both ends of the court. Gibson will never be considered a flashy post player, but his rebounding skills give him enough put-back shots to make an impact on the offensive end. In the two summer league games that he has appeared in, Gibson has averaged 13ppg as well as 10rpg (4^th among all summer league participants).

It will be interesting to see if Gibson's summer league performance will help him carve out some playing time with the Bulls next season. Chicago's front-court is a bit crowded at the moment with Tyrus Thomas, Joakim Noah, and Brad Miller all commanding significant time up front. That being said, a basketball team can never have too much defense and rebounding, two things that Gibson does very well.

Stay tuned for more NBA Summer League updates regarding your USC Trojans.

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Last Day of the NBA Summer League Raises Question Marks for Former Zags

Today is the last day of the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas and for many former college stars, it is probably their last time playing basketball in the United States.  For those who were drafted, they obviously have a good shot to make their respective team but a good amount of the players in Las Vegas are vying to fill a very limited amount of spots on NBA rosters.  Their journey from that point will probably be long and arduous and could possibly land them in the D-League.  Four former Zags from the 2008-09 season took part in the summer league this year.  One proved his vast amount of doubters wrong with his consistently excellent play, two were up and down but made some good impressions, and one has barely gotten off the bench long enough to do anything.  

continue reading this post after the poll...

For Austin Daye, the summer league experience couldn't have gone any better.  Not only was Daye one of the best performers at the summer league, but he had his moment where he could tell all of his doubters to shut up.  Daye played 34 minutes a game, shot a solid 47% from the field, and averaged about nine rebounds and 17 points again.  Everyone that was in attendance in Las Vegas came away very impressed with Daye, commenting that he could not only withstand contact but often times he initiated it and it never really bothered him.  His one major struggle was in the turnover department where he struggled from time to time but that it is too be expected and was probably a result of nerves combined with the different style of game.  The most exciting part for Daye is that he is on a team that should be a power in the future.  Along with him, DaJuan Summers and Jonas Jerebko are both rookies that impressed in the summer league.  It's safe to say that Daye will have more of an immediate impact in the NBA than most people initially thought.

The fun part about the Detroit Pistons summer league team was that Austin Daye was joined by Jeremy Pargo.  Pargo played for the Orlando Magic in the Orlando summer league a few weeks ago but joined the Pistons in Vegas.  Jeremy did a lot to improve his position in Las Vegas.  The former Gonzaga court general averaged 10 points a game in only 18 minutes per game.  He shot 50% from the field and really impressed the Pistons fans and it isn't completely crazy to think that Jeremy could find a spot on their roster.  The Pistons were auditioning guards for a third-string spot on the roster and many think it became a battle between Jeremy and former Virginia Cavalier Sean Singletary.  They both had very similar stat lines for Detroit and I feel like Jeremy has more NBA ready size.  You have to wonder if Detroit passes on Jeremy because they have a player kind of similar to him in Will Bynum.  

Micah Downs also made some waves in the summer league and did a lot of things right the past few days to give himself a fighting chance.  What we grew to love about Micah Downs at Gonzaga was his versatility and his strong desire to do whatever it takes to get a win.  Here is something from the wonderful Twitterworld that I found about Micah from an ESPN.com "Tweeter".

Thabeet just got beat by Downs on a rebound under PHX hoop. Micah freaking Downs...Micah Downs is on my all Make Good team for Summer League. PHX has a lot of multi-taskers out there.
    

Micah had a game to remember a few days ago against the D-League Select team where he shot 8-11 and finished with 19 points.  Micah still has one more game this evening before his summer league is over but thus far he has filled up the stat sheet.  He's averaged a little over seven points a game, about three rebounds, and has had a few steals.  He hasn't made a whole lot of mistakes either, with only four turnovers in four games.  Downs, like Pargo, has the chance to make a roster with his performance but we will have to wait and see. The Suns have some options for him with their roster and if they pass, he could catch one elsewhere.  Micah has his last game tonight against the Clippers at 7:30 PST.  

The most perplexing summer league belonged to Josh Heytvelt.  Josh was a guy that was labeled as a draft day snub but signed on with the Washington Wizards summer league team.  Josh seemingly had the inside track to being signed to a roster when this was all said and done.  He possesses great NBA size and versatility but his summer league tenure has been odd to say the least.  Josh has only played seven minutes a game, attempted nine shots, and made three of them.  His average stat line in four games has been 1.5 PPG and 2.0 RPG.  He hasn't made a lot of mistakes defensively and actually was impressive against Blake Griffin when they matched up with the Clippers.  I posted a FanPost over on the Wizards SB Nation site Bullets Forever asking about Josh and they seemed pretty iffy about him at this point as well.  The Washington roster is kind of loaded with young, mediocre post men in Andray Blatche and JaVale McGee so it is hard to tell if Josh will stick.  I really can't imagine him not finding a place on someones roster but in a league with a lot of good young players, it is pretty easy for players to get lost.  Hopefully Josh gets more minutes in the Wizards final summer league game today against the New York Knicks at 1 PM PST.

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NBA Day 10: Somebody give Marcus Williams a job

A former standout at UConn and first round pick of the New Jersey Nets, Marcus Williams apparently has no desire to play another year of pro ball away from the mainland.

After stints with both the Nets and the Warriors, Williams -- who trains with Joe Abunassar at the Impact Academy in Vegas over the summer months -- played in Puerto Rico last season.

The Grizzlies will have to take another look or two at him after he helped lift their summer league squad to a perfect 5-0 mark. He sealed the deal with a guarded, driving layup with :0.04 left at Cox Pavilion to boost Memphis to a 76-75 victory over San Antonio.

Williams had 11 points and 5 assists in the victory, and his entire body of work over five games was certainly impressive.

It was highlighted by a 17-assist performance against Oklahoma City last Sunday. For the week, he averaged 13.4 points and 8.2 assists per game. He had 41 assists in total compared to just 11 turnovers, with 6 of those giveaways coming in his final game alone.

So Memphis and Houston will be the only two teams to finish this year's summer league undefeated. So, brief tangent ...

Don't you wish they had something like a four-team playoff for the four best teams at the end of this thing? After sitting here for 10 days, I can tell you I'd love to see one involving Memphis, Houston, Milwaukee and Golden State. It'd make this whole summer league worth a little more, I think.

As for the summer league finale between the Clippers and Suns, which pit brothers Blake Griffin (LA) and Taylor Griffin (Phoenix) against one another, well, it was kind of a dud.

Blake was awarded summer league MVP honors before the game began, and his 16-point, 8-rebound, 4-assist showing gave him averages of 19.2 ppg, 10.8 rpg and 3.2 apg over the course of his five games in Vegas.

However, Griffin was not the Sun's choice for summer league MVP. Want to know who it is? Tune back into lasvegassun.com tomorrow to find out, plus see who made our all-summer league first and second teams and others deserving mention while looking back on 10 very exciting days.

Adams gets another 'DNP' in Knicks summer league finale

3:36 p.m.

Wink Adams -- the sixth all-time leading scorer in UNLV history -- earned his fourth 'DNP' in five summer league games with the Knicks, as New York finished up its venture to Vegas with an 89-84 loss to the Washington Wizards. The Knicks finished the summer league a perfect 0-5.

Adams played in just one game, registering 2 rebounds and missing his only shot attempt in a 23-point loss to Detroit on Wednesday. What does this mean for Wink? Most likely he'll have to try to land a contract overseas, which shouldn't be a problem.

For more on Adams, who still remains as positive as ever, read the feature Rob Miech wrote about him last night.

Summer league scoring title will belong to Warriors’ Randolph

1:52 p.m.

Washington's Nick Young is in street clothes today for the Wizards, meaning the only guy with a shot at catching Golden State's Anthony Randolph for this year's summer league scoring title will essentially forfeit that.

Randolph appears likely to finish as the MVP of the summer league, as he averaged 26.8 points, 8.5, 3 blocks and 2.2 steals per game in four appearances for the Warriors.

His best game -- a 42-point output which tied the old summer league single-game scoring record -- last Tuesday was outdone two days later while he sat out the Warriors' finale against New Orleans, as teammate Anthony Morrow scored 47 on 18-of-26 shooting.

The reason I mention that is that while Young is out, second-year Wiz center JaVale McGee -- a former UNR standout -- has 24 points at the break in the day's first game as Washington leads New Yorik, 51-47.

UNLV grad Wink Adams has yet to enter the game today for the Knicks, and it doesn't appear likely that that will change.

Major final day storylines aplenty

9:44 a.m.

We're still a few hours from the official start of the NBA summer league's final day, but when you're excited, you're excited.

I'm excited right now, so lets jump into some of the storylines to keep tabs on for the 2009 showcase's final day.

The quest for (meaningless?) perfection

Some teams at the summer league don't appear to play as a team at all. Some appear to truly, genuinely want to win.

The ones who fit the latter typically do win. Two examples this year have been Houston, who went 5-0, and Milwaukee, who was within 1 point against Toronto of going 5-0.

A third team striving for perfection in games that some outsiders consider meaningless is Memphis. But don't tell that to the Grizzlies, who have played at a faster pace and with more intensity than just about any other squad in Vegas over the last 10 days.

Yesterday, they thumped Phoenix, 97-60, and all that stands in their way now is 3-1 San Antonio, who suffered its first setback last night against Portland. That game tips at 5 p.m. at Cox Pavilion.

What's been the key to success for Memphis? Stellar point guard play and a wealth of size.

Veteran free agent point guard Marcus Williams -- who lives and trains in Las Vegas during the summer months -- looks to be right at home. He's averaging 14 points, 9 assists and 4.8 rebounds for the Grizz.

7-foot-3 rookie center Hasheem Thabeet hasn't been awe-inspiring in his first week of pro ball, but forwards Darrell Arthur, DeMarre Carroll and Sam Young have picked up the slack.

MVP Watch

Usually, the summer league MVP honors to go the top scorer. Right now, that is Anthony Randolph, who in four games for Golden State averaged 26.8 points to go with 8.5 rebounds, 3 blocks and 2.2 steals.

His week was highlighted by a record-tying 42-point effort on Tuesday, only to be bested by teammate Anthony Morrow two days later, when he scored a summer league record 47 against New Orleans.

Randolph right now is probably the choice for MVP, but Washington's Nick Young -- even if he can't catch Randolph for MVP honors -- can grab the scoring title with one game to go.

Through four games, he's averaging 23.8 points per. By my calculations, he'd need to score 39 points today in his 1 p.m. finale at Cox Pavilion against New York to grab the top spot.

Don't be quick to bet against the third-year guard out of Southern Cal, who scored 36 points in the Wizards' opener against Cleveland on Tuesday.

Brother, brother

The summer league finishes with a dash of intrigue, as the Clippers and Suns square off at Thomas & Mack.

That contest pits brothers Blake and Taylor Griffin against one another, in a matchup the two said they've been talking about for quite awhile. Blake, two years younger than his brother and former Oklahoma teammate, said on Monday that he honestly couldn't remember the last time the two played against each other in a real game.

The two have had very different summer league experiences so far.

Blake is the known quantity. He came in that way, he's leaving that way.

The No. 1 overall pick in last month's draft is averaging 20 points and 11.5 rebounds per game, as fans have shown up in force to watch him play every time. Tonight should be no different. Last night, Clippers point guard Baron 'Boom Dizzle' Davis was seated courtside next to Clips coach Mike Dunleavy.

For Taylor, who the Suns took in the second round, he's having a tough time transitioning from playing the power forward slot at OU to being an NBA small forward.

He's hesitated to pull the trigger on outside shots, but he's looked pretty smooth in every other area, including handling the ball, rebounding and running the fast break. He's averaging 6.8 points and 2.3 rebounds per game so far for Phoenix.

The Griffin showdown tips off at 7:30 p.m.

And as has been the case all week, stay tuned to the blog for updates as they develop throughout the day.

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5 Things We Learned In The NBA This Week

It's Sunday which means it's time to take a look at what the wonderful world of the NBA taught us this week.

Lakers Can't Afford to Lose Odom

Losing Trevor Ariza was one thing.  The prospect of losing Lamar Odom is a different thing altogether for the Los Angeles Lakers.

Spending the last few days in Las Vegas and talking to player personnel people from around the league, there's one notion that has become virtually universal: When Odom is playing well the Los Angeles Lakers are essentially unbeatable.

Does that mean the Lakers can't win a title next season without him?  Of course not.  However, things will be much tougher should he depart.

At this point it's hard not to be curious and deconstruct what exactly is going on between Odom's camp and the Lakers.  Thing is, it doesn't matter.

The Lakers have to do whatever it takes to get Odom back in Los Angeles, and that's the bottom-line.  Now is not the time to worry about blaming agents or to start playing games.  The Lakers have to reach out and do whatever it takes to bring Odom back.

One Western Conference GM speaking on the condition of anonymity this week told me: "I hope Portland or Miami gets Odom.  Anything to get him out of LA."

Other NBA people around Las Vegas this week expressed similar sentiments.

That should be all the Lakers need to hear.

Yes, Odom is inconsistent.  And yes, if the Lakers give him what he wants they may be overpaying for his services.

However, the risks involved with not retaining Odom are simply too high.

The Lakers need to act... now.

Patience Required with Thabeet

Memphis Grizzlies rookie center Hasheem Thabeet has been a punch-line on media row this week in Las Vegas.  In short, he hasn't looked like a player worthy of being a high second round pick let alone the #2 overall pick in the draft.

In Saturday's game Thabeet actually missed four dunks.  To say he looks raw on the offensive end would be an understatement.

"Sometimes I'm rushing the shots," said Thabeet.  "I ended up missing a couple of dunks (Saturday).  To me this is a process of growing up as a player and as a person.  I want to be a better player, and I'm going to keep working hard."

When asked what has been the biggest adjustment for him thus far, Thabeet replied: "The game pace.  The guys are so big and fast and as strong as you.  When you go out there you've got to be ready."

Spending some time with Thabeet this week I really like the kid on a personal level and believe he means well.  However, fans in Memphis are going to have to be patient because he's not NBA ready yet.

"I've only played basketball now for a short time, just a couple of years," Thabeet explained.  "To me, I'm progressing pretty well.  I definitely know I am going to work harder than the other guys because they've been playing basketball their whole life and I've been playing basketball only for a short time.  In order to win the battle I'm going to have to work harder than them."

Thabeet has been heckled by fans and ripped by some in the media this week largely because he hasn't lived up to the billing as a #2 overall pick.  When asked if that has him feeling additional pressure, Thabeet responded: "I wouldn't say that it puts that much (pressure on me).  When you go out there you're not a number.  In the draft they are looking at a lot of stuff.  They are not looking at the first year to take your team to the playoffs.  They are looking forward for the future, what you're going to be doing the next couple of years.  I want people to say I really came a long way because if you look at seven years ago I never thought I would be in Vegas one day playing summer league."

Like it or not, Thabeet is a project.  There's certainly no way I'm ready to proclaim he's a bust, though, and anyone willing to do so this early in the game is not someone I would take seriously.

All that said, fans in Memphis need to be realistic with this kid next season.  Reasonable expectations will lead to far less disappointment and more patience with the process.

MORE BY TRAVIS HEATH

5 Things We Learned In The NBA This Week: What's the big deal about "The Dunk," LeBron?... Andre Miller a good fit...

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State of the New Orleans Hornets: HOOPSWORLD takes a look at the state of the cash-strapped New Orleans...

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State of the Denver Nuggets: HOOPSWORLD examines what the Denver Nuggets have done so far this summer...

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View Travis Heath Archive 

Dahntay Jones' Heart Still In Denver

Former Denver Nuggets guard Dahntay Jones was sitting directly behind the Nuggets' bench just prior to Friday's summer league action talking to the young son of one of Denver's assistant coaches.  Despite the fact he had just signed a four-year, $11 million deal with the Indiana Pacers, it was easy to tell that Jones was still trying to come to terms with the reality that he was no longer going to be a Denver Nugget.

"It's definitely tough," Jones confided.  "I'll be honest with you, my heart probably got in it a little bit too much.  I really didn't want to leave my guys in Denver.  I love those guys.  They are like brothers to me, and we had a great time together.  But this was a decision I had to make for me and my family and for the rest of my career.  It never really clicked with me until I actually signed my contract that I was leaving Denver.  I hadn't really prepared for it and it was really rough for me."

Jones spoke with Nuggets' players and coaches throughout the night on Friday and almost looked like he was still a member of the team.  And truth be told, had things gone the way he wanted he would still be in Denver.  While he still loves his teammates, Jones is currently wrestling with some conflicted feelings he has towards the front office.

"I think Denver did want to keep me and were just unwilling to match the number," Jones explained.  "I don't know how to gauge that situation.  They knew I wanted to come back, but they didn't want to make that kind of commitment.  That's really what it was."

While the Nuggets were focused on retaining Chris Andersen, the front office of the Indiana Pacers was busy making an offer Jones simply couldn't refuse.

"Indiana is a young team on the rise," said Jones.  "It was an opportunity for me to play the same role I did in Denver and expand upon it.  Larry Bird and David Morway were very excited about the opportunity to get me and told me they really believed I could help their team."

Making $11 million over four years may not seem like much money by NBA standards, but for a guy who was in Las Vegas last year fighting for the chance just to be on a NBA roster again it's quite an ascent in one year's time.

"I had to create some kind of niches for myself and some kind of identity," Jones explained.  "That was something I was struggling with.  In Denver I found that.  I'm happy with the role I have to play in Indiana, and it's a role I'll play throughout the rest of my career.  I had to work for my opportunity, and I wasn't given anything.  Because of my personal struggle to get to where I am I really think I appreciate it more."

Expect to see Jones frustrating his fair share of offensive players over the next four years in Indiana, and don't be surprised if he very quickly becomes a fan favorite.

Is Vinny Del Negro The Long-Term Answer For Chicago?

It has been said that being a rookie in the NBA isn't easy.  The same can be said about rookie head coaches.  Such was the case last season with Vinny Del Negro in Chicago.

"There's just so many decisions that have to be made everyday from practices to player decisions," Del Negro explained.  "It was a very big learning experience for me.  I'm just trying to get better at my craft all the time.  I still have room to improve as a coach.

"I was so lucky to have played so long and learned from so many coaches, but I think it's important to have your own philosophy and do your own things that you want to do as a coach.  I do also try to pick the brain of other successful coaches while trying to continue to develop my own philosophy."

After a very difficult start, the Bulls made a nice run late in the season.  It appeared that Del Negro was becoming a better coach on the fly.  However, next season will present some unique challenges for the second year general, not the least of which will include adjusting to life without Ben Gordon after he departed the Windy City in favor of Detroit earlier this summer.

"It's tough to lose a guy like Ben who can put the ball in the basket," Del Negro admitted.  "He bailed us out a lot at the end of games.  Other guys are going to have to step up and make plays.  We're going to have to be more efficient in other areas to make up for that loss.  Derrick Rose has to continue to develop along with Joakim (Noah) and Tyrus (Thomas), our young core.  We just have to try and build on the momentum we got last year.

"Every year is a different challenge.  We still have a young team and got two new draft picks in James Johnson and Taj Gibson.  We are trying to build on the momentum at the end of last year, but understand that we have still a lot of growing to do as a team.  Adding John Salmons and Brad Miller, some veteran guys to go with Kirk Hinrich, really stabilized us a little bit, but there's still a lot of work to be done."

Fans in Chicago have been waiting for Thomas to realize his potential after showing flashes of brilliance.  Del Negro is hopeful he can deliver in a big way next season.

"He's had a very productive summer so far," said Del Negro.  "He's trying get a little bit stronger.  He's already so athletic and does a lot of things on the court.  He grew some as a player last year but now has to continue to grow and be more consistent.  He's still got a big upside and has been working really hard, so I expect him to have a good year."

Del Negro is going to need Thomas and others to have a good year in order for him to convince Bulls' management that he is the long-term answer as head coach.  Even though Del Negro is under contract through the 2010-11 season, NBA front offices have shown an increasing tendency to pull the plug on young coaches very quickly.

That's not good news for Del Negro unless he can help the Bulls pick up where they left off at the end of last season. 

The Troubling Tale of Skita

Nikoloz Tskitishvili was the 5th overall selection in the 2002 NBA Draft by the Denver Nuggets.  At the time, GM Kiki Vandeweghe was hoping to cash in on the European craze.  The end result was not what the Nuggets were hoping for and that's probably putting it lightly.

It's easy to jump on Skita and say he didn't live up to the hype.  However, it's worth asking how much blame should be put on the player in this kind of situation.  It's not as though Tskitishvili was the one creating his own hype.

It's tough to see a person like Skita fail because he's such a nice guy.  Unfortunately, being nice counts for nothing in the NBA.  Just talking to him, though, it becomes clear pretty quickly that he wished things would have worked out for him in Denver and feels as though he let some people in the organization down.

"It really hurts seeing other guys make it, especially when you are one of the top picks and you can't really make it," Tskitishvili admitted.  " Also, I understand myself that maybe I wasn't ready yet, I was too young, I came too early.  I wasn't getting down on myself.  I had a long time to reach my goal.  Now I'm 26-years-old and I'm pretty sure I'm ready."

The good news for Tskitishvili is that other NBA teams are still giving him a look this summer.  Prior to Vegas Summer League his old coach with Benetton Treviso, Mike  D'Antoni, came calling.

"Two years ago I played in summer league games with the Nuggets," Tskitishvili explained.  " After that I played in Italy and Spain.  I played some decent minutes, had decent numbers, and feel really good about my game.  I'm playing on New York's summer league team and trying the best I can to make it back to the league again.

"(D'Antoni) contacted my agent and asked about me.  I was in San Francisco just working out with Bob Hill who used to coach Seattle.  My agent told me about it and I got really excited to be with an NBA team especially with Mike, one of my favorite coaches in basketball history."

Honestly, Skita has looked pretty good this week playing for the Knicks summer league team.  That said, this is a venue where he has always looked pretty good, so it's hard to know if anything productive will come of it once the NBA's regular season commences.  Moreover, it seems as though the European game may be a better fit for Tskitishvili's skill-set.

"I played better in the European game because I'm a shooter," he acknowledged.  " They play more tactically, and here it's a more physical game.  Before I was really weak playing here.  My physical ability wasn't there.  Now I've gotten stronger, grown up, and matured.  I feel pretty confident in myself, and I think I'm ready."

I hope Tsktishvili is right because I really like the guy.  However, the rational part of my brain tells me Skita will likely never play a meaningful role on a NBA team.

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Pendergraph, 'a unique personality,' is tough to peg

LAS VEGAS -- A playful debate is quietly lingering around the Trail Blazers' organization this week during the NBA Summer League: How to characterize second-round draft pick Jeff Pendergraph?

Goofy?

Eccentric?

Outgoing?

Quirky?

Maybe a little bit of each?

"Let's put it this way: He's a unique personality -- a very unique personality," said Chad Buchanan, the Blazers' director of college scouting. "But in a good way. He's confident and comfortable with himself and he doesn't care what people think about him."

When Pendergraph stopped in Portland for a predraft workout last month, before the Blazers drafted him with the 31st overall pick, he sauntered around the team's practice court flexing his biceps like a body builder as he posed for pictures. Since he's become a professional, Pendergraph has bragged that he no longer needs to create himself in the video game NBA Live and that he intends to buy a new car after he signs a contract -- a used Mercedes.

All this from the person who owns three snakes and two dogs, and recycled through eight cars (or "junkers" that "kept breaking down") during his four years at Arizona State.

The Blazers boasted that they had acquired a gritty, take-no-prisoners tough guy when they drafted him out of ASU. Turns out they also added a fresh personality to the locker room who isn't afraid to admit he's a bit different.

"Just a tad," he said, grinning. "I'm not your stereotypical anything. But I try not to be like that. I don't want to fit into any category. The category I want to fit in is my category. So I like it."

Indeed, Pendergraph seems to relish not taking himself very seriously. In many ways, he said he's a "big kid" who plays video games, enjoys having fun and prefers wearing a smile on his face. It all discourages stress, which makes it "easier to get along in life."

Of course, this all changes when the 6-foot-10 power forward steps on a basketball court.

"As you've seen (in summer league), he's gonna fight you, he's gonna battle you," Buchanan said. "He's not going to back down from anybody. He's kind of got that mind-set. He's a really nice, educated guy, and then you put him out there in a competitive environment and he turns into an animal. He's just got two sides to him."

Pendergraph made himself into a warrior at Arizona State.

He arrived on campus weighing 190 pounds and unable to bench press 150 pounds. He left weighing a ripped 245. He was never counted on to carry the offense and Sun Devils' coaches never constructed game plans around him. But he started a school-record 120 games, played in a school-record 126 and he finished as the sixth-leading scorer (1,588 points) and second-leading rebounder (942) in ASU history.

The Blazers are not counting on him to score or be a rotation player, and they admit he needs to work on his strengths: rebounding and defense. Through four summer league games, he's averaging 11.0 points and 8.3 rebounds..

The Sun Devils ran a zone defense, so he's still learning to rebound in a man-to-man scheme and attack the basket rather than patrol his "zone." His midrange jumper is a work in progress. But Pendergraph is physical around the basket and refuses to be outworked or manhandled.

Proof of that came in the Blazers' second summer league game, when Pendergraph hounded, harassed and generally lodged himself underneath the skin of Rockets big man Joey Dorsey -- to the point that Dorsey drew a technical foul after he flailed an elbow at Pendergraph after being fouled on a rebound.

The Blazers think they have a prospect with intelligence -- he earned an economics degree at ASU in 3 1/2 years -- and drive who could develop into an enforcer.

"He's just going to do all the little stuff and he's going to enjoy doing it," Buchanan said. "He accepts and likes that. He's starting to figure out that his role is to get under guys' skin a little bit. He didn't back down from Dorsey a bit. I told (general manager) Kevin (Pritchard) and (coach) Nate (McMillan) that he's either not smart enough to realize who he's messing with or he's really a tough kid. Some guys kind of put up a front and try to act tough, whereas I think Jeff is legitimately tough."

This mind-set, in part, comes from Pendergraph's time at ASU, where he persevered through career-threatening adversity.

Just before he arrived at ASU, a routine physical examination revealed Pendergraph had a growth on his right knee. A closer inspection showed a tumor. ASU did not clear him to play and his basketball future was in jeopardy.

Pendergraph had surgery on his knee and went into the operating room thinking doctors were going to perform an arthroscopic procedure. Instead, he had a more serious surgery to remove the tumor. It turned out benign and he went on to start 22 games as a freshman.

Two years later, after his sophomore season, Pendergraph encountered another obstacle when ASU coach Rob Evans, the man who recruited Pendergraph, was fired. Pendergraph contemplated a transfer. But he remained loyal to ASU and helped the team reach the NCAA Tournament for the first time in six seasons this year.

"It was a character-tester early in my career," Pendergraph said of his college challenges. "Some guys don't go through that until they're older, if ever. But, I mean, dealing with it early kind of put me to the fire quickly, and I had to grow up and learn things a lot faster."

So back to the debate: What kind of character is this Pendergraph guy?

"Energetic," said Darren Collison, a rookie with the New Orleans Hornets who played with Pendergraph in high school and as a youth. "That's how he's always been. He's real down to earth. He doesn't really care too much about himself. He cares about others. That's Jeff Pendergraph. He's always going to be like that, always going to be funny."

Notes:The Blazers ended their summer league malaise with a convincing 91-74 victory Saturday over the San Antonio Spurs. It was their first win in four games. ...

The three focal points of summer league -- second-year point guard Jerryd Bayless and rookie forwards Dante Cunningham and Pendergraph -- had standout games. Bayless finished with 18 points and five assists and drained 5 of 9 field goals. Pendergraph registered his first double double (14 points, 10 rebounds) and Cunningham added 14 points on 7 of 12 shooting. ...

Pooh Jeter, in his continuing effort to earn a roster spot with the Blazers, also excelled while making his first start. A natural point guard, Jeter played shooting guard alongside Bayless and finished with a team-high 19 points and four assists. The University of Portland graduate is averaging 14.8 points and 3.8 assists and has made 22 of 40 shots through four games. ...

Former University of Oregon standout Malik Hairston had nine points, two rebounds and one assist for the Spurs. 

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They’re having a nice summer

Five years ago, ex-NBA point guard Avery Johnson was told that Denver’s Nikoloz Tskitishvili was scoring big in the Las Vegas Summer League. Without hesitation, Johnson responded, “Well, that’s summer league."

Johnson’s words eventually spoke volumes, as Tskitishvili became one of the NBA’s biggest busts.

While it’s just summer league, it’s hard not to pay attention to what two of the Warriors’ promising forwards did in Vegas last week. Anthony Morrow scored 47 points (a Vegas Summer League record) in one game, after teammate Anthony Randolph had scored 42 in another.

“One thing about me and [Randolph] is we have it in perspective,’’ Morrow said. “It’s great competition. But we know that the NBA is another level. We are not hyped about this. We are going to just keep working and bring that play into camp.’’

At just 205 pounds at the time, the 6-foot-10-inch Randolph was skilled and athletic but too weak to compete at a high level as a rookie last season out of LSU. At just 19 years old, he averaged 7.9 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks in 17.9 minutes per game. He has gained close to 10 pounds of muscle, and an inch in height.

Randolph set a record by averaging 26.8 points in four Vegas Summer League games, surpassing Tskitishvili’s 25.7 in 2004.

“I told my teammates and coaches before the game that I felt really good,’’ Randolph said. “I never thought I’d score 42 points. But I’m glad it happened in a game we won. Winning is all that matters, even in summer league.’’

The fact that Morrow is making headlines is remarkable considering how he came into the NBA. The 6-5, 210-pounder wasn’t even mentioned in the 2008 NBA Draft Guide, and went undrafted out of Georgia Tech that year. The Warriors, however, were intrigued and signed him July 25, 2008.

In his first start, he scored 37 points and grabbed 11 rebounds against the Clippers. The Charlotte, N.C., native went on to quietly lead the NBA in 3-point percentage (.467), becoming the first rookie and Warrior to do so. Morrow finished last season averaging 10.1 points and 3 rebounds in 22.6 minutes, starting 17 of 67 games.

Last week, Morrow scored 47 points in a 104-84 win over New Orleans.

“When I was at 32 points, [Randolph] was like, ‘Get the record,’ ’’ said Morrow. “I wanted to get the win, first and foremost.’’

Forgotten in the Morrow and Randolph hoopla in Las Vegas was the play of Warriors heralded rookie guard Stephen Curry. The former Davidson star averaged 17.4 points, but shot just 32.5 percent from the field in five games.

Remember the exciting, young Clippers squad eight years ago that included Elton Brand, Lamar Odom, Corey Maggette, Quentin Richardson, Darius Miles, Michael Olowokandi, and Keyon Dooling, and won 39 games? Expect the Warriors to be like that next season. Their rotation is likely to include veterans Maggette, Stephen Jackson, and Ronny Turiaf, and a long list of players 25 and under in Morrow, Randolph, Curry, Andris Biedrins, Monta Ellis, guard Kelenna Azubuike, and forward Brandan Wright. Golden State is also trying to land another veteran (Amare Stoudemire?).

The run-and-gun Warriors averaged 108.6 points per game last season (second in the NBA). Celtics guard Rajon Rondo said Oracle Arena, the Warriors’ home, is the most intimidating place to play in the NBA because of the wild fans. The Warriors averaged close to 19,000 fans last season despite winning just 29 games.

With the likes of Morrow, Randolph, and Curry, Golden State will be one of the most fun teams to watch next season. But summer league is not the regular season. That said, the future of a franchise that has been to the playoffs only once since 1995 looks promising.

“Hopefully, I’ll continue to improve and it translates into the regular season,’’ Randolph said. “I’m going to stay hungry.’’

Said Morrow, “We’re still learning about getting through the NBA. But [summer league] was a huge boost for our confidence.’’

Herren on a hot streak

In less than two months since a Globe story chronicled his great rise and hard fall in basketball and life, ex-Celtics guard Chris Herren has gone from being unemployed to a very busy basketball instructor.

Since the story ran May 31, Herren has heard from such former teammates as Antonio McDyess, Rafer Alston, Nick Van Exel, and George McCloud, has been approached about a book project based on his life, and has been asked to do speaking engagements. The Fall River native also now has a basketball school called “Hoop Dreams with Chris Herren,’’ which is attended regularly by 30 kids.

“I was repossessing vehicles and I stopped two weeks before the article ran due to a possibly suspended license,’’ Herren said. “I was waiting to see what would happen. Waiting for the court date. For me, if you do the right thing, things happen. I believe in that. I believe in karma. It’s amazing.

“My wife and I look at each other and say, ‘How did this happen?’ I gave up a repossessing job, to nothing, to having a full-time job teaching basketball with kids.’’

Herren had mentioned in the article that he was interested in working with kids. Soon after, one kid arrived, and word of mouth has led to a larger turnout.

The instruction takes place Monday through Saturday at St. Philomena School in Portsmouth, R.I., and the Bank Street Armory in Fall River. For more information, call 401-243-8575 or visit ahoopdream.com.

“It’s definitely a full-time job,’’ said Herren. “The coolest thing about it is the driving situation. St. Philomena is five minutes away from home, which means my kids are only five minutes away. My kids are always there and my [eldest] son, Chris, is there shooting.’’

Etc.

Baby watch

According to an NBA source, at least three teams have approached the Celtics about a sign-and-trade deal for restricted free agent forward Glen Davis, but the Green have yet to show interest in such a move. With that in mind, a team would likely need to use most of its midlevel exception in order to sign “Big Baby’’ to an offer sheet. And if so, Boston would have seven days to match.

One NBA general manager said Friday he expects Davis to be among the next group of free agents to be signed. Others mentioned included Lakers forward Lamar Odom, Spurs forward-center Drew Gooden, and possibly Denver forward Linas Kleiza.

Semih-endorsement

New Raptors forward Hedo Turkoglu believes fellow Turkish player Semih Erden will eventually make the Celtics’ roster.

The Celtics drafted Erden, who turns 23 July 28, with the 60th pick in 2008. The 6-foot-11-inch, 240-pounder played for Fenerbahce Ulker of the Turkish league last season and is expected to try to make the Celtics in 2010-11. Turkoglu said he speaks to his national team teammate regularly to offer encouragement.

“He’s long, he’s [nearly] 7-foot,’’ said Turkoglu, while playing for the Magic in the NBA Finals. “I hope he comes. He’s young. I wish I could see more Turkish players here representing themself, their family, and the country, too. I know he got drafted by Boston. Hopefully, he’ll make the decision when he thinks he’s ready and asserts himself.

“I think he has a chance to make this league. There are not a lot of big bodies in this league right now. He’s young and he’s lucky that he’s playing in [a high level in] Europe right now at that age. All he needs to do is come out and see if he is ready or not. That’s the only way you can find out because that’s what I did when I was 20. I said, ‘This is my time to see where I’m at and if I’m good enough.’ I’m good enough to be here.’’

Not done yet

Scot Pollard is still hoping to return to the NBA after missing the 2008-09 season, according to the Lawrence (Kan.) Journal World. The 34-year-old played in only 22 games during the Celtics’ 2007-08 championship season because of ankle injuries that required surgery. The newspaper also reported that Pollard is up to 290 pounds, 12 more than his last playing weight. Thanks to weight training, though, he is “in very good shape, not NBA shape, but I could be quickly.’’

“Physically, I feel great,’’ he said. “It’s great to wake up every day without knee, ankle problems, like past years. It’s the same story. The right offer would entice me. I will not go try out for a team.’’

Going camping

Ex-Boston College star Jared Dudley hasn’t forgotten New England despite playing in Phoenix now, and being from San Diego. For the second straight year, the Suns forward is hosting a boys’ basketball camp (Grades 4-10), tomorrow through Friday, at Mass Premier Courts in Foxborough . . . Keep an eye on former UMass standout Gary Forbes, who averaged 18.5 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 steals in his first two Las Vegas Summer League games with the NBA D-League select team.

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