[Izulde]

Summmer League

PG Paulinho Buboltz, SF Andre Egans, PF Joakim Noah and PF Leroy Wright are all assigned to our Summer League team.

We go 1-4 in summer league play, primarily because Buboltz commits 5 fouls a game and averages 20 minutes. On the other hand, Joakim Noah shows signs of making the next big step at the pro level and free agent to be SF Jeff Green impresses enough that we'll try and get him.

There's a ton of great, if aging free agents available, but I imagine most of them will stay with their teams.

Free Agency

The first signing is a huge blockbuster as Tracy McGrady signs a 5 year, $91.8 million dollar deal to jump ship to the Sacramento Kings.

We get our first free agent signing the next day, inking C Jason Collins to a one-year min sal deal.

Most of the big names re-up as expected, but the Rockets recover for losing McGrady in a major way, grabbing Mike Bibby for 4 years and $48.5 million on the same day that Ray Allen hops to the Heat and Marcus Camby inks with the Cavaliers. In a much quieter deal, we get C Peter John Ramos as we concentrate on building up our rebounding.

We're left holding the bag when Jeff Green goes back to the Timberwolves for 4 years and $20 million. But that's okay, because we grab headline news in signing the ancient C Shaquille O'Neal the next day to our mid-level exemption. He may be 37 years old and in the twilight of his career, but Shaq's still got game.

So we've now got a glut of big men and still need a backup SG/SF. Larry Hughes goes to the Raptors for 4 years and $30 mill, robbing me of a primary target and Bobby Simmons goes to the Mavericks for the mid-level exemption.

SF Justin Reed is our min-sal emergency signing on the same day that C Ben Wallace goes to Toronto for the mid-level. The Raptors are definitely going to have the biggest team in the league, that's for sure.

Ugh. Reed's too tall to play SG. Back into free agency to sign SG Raja Bell to a min-sal deal, putting us at 14 players and just over $20 million on the cap. I hope we survive this season.

...Damn it! We didn't get him. The Timberwolves stole him. I'm really beginning to hate Minnesota right now, even more than I did before.

Instead we sign SG Rod Little, a second year pro and defensive specialist, to a min-sal contract. The good news is, he keeps us under the $20 million over the mark cap. Then I find out the next day that George Karl plans to make Paulinho Buboltz the backup at both guard spots.

Ugh, oh well. At least with 14 players, it's looking like we'll keep Jared Jefferies off the court.

Acie Law signed with the Washington Wizards, by the way. 2 years, $6.3 million. He should get the chance there he never did in New York.

The most surprising deal of all is this, though: Steve Nash to San Antonio on a one year, $6.3 million deal. Oh how the mighty have fallen. Worse yet for Nash, he's not even starting. Tony Parker and Joe Johnson presently occupy the top backcourt spots.

I won't be sending anyone to the D-League this season, as I like not having Jared Jeffries playing and our rookies should get considerable playing time.

I'm smug when I receive the e-mail that we've sold out all our season tickets. See? We don't need Carmelo after all. I'll be happy to point that out to Crenshaw at the end of the year.

Unfortunately, the news media has us picked to finish 4th in our division this year, 11th in the conference and hence out of a playoff spot. The Portland Trailblazers are definitely the class of the West:

PG Brandon Brooks
SG Brandon Roy
SF Kevin Durant (21 points, 7 rebounds last year)
PF Zach Randolph
C LaMarcus Aldridge

and a nice, deep bench.

Toronto, despite loading up on big men, are the clear-cut favorites in the East after Bibby left the Bulls.

PG T.J. Ford
SG Larry Hughes
SF Andrea Bargnani
PF Chris Bosh
C Greg Oden

and Ben Wallace on the bench.

I still think we're good enough to make the playoffs, even though Allen Iverson is confirmed as being out most of the season: 5 and 1/2 months yet.

The Lakers are off to a rough start medically this year:

Kobe Bryant - Out 55 days
Lamar Odom - Out 112 days
Rasheed Wallace - Out 59 days

If they can ride the storm of the first couple months, they'll be one of the better teams in the West in my opinion.

But season start is upon us. It should be fun.