The Kings, seeking a defensive veteran for the small forward position, took on Desmond Mason in advance of training camp. That didn't turn out so well: Mason has been beyond awful on offense (surprising no one who has watched Mason play at any point over the past four years) and didn't make much of a difference for the league's 29th ranked defense.
Five games was enough for the Sacramento front office, as the team waived Mason a day after signing former Blazer and Spur Ime Udoka to a non-guaranteed minimum salary contract. Like Mason, Udoka is known for his defensive skill, having been signed as a sort of Bruce Bowen replacement two summers ago. That didn't really work out, and Udoka was left teamless for opening day after Portland waived the swingman at the end of the preseason.
Before we get started, it should be noted that NBA bloggers are kind of hard to please when it comes to teams spending money. On the one hand, we sneer in disgust when teams refuse to spend money, patting their fans on the head as we chastise ownership for being "cheap" and turning a profit without ever seriously pushing for a title.
On the other, we tend to flip out when someone spends irresponsibly. There is a salary cap and a luxury tax, after all, and handing off a bazillion dollars to that small guard who has difficulty with creating his own shot and thinks he can tell you what his nickname should be when it should clearly be Iggy can draw our ire as well. Not that I'm naming names.
So it's kind of a sticky situation to begin with. Of course, the Raptors have just poured maple syrup over their particular situation in regards to Andrea Bargnani.
Three prospects from basketball-crazed Israel -- Doron Shefer, Lior Eliyahu and Yotam Halperin -- have been drafted by NBA teams in the past. But all were second-round picks, and none of the three made the league. But Omri Casspi took a major step for Israeli basketball by making into the first round, where the Kings picked him at No. 23.
There had been fears Casspi would be selected by a team seeking to "stash" him in Europe for a year or two, keeping his salary off the books but preventing another team from grabbing the talented forward. That won't be the case with Sacramento. The Kings need a talent infusion now. After speaking with team officials, Casspi told media he would be in the NBA in 2009-10.
Casspi will be competing for minutes with Donté Greene, an electric forward acquired in last year's Ron Artest trade. Andres Nocioni seems to be the de facto starter at the position, but there have been suggestions he'll be traded this offseason. Francisco Garcia also spends some time at the three, and begins a five-year deal this season.
NBA Essentials provides the must-see links, quotes and videos of the day.
-- "In an event that took place Saturday night, a Bar Mitzvah that featured T.I. as a performer and Dwayne Wade as a guest, it's being reported that fisticuffs broke out. Not between the Hip-Hop artist or his crew, or Dwayne Wade and his associates, but between Cleveland Cavalier's owner Dan Gilbert and former Rock Financial honcho David Hall." -- MLive.com -- "(Sacramento) is the worst team and being here you find out why... There are many young guys that want to find their niche, but they are so far away... There's no chemistry or teamwork. I can't see how this team could be competitive in the near future in the West... The draft is going to save no one." -- Andres Nocioni in Olé, as translated by HoopsHype
(Warning: I'm a Kings fan, and I'm a little unstable right now.) The belle of this season's trade deadline ball has been, in the absence of Amare Stoudemire, Mr. John Salmons. Salmons is a fine little player, a 29-year-old jack-of-some-trades who can score and pass and defend.
Brad Miller ... well, you know about him. A highly skilled center who can't jump over a pancake (not that he'd want to) and carries a $12 million salary next season. Everyone wanted in on Salmons, while Miller's destinations seemed few. Idea! Why not package them together to make sure you lose the dud? Sacramento did just that today in swapping the pair for Chicago's Drew Gooden and Andres Nocioni.
Color me shocked, as the circumstances of a Friday spat between Andres Nocioni and Joakim Noah come to public attention. According to Mike McGraw of the Arlington Heights Daily Herald, Noah admonished Nocioni for missing a defensive assignment for the second time in two games. Nocioni didn't like the criticism. Ergo, battle!
More embarrassing is Vinny Del Negro's crusade against pre-game snacks in the locker room. Such a scourge, those ... um ... peanut butter sandwiches? Discipline can be counted as an important piece of build a winner out of a bunch of kids. But you don't have to be a librarian to get people in line. Even worse, Hoopsworld's Bill Ingram considers it evidence of further straw-grasping by Del Negro.
The team spun its U-turn away from the Skiles era so hard it has wound up back in the same position as before, with the players apparently hating the coach and each other. So much for the hope of the No. 1 pick.
Bulls savior Derrick Rose suffered a minor hip injury Friday as a result of a seemingly innocuous foul by Milwaukee's Richard Jefferson. Later in the game, Andres Nocioni hammered Jefferson (according to game reports), and Jefferson took exception. On the surface, it seems alright: if Noces thought the Rose foul was excessive, making a statement would be the normal next step ... even in the preseason.
Jefferson, obviously, disagrees. Actually, he disagreed at the time as well: he and Nocioni got into a shouting match, and I think Luke Ridnour killed a guy.* Jefferson had some thoughts after the game, and Mike McGraw of the Chicago Daily Herald passes them along.
After the game, I asked Jefferson for his take on the incident. Did he think Nocioni's foul was retaliation for the one on Rose? Keep in mind that this conversation was good-natured all the way through. Jefferson was not upset or angry and it was nice to hear a player of his caliber open up.
"How long have you been following the Bulls? What type of player do you think Nocioni is?" Jefferson answered. "Don't ask me a question if you already know the answer."
You see, that's how obvious it is that Nocioni is dirty: Jefferson feels it is insulting to even ask him if Nocioni is dirty. Certainly, Noces is seen as the toughest Argentine in the league; his "hustle," "grit" and "toughness" share most of the responsibility for his last big contract. This isn't to say he doesn't also offer good rebounding and shooting -- most teams would be better with him on the roster -- but a good portion of his game comes from hitting players harder than they'd like to be hit. And to be honest, much of Jefferson's game is tied to avoiding direct confrontation -- he's a high-flying skill player.
All I know is that I appreciate both parties for giving us a bit more drama in the preseason. Only two days left until we get the real thing. (And hey, now we at least know Jefferson did actually show up in Wisconsin. Good sign.)
During the remainder of the Olympic men's basketball tournament, FanHouse will give you 5 Things to watch for in each game.
Where's the heart of Argentina? There has been little news regarding the health of Andres Nocioni. One Argentine report (via HoopsHype) said he will not play, but based on Nocioni's record to date it is clear we should not count him out until we see him in blue jeans or John Paxson's invisible dungeon. (Paradox!) Noces was actually a bit terrible Wednesday against Greece, as he limped around on a bum wheel which relegated him to spot-up shooter status. But he's a stud player, maybe Argentina's third most valuable. Any team which loses a top threat will suffer; against an opponent as virile as Team USA, it's almost a pre-emptive death blow. Nocioni needs to be at his best for Argentina to compete diligently.
Another defensive test. Team USA's slashing defense got a test against quick Patrick Mills and the solid backcourt of Australia. Through the first half, Australia kept ahold of the ball and didn't allow Dwyane Wade and the American point guards to get their klepto on. But it fell apart in the third quarter. Can Argentina's Pablo Prigioni, Manu Ginobili and Carlos Delfino keep it up the entire game? Prigioni has been a marvelous protector of the ball, with only four Olympic turnovers in almost 200 minutes (and through 27 assists). Manu will also bring the ball up some, and Delfino took over those duties briefly in the fourth against Greece. The Americans might be able to pressure Manu and Delfino, and certainly bat about at Luis Scola and Fabricio Oberto. But Prigioni should be a tough pastry to smash.
During the remainder of the Olympic men's basketball tournament, FanHouse will give you 5 Things to watch for in each game.
Where's the heart of Argentina? There has been little news regarding the health of Andres Nocioni. One Argentine report (via HoopsHype) said he will not play, but based on Nocioni's record to date it is clear we should not count him out until we see him in blue jeans or John Paxson's invisible dungeon. (Paradox!) Noces was actually a bit terrible Wednesday against Greece, as he limped around on a bum wheel which relegated him to spot-up shooter status. But he's a stud player, maybe Argentina's third most valuable. Any team which loses a top threat will suffer; against an opponent as virile as Team USA, it's almost a pre-emptive death blow. Nocioni needs to be at his best for Argentina to compete diligently.
Another defensive test. Team USA's slashing defense got a test against quick Patrick Mills and the solid backcourt of Australia. Through the first half, Australia kept ahold of the ball and didn't allow Dwyane Wade and the American point guards to get their klepto on. But it fell apart in the third quarter. Can Argentina's Pablo Prigioni, Manu Ginobili and Carlos Delfino keep it up the entire game? Prigioni has been a marvelous protector of the ball, with only four Olympic turnovers in almost 200 minutes (and through 27 assists). Manu will also bring the ball up some, and Delfino took over those duties briefly in the fourth against Greece. The Americans might be able to pressure Manu and Delfino, and certainly bat about at Luis Scola and Fabricio Oberto. But Prigioni should be a tough pastry to smash.
Before coming to Beijing for the games, all of the buzz in my group of travelers was about trying to score the hot events. Right near the top of the list was a ticket to see Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, and the rest of the 2008 USA basketball team play. The opponent didn't really matter.
I was lucky enough to score a seat in the second row of the upper bowl of Beijing Olympic Basketball Gymnasium to watch as Team USA made Dirk Niwitzki and the German team look like a third world country. The US squad won by forty-nine.
Sure the high flying dunks and attempted alley-oops off the backboard were entertaining but after the US had a twenty-five plus point lead things got a bit boring. Should a fan in attendance simply marvel at the display or hope for a more competitive game? I say both.
The Kings, seeking a defensive veteran for the small forward position, took on Desmond Mason in advance of training camp. That didn't turn out so well: Mason has been beyond awful on offense (surprising no one who has watched Mason play at any point over the past four years) and didn't make much of a difference for the league's 29th ranked defense.
Before we get started, it should be noted that NBA bloggers are kind of hard to please when it comes to teams spending money. On the one hand, we sneer in disgust when teams refuse to spend money, patting their fans on the head as we chastise ownership for being "cheap" and turning a profit without ever seriously pushing for a title. 
Three prospects from 
(Warning: I'm a Kings fan, and I'm a little unstable right now.) The belle of this season's trade deadline ball has been, in the absence of Amare Stoudemire, Mr. 
I have some information which may be new to you.
Bulls savior 
Before coming to Beijing for the games, all of the buzz in my group of travelers was about trying to score the hot events. Right near the top of the list was a ticket to see Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, and the rest of the 2008 USA basketball team play. The opponent didn't really matter.
