Tomahawk Tuesday: Carmelo Anthony is having a renaissance in Portland

                                         (Alika Jenner/Getty Images) 

The big news in the NBA this week is Carmelo Anthony picking up Western Conference Player of the Week honors. After looking like his career was dead in the water, Melo has risen out of the ashes of basketball obscurity like a phoenix, averaging 17.7 points and 6.0 rebounds per game during his first six games with the Portland Trail Blazers. As you can tell by his expression in the above photo, he is genuinely out there having fun.

For all the criticisms he has gotten for being a ball hog and not a team player, Melo has actually been a pretty stand up dude for his entire career. He's stayed out of trouble and has been a class act. He's been supportive of LeBron James who he came into the league with and genuinely doesn't seem to be comparing himself to other people. That is quite refreshing.

If there's anything we've learned from Melo's comeback, it's that the basketball world missed his presence. He's been one of the best and brightest stars in the NBA for the last 15 years and has done a lot more for the game than he gets credit for. That's why we're all so happy to have him back!

As for whether or not he'll continue to have this renaissance, I don't see why not. Getting buckets is what he does best and Portland seems to have created a perfect environment for him to do so. He just needed to find the right fit.

Lastly, Melo definitely didn't deserve to go out on a sour note, so in that vein it's great to see him having success again. At this point, he's made all of his money and honestly doesn't have anything left to prove. He's just playing for the love of the game and out there having a good time. I think that's something we can all get behind.

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Saturday Slam: Will it work out for Carmelo Anthony in Portland?

                                         (Credit: Clutchpoints.com) 

The big news of the week is Carmelo Anthony signing a non-guaranteed contract with the Portland Trail Blazers. After looking like he may never get another shot in the NBA, Anthony is getting at least one more shot. The last full season Anthony played was the 2017-18 season in which he averaged 16.2 points per game with the Oklahoma City Thunder. In 10 games with the Houston Rockets last year, he averaged 13.4 points per game, showing that he can still get buckets.

I think this is a mutually beneficial move for both Anthony and the Trail Blazers. Anthony gets another shot at redemption and a chance to finish his career on a high note while the Trail Blazers add a guy who might give them 10+ points per game. The Trail Blazers need to make some sort of move to give themselves an edge in the Western Conference and maybe this move will do the trick.

For Anthony, if this doesn't work out, he's probably done for good, so he really needs to hope this goes well. He needs to be willing to play within Portland's system and do whatever is asked of him. If he goes out there and chucks up a bunch of shots that are low percentage, he'll get waived really quick.

Personally, I've always liked Carmelo Anthony. He's come across as a class act and has always gone out there and played hard. Unfortunately, his lack of defense and need to take a lot of shots has rendered him somewhat obsolete as the NBA has shifted towards a more positionless league. Specialists like Anthony can't thrive like they once did. Hopefully, this ends on a positive note for Anthony. He's done a lot for the game of basketball and deserves to go out the right way.

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Mock Draft Monday: R.J. Barrett needs to deliver for the New York Knicks

                                          (Credit: NBAE/Getty Images) 

The New York Knicks have not been to the playoffs since the 2012-13 season in which they finished second in the Eastern Conference with a 54-28 record. Since that season, the Knicks have gone downhill rather quickly, finishing with six consecutive losing seasons. The 2014-15 and 2018-19 seasons were tied for the worst seasons in franchise history as the Knicks went 17-65 both years.

During this tumultuous stretch, the Knicks have really struggled to find a franchise centerpiece. Carmelo Anthony did a decent job at filling the role, but he didn't have enough help thanks to Phil Jackson's inability to run a front office. Kristaps Porzingis could have been the answer, but his torn ACL cast a lot of doubt over his abilities to be the man going forward.

Then comes R.J. Barrett, the #3 overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft out of Duke. During his one year at Duke, Barrett was in the shadows of nationwide phenom Zion Williamson, playing second fiddle to his highlight dunks. Being second fiddle didn't mean he didn't produce. Barrett averaged 22.6 points and 7.6 rebounds per game, showing that if Williamson wasn't around, the Blue Devils would have still been a force to be reckoned with.

With Williamson now in New Orleans trying to turn the Pelicans around, Barrett has the Big Apple all to himself, fulfilling a boyhood dream to play for the Knicks. Excited for what lies ahead, Barrett hopes to turn the Knicks' fortunes around and bring them back to glory. They've been looking for a savior for quite some time and perhaps they have found their man in Barrett.

When forecasting the future of the Knicks, it's clear that R.J. Barrett is at the center of it. He's their new franchise piece and finally is out of Zion Williamson's shadow. This is his time to shine. If he's able to deliver and become a legit franchise player, odds are good the Knicks will bounce back and become a contender in the Eastern Conference. If he's not, the Knicks will continue to flounder like they have for the past few years until someone else comes along to deliver them from bondage.

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Tomahawk Tuesday: Can Carmelo Anthony help the Houston Rockets get over the hump?

                                          (Getty Images) 

Earlier today, Shams Charania of Yahoo! Sports confirmed that Carmelo Anthony has officially agreed to sign with the Houston Rockets. ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski added that Anthony's deal is expected to be a one-year, $2.4M deal.

Carmelo Anthony has verbally agreed to sign with the Houston Rockets, league sources tell Yahoo Sports.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) August 7, 2018

Carmelo Anthony passes through waivers at 5 PM ET, clearing way for him to inform Houston that he will sign a one-year, $2.4M deal with Rockets.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) August 1, 2018

Anthony has had a bit of an up and down career. While being known as one of the league's best pure scorers, he has failed to live up to his own expectations of leading an NBA team to a championship. While he himself will never lead a team to a championship, he is presented with the next best thing, which is the chance to help a championship contender get over the hump.

Last season, the Rockets were one healthy Chris Paul hamstring away from winning an NBA championship and with Anthony now on board, the hope is that he'll give them just enough of a boost to get over the hump and supplant the Golden State Warriors as the best team in the league.

A lot of people are understandably skeptical of Anthony's ability to make a difference on this Rockets team. Since he has failed to win a championship everywhere he goes, it stands to reason that his time in Houston will likewise produce no championship jewelry.

What I want to do in this blog post is give you all a few reasons to believe that Anthony might just be the missing piece to a Houston Rockets championship recipe. You are certainly free to disagree with my reasons, but I still want to put this out there given all the negative posts about Anthony and his lack of championship success.

The first reason to think Anthony's addition to the Rockets could result in a championship is the simple fact that the Rockets were really close last year. The Rockets lost to the Warriors in Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals and as I said earlier, if it weren't for Chris Paul's hamstring injury, the Rockets probably would have won that series. Given how close the Rockets were last year, it's not like they need a whole lot more help to reach the promised land. If Melo can give them a little bit of help and take some of the scoring pressure off the backs of Paul and James Harden, that should be enough to make the difference.

Secondly, it isn't like Anthony sucked last year. With the Thunder, he averaged 16.2 points per game on 40.4% shooting from the field, 35.7% shooting from 3-point range, and 76.7% shooting from the foul line. He can still get buckets and in Houston, he won't need to be the volume shooter that he was asked to be in seasons past. He can come off the bench and provide sound spot minutes that make a real difference in terms of keeping the offense in a good rhythm.

Third, we've seen Anthony thrive in this type of role before. Anthony has played his best basketball in the Olympics, helping Team USA win multiple gold medals. As much as he likes to be a first option kind of guy, he's actually played his best basketball when he is more like the third or fourth option. If he can play like "Olympic Melo" as opposed to "New York Melo", the Rockets should really like their chances of giving the Warriors a serious run.

Given these reasons above, I actually think the Rockets should be excited about adding Carmelo Anthony. He comes in with plenty of experience, an ability to shoot the basketball, and a winning attitude. Unlike previous stops, Anthony is now in the twilight years of his career and more than anything he just wants to win a championship. While there are concerns about his willingness to play off the bench, I personally think Anthony is the type of player that will do whatever is asked of him in order to win a championship. If he wasn't, he wouldn't be coming to Houston in the first place.

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NBALord.com Podcast: Carmelo gets traded; LeBron slams Trump

                                          (Doug Pensinger. Getty Images) 

On this week's episode of the NBALord.com Podcast, I address Carmelo Anthony getting traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder, LeBron James' comments about Donald Trump, and more. Click here to listen to the podcast.





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Skyhook Sunday: How dangerous are the Oklahoma City Thunder after landing Carmelo Anthony?

On Saturday, the Oklahoma City Thunder acquired Carmelo Anthony from the New York Knicks, giving up Enes Kanter, Doug McDermott, and a 2018 second round pick. For the Knicks, they finally get to build around Kristaps Porzingis and free up tons of cap space (approximately $26.5M per year over the next two seasons). As for the Thunder, they get a player who could be the missing piece to a championship run.

After getting Paul George to pair with Russell Westbrook, the Thunder were already cooking with gas, but now that they've landed Carmelo Anthony, they have a legit "Big Three" capable of doing serious damage in the playoffs. Last season, Anthony averaged 22.4 points and 5.9 rebounds per game; Paul George averaged 23.7 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 1.6 steals; Russell Westbrook averaged 31.6 points, 10.7 rebounds, 10.4 assists, and 1.6 steals per game, the first triple-double average since Oscar Robertson in the 1961-62 season.

While the Golden State Warriors still have to be favored to come out of the West, the Thunder might be their biggest threat. Not only do the Thunder have the talent to give the Warriors a scare, they should have the mindset as well. Russell Westbrook, Paul George, and Carmelo Anthony just want to win a ring. They'll be more than willing to sacrifice and share the wealth to accomplish their ultimate goal.

Perhaps what's most scary for the Warriors is the fact that Westbrook appears to have a vendetta against Kevin Durant for the way he left Oklahoma City. There's nothing more scary in today's NBA than an angry Russell Westbrook. When he's angry at you, you don't stand much of a chance. With Paul George and Carmelo Anthony on his team, he'll be capable of doing even more damage than before.

The bottom line with this Thunder team is that they definitely have the pieces to win an NBA championship. It may take some time for them to gel, but once they click, they'll be scary. Even if they don't go all the way this season, they'll make the season a lot more compelling.

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Saturday Slam: What will the New York Knicks do with Carmelo Anthony?

The biggest question on the minds of every NBA fan right now is what will the New York Knicks do with Carmelo Anthony? According to ESPN, Anthony is willing to waive his no-trade clause if he can get traded to either the Cleveland Cavaliers or Oklahoma City Thunder. He was also willing to go to the Houston Rockets, but that ended up not coming to fruition.

On Wednesday, I wrote about the New York Knicks now needing to be Kristaps Porzingis' team, but of course, the Knicks may not heed my warnings and instead hang onto Anthony through the season. The key thing to understand is that the Anthony has a MASSIVE contract that pays him $26.2M this season and $27.9M the following season. He won't hit unrestricted free agency until 2019 and at that point, a team will be able to sign him for a lot cheaper. To take on that contract for two seasons is only worth it if you truly believe adding Anthony makes your team a legitimate championship contender.

The good news for Anthony (and the Knicks), is he could make both the Cavaliers and Thunder legit championship contenders. LeBron James needs a true sidekick with Kyrie Irving gone, while the Thunder are at least one man short of giving the Golden State Warriors a serious run for their money.

The Thunder to me is the more intriguing destination for Anthony because he'd give them a big three that includes Russell Westbrook and Paul George. Together, Anthony, Westbrook, and George would form a very exciting trio that would make basketball in Oklahoma City great again (sorry, I couldn't resist!). I don't know if that trio would be capable of winning a title, but I'd sure like to find out! As for the Cavaliers, I think that would be a better destination for Anthony since he'd have less competition to deal with. The Cavaliers is the safer team for Anthony to go to, but the Thunder is the more intriguing team since that situation is much more of an unknown.

While I don't know for sure what will happen with Carmelo Anthony, the overall vibe is that something will go down. It's just a matter of when. It could happen this weekend, it could happen right before the trade deadline, etc. It's almost like Donald Trump's impeachment: Everything indicates it's going to happen, but we just don't know when it will happen, exactly.

                                         (Doug Pensinger/Getty Images) 

Ultimately, the New York Knicks would be wise to trade Carmelo Anthony, but they need to make sure they get back as much for him as possible. He's a very valuable asset to have and you don't want to give away an asset of his magnitude for nothing. Personally, I think Carmelo Anthony will be with the Knicks through training camp and a trade will happen sometime close to the trade deadline. I could even see him getting shipped out in a last second trade deadline move.

The Knicks would be smart to play this out for as long as possible and make sure they get what they can. Unlike the Kyrie Irving situation,  Carmelo Anthony isn't making the same type of stink about staying put, so it's not like his presence will create bad vibes in the locker room or anything. They can be more patient with this one and see what offers come their way.

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Wednesday Windmill: The New York Knicks need to be Kristaps Porzingis' team

                                         (AP/Julie Jacobson) 

As NBA training camps are set to open in the coming days, the New York Knicks still have Carmelo Anthony and it's unclear whether or not he'll remain with the team though the season. So long as Anthony hangs around, he'll remain the face of the Knicks franchise and Kristaps Porzingis will continue to be viewed as part of the future as opposed to the present. That needs to change starting now.

With the 'Melo era not yielding the type of fruit that the Knicks were hoping, it's time for the franchise to turn over a new leaf and start afresh with Porzingis as their centerpiece. During his first two seasons in the league, "Godzingis" has proven his worth as a franchise player, averaging 16.1 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks per game. Unlike Stephen A. Smith, I have been on the Porzingis hope train from day one. When I watched film of him in preparation for the 2015 NBA Draft, he reminded me of a 7'3", 240 pound Andrei Kirilenko capable of doing virtually everything on the floor.

With Porzingis solidifying himself as a legitimate star in the NBA, the Knicks need to start putting all of their resources into building a quality team around him. The first step towards doing this is to part ways with 'Melo and get back whatever you can for him. So long as 'Melo hangs around, the Knicks will continue to be in no mans land, looking ahead to a Porzingis era while not yet totally ridding themselves of an era that has been a failure.

The failure of this current era doesn't fall on 'Melo. From day one, he has done his part to help this team get back to relevance. The problem is that the Knicks never figured out a way to put the right pieces around him. Now that it's too late to put a contending squad around 'Melo, the least the Knicks can do is trade him to a team that has a shot at winning a championship.

When looking at the New York Knicks, it is clear that Kristaps Porzingis is their franchise player for the future and that they need to start building around him. The longer they hang on to 'Melo, the longer they put off the next chapter of their franchise. It's that simple.

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NBALord.com Podcast: Kyrie Irving lands in Boston; Rodney Hood discussing extension with Utah Jazz

(Boston Celtics on Twitter)

On this week's episode of the NBALord.com podcast, Brian Kaiserman joins me to discuss the Kyrie Irving-Isaiah Thomas trade, Rodney Hood possibly getting a contract extension with the Utah Jazz, and the future of Carmelo Anthony. Click here to listen to the podcast.





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Saturday Slam: Should the New York Knicks trade Carmelo Anthony?

                                          (Credit: Keith Allison. Click here for source) 

According to multiple reports, the New York Knicks have been actively shopping Carmelo Anthony, hoping to find a team that is willing to give them a lot in return for the superstar. At 21-27, the New York Knicks remain in the mix for a playoff spot but are almost certain to get squashed in the first round of the playoffs should they get there. With no championship in sight, the New York Knicks feel it would be in their best interest to trade Carmelo Anthony and start rebuilding, presumably around Kristaps Porzingis.

Like any major move, there are pros and cons that need to be weighed before making a final decision. I will do my best to list the pros and cons of trading Carmelo Anthony and then come up with a conclusion of as to what I think makes the most sense.

Pros: The most obvious reason for why the New York Knicks should trade Carmelo Anthony has to do with the fact that they are not on track to win a championship. Carmelo Anthony was brought in to bring a championship to New York and with that clearly not happening anytime soon, it makes sense to not prolong the rebuilding process any further. The Knicks might as well pull the trigger on a good offer and move on to the next chapter of their history.

No hard feelings towards Carmelo Anthony or anything. Basketball is a business and the Knicks need to do what is best for business, which is to position themselves for long-term success in the future as opposed to trying to make a quick fix for the next couple of years. If the Knicks make a deal at the trade deadline, while Carmelo Anthony is still 32 years old with some gas left in the tank, they may actually get a pretty good offer that will benefit them for the long-term. The longer they hold on to him, the older he gets, and the more his value drops.

Cons: The reason why trading Carmelo Anthony is not a good idea is that Carmelo Anthony still has some gas in the tank at just 32 years of age and further, he's not the problem. Carmelo Anthony is averaging 22.6 points and 6.2 rebounds per game, making him one of the best players in the NBA, even though he is past his prime.

If the Knicks actually wanted to get better, they would get a new front office or their current front office would start making smarter decisions. Carmelo Anthony can still contribute to a championship caliber team and so why not see if such a team can be built in New York? Get rid of Derrick Rose, continue to build around Kristaps Porzingis, and see what free agents you can attract in the summer.

The fact that Carmelo Anthony wants to stay in New York is enough of a reason to hang on to him. So long as you have him, you have a flicker of hope. The moment you deal him, you are officially in rebuilding mode once again without ever building up to something in the first place. Trading Carmelo Anthony would anger the fan base and further prove that the front office is inept and incapable of building a championship caliber team.

Conclusion: When weighing both the pros and cons of trading Carmelo Anthony, it appears as though there is more reason to hang on to him than to trade him. Carmelo Anthony is still one of the top players in the NBA and he has been the one bright spot on this Knicks team during the past few seasons. Trading him would not make the team better in the short term and with draft picks likely being what gives hope for the future, there is no guarantee that those draft picks ever materialize into anything valuable. The bottom line is the New York Knicks need to do all they can to be competitive with Carmelo Anthony playing an important role. They still have time to build themselves into a quality team with him around. They just have to make the right decisions going forward.


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Wednesday Windmill: The Derrick Rose situation is just another sign of New York Knicks dysfunction

Dysfunction seems to follow the New York Knicks wherever they go. On Monday night, Derrick Rose went A.W.A.L., not showing up for the Knicks' home game against the Pelicans and nobody in the Knicks organization had an immediate answer for his whereabouts after the game. Knicks president Phil Jackson didn't talk to the media after the game or provide any sort of explanation for what had happened to Derrick Rose, leaving Knicks players and head coach Jeff Hornacek to answer difficult questions that they really didn't have answers to. This whole situation is just another sign of incompetency and ineptitude in New York. Sadly, having a player seemingly vanish is just the kind of thing that would happen to the New York Knicks.

What's an especially bad look in all of this is that it was Joakim Noah that broke the news that Derrick Rose was ok, not Phil Jackson or team owner James Dolan. While it is true that Derrick Rose should have alerted somebody in the Knicks organization that he wasn't going to be present for Monday's game, Phil Jackson or James Dolan should have been the ones to address the Derrick Rose matter head on, not putting their players and head coach in an awkward situation.

                                          (Credit: Image via NBATV on YouTube. Click here for video) 

It appears as though the Knicks' dysfunction in the front office is leading to dysfunction on the court. The Knicks have lost 9 of their last 10 games and are now 17-22 overall, which makes them 11th in the Eastern Conference. Despite having some quality players in Carmelo Anthony (21.9 points and 6.1 rebounds per game), Derrick Rose (17.3 points and 4.5 assists), and Kristaps Porzingis (19.8 points and 7.6 rebounds), this Knicks team is not able to gel and one has to wonder how much of that has to do with having a front office that isn't in very good communication with its players or coaching staff. In addition, there have been reports that Derrick Rose may not be getting along well with head coach Jeff Hornacek, so it appears as though the dysfunction truly is extending onto the court.

The sad thing with the New York Knicks is that they have their priorities all out of whack. They should be focusing on building around Kristaps Porzingis and making him the center of attention, but instead, they are dealing with all of this Derrick Rose drama and trying to do all they can to keep Carmelo Anthony happy. Honestly, I don't expect that to change so long as they have the same yahoos in charge. The Knicks really need a change of ownership and a brand new front office to take the franchise in a different direction. Phil Jackson isn't the answer and James Dolan sure as hell isn't the answer, either. New ownership needs to take over in order for this team to become contenders again. It's that simple.

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Saturday Slam: A quick look at the 2016 Olympic basketball tournament

     Given that the Olympics began this weekend, I thought it would be good to preview the Olympic basketball tournament. Especially since 46 NBA players will be competing, which is the most in Olympic history. What I will do is give you a quick preview of each of the 12 teams competing in this event.

United States: Jimmy Butler (Bulls), Kevin Durant (Warriors), DeAndre Jordan (Clippers), Kyle Lowry (Raptors), Harrison Barnes (Mavericks), DeMar DeRozan (Raptors), Kyrie Irving (Cavaliers), Klay Thompson (Warriors), DeMarcus Cousins (Kings), Paul George (Pacers), Draymond Green (Warriors), and Carmelo Anthony (Knicks) is the USA roster and while it does lack some big names like Stephen Curry, LeBron James, and Russell Westbrook, it is still a LOADED roster.

The bottom line is that so long as these guys don't let their egos get in the way, which I don't think they will, the United States should have no problem bringing home the gold. They have a fantastic combination of athleticism and skill. Kyrie Irving for example might be the most skilled player in this whole tournament while DeAndre Jordan is certainly the most athletic. I would be shocked if the United States had any games that were decided by less than 10 points.

Argentina: Argentina has one of the most competitive rosters in this tournament. They have a couple of current NBA players in Luis Scola (Nets), Manu Ginobili (Spurs), and Nicolas Brussino (Mavericks) while also having a couple of former NBA players in Carlos Delfino and Andres Nocioni. They definitely have skill, but size isn't exactly their forte with nobody bigger than 6'10". The way that Argentina will have to make up for their lack of size is to play really clean and efficient basketball, something that they've been capable of doing in the past. Look for Argentina to make some noise and threaten to win a medal.

Australia: Australia has several active NBA players on their team: Andrew Bogut (Mavericks), Patty Mills (Spurs), Joe Ingles (Jazz), Matthew Dellavedova (Bucks), and Arron Baynes (Pistons). Plus, Cameron Bairstow played in the NBA last season with the Bulls.

While only Andrew Bogut would be considered a "high profile" player, the very fact that they have five active NBA players on their team makes them very dangerous. If Patty Mills and Joe Ingles can stroke it from deep while Andrew Bogut controls the paint, these guys will be tough.

Note: Andrew Bogut did play in their opener against France and scored 18 points, so he appears to be fully healthy.

Brazil: Brazil, like Australia has a lot of NBA players on their team, though not a lot of really big names. Their two best players are Nenê (Rockets) and Leandro Barbosa (Suns), but they have three other NBA players in Raul Neto (Jazz), Cristiano Felicio (Bulls), and Marcelinho Huertas (Lakers).

The advantage that Brazil has is that they have a nice blend of post play and wing play. Barbosa, Huertas, and Neto make for a very nice backcourt while Nene and Felicio make for a quality front court. The balance of this Brazilian team could propel them towards an Olympic medal.

China: China is a very young team that quite honestly isn't very good. They have zero active NBA players on their roster and only one player with NBA experience in Yi Jianlian, who washed out of the league pretty quick. That isn't to say there is no talent on this team. They have two big men, Zhou Qi and Wang Zhelin, who were drafted in the NBA in this most recent draft, but neither of them have much experience playing against NBA level players. Look for China to struggle in this event. Their 62-119 loss to the United States certainly does not give me any reason to think otherwise.

Croatia: Philadelphia 76ers fans should keep an eye on Croatia due to the presence of big man Dario Saric, who is looking to lead his country to a medal. Saric is coming over to the 76ers this year and will get an early taste of NBA level basketball in these Olympics. Croatia has a couple of other NBA players on their roster as well in Mario Hezonja (Magic) and Bojan Bogdanovic (Nets).

Mario Hezonja will be really interesting to watch since he was drafted #5 overall in 2015 and spent the year overseas with FC Barcelona. Hezonja is a freak athlete at 6'8", 218 pounds and he can shoot the ball well, so Magic fans too should get excited to see how he does. The Croatian team doesn't have very many NBA players, but the ones they do have could make an impact. Croatia is a dark horse to get a medal at these games. The could definitely surprise people.

France: The NBA players representing France are Nicolas Batum (Hornets), Joffrey Lauvergne (Nuggets), Tony Parker (Spurs), Boris Diaw (Jazz), and Rudy Gobert (Jazz). Plus, Nando De Colo could probably still be in the NBA, but he opted for more money with CSKA Moscow. France has some serious talent with Tony Parker running the point and Rudy Gobert down on the block doing what he does best, which is disrupting shots and catching lobs for easy dunks.

The Parker, Batum, and Gobert trio alone makes France very scary and then when you add a nice supporting cast in Diaw,  Lauvergne, and De Colo, you suddenly have a quasi NBA team on your hands.  Rudy Gobert is a game-changer and Tony Parker is still one of the best point guards in the league. I would be shocked if France did not get a medal at these games.

Lithuania: Lithuanians are known to be large people and their basketball team is no exception with nobody under 6'4" and four players that are at least 6'10". Jonas Valanciunas, the center for the Toronto Raptors is the star of this Lithuanian team, but there are two other NBA players on this team in Domantas Sabonis (Magic) and Mindaugas Kuzminskas (Knicks), both of whom play forward. The key for this Lithuanian team will be to take advantage of their size and really control the glass. If they do a good job at this, they won't be an easy out for any team. Look for Lithuania to make some noise and threaten to win a medal.

Nigeria: Nigeria has 1.5 NBA players. Michael Gbinije plays for the Pistons and Ben Uzoh plays in the D-League with the Canton Charge. The only guy with any serious NBA experience is Ike Diogu. Josh Akognon spent a year with the Dallas Mavericks, but that's it. All in all, look for Nigeria to get waxed at this event, but props to them for being the top team coming out of Africa. That's not nothing.

Serbia: The only current NBA player on the Serbian team is Nikola Jokic, a big man for the Denver Nuggets. Miroslav Raduljica played briefly in the NBA and Bogdan Bogdanovic was drafted in the 1st round by the Phoenix Suns in 2014. The best player outside of Jokic is probably Milos Tedosic, who has been a really solid player overseas, playing with CSKA Moscow during the last few seasons. Tedosic is a combo guard, so Serbia definitely has weapons on the perimeter as well as in the paint. Serbia should win at least a couple of games, but I don't see them winning a medal when it's all said and done.

Spain: Spain has a ton of NBA talent on their team with Pau Gasol (Bulls), Ricky Rubio (Timberwolves), Nikola Mitotic (Bulls), and Rudy Fernandez, who plays for Real Madrid but is a guy who'd be averaging double digit points per game in the NBA if he wanted to be. Plus, they have Sergio Rodriguez (76ers), Jose Calderon (Lakers), Willy Hernangomez (Knicks),  and Alex Abrines (Thunder).

The amount of NBA talent for a non-USA team is really impressive and the non-NBA players are also some of the best players not playing in the NBA. France might be the team to give the USA the most trouble, but many think it will be Spain due to all the talent that they have. Look for Spain to make a lot of noise and put themselves in a position to compete against the United States in the gold medal game.

Venezuela: I'm gonna be totally honest with you. I haven't heard of any of the Venezuelan players and they have nobody that is bigger than 6'9". They do have one Division 1 player in Anthony Perez of Ole Miss, who just finished his senior year averaging 7.0 points and 4.1 rebounds per game. So, they definitely have quality basketball players, it's just that relative to the rest of the competition, they aren't very good.

Prediction: United States takes the gold, France takes the silver, and Spain takes the bronze.

Wednesday Windmill: How much better will the New York Knicks be?

      The New York Knicks will have a different look in the 2016-17 season with the additions of Courtney Lee, Brandon Jennings, Joakim Noah, and most notably Derrick Rose. They already appeared to be turning the corner with the selection of Kristaps Porzingis in the 2015 NBA Draft, but with these additional moves over the summer, the future in New York suddenly appears to be getting brighter.

     For the first time in his New York Knicks career, Carmelo Anthony actually has a supporting cast to be excited about, which in and of itself is a big deal. But considering that the Knicks went 32-50 last season, are these moves enough to actually make them a serious force in the Eastern Conference? How good will these Knicks be?

     The short and simple answer is that how good the Knicks will be directly correlates to how healthy they will be. Joakim Noah (29 games) and Derrick Rose (66 games) both struggled to stay healthy last season, which is reason for Knicks fans to treat the addition of both players with a fair amount of skepticism. If those guys don't stay healthy and on the floor, the Knicks will still be hard pressed to crack 41 wins, let alone make a serious dent in the Eastern Conference playoffs. Plus, it isn't like it's only Noah and Rose who've been injured. Brandon Jennings played only 48 games last season and 41 games the season before due to rupturing his left Achilles.

     The amount of injuries that these new additions to the Knicks have suffered is certainly a serious concern and it also makes you wonder why the Knicks were willing to roll the dice on Noah, Rose, and Jennings as opposed to one of them. Maybe the idea is that one of them will have to stay healthy, but even so, it's very risky to have your season riding on the health of fragile players who aren't what they used to be.

     Joakim Noah's injury was a shoulder injury, which shouldn't be taken lightly, but I'm much more optimistic that he'll be able to return to form as one of the league's best rebounders and shot blockers. But Brandon Jennings (Achilles) and Derrick Rose (multiple ACLs) have had much more worrisome injuries that are very hard to bounce back from. Derrick Rose is a former league MVP who at his peak was perhaps the best player in the world. But now, he's at best a B-grade player who is only capable of showing flashes of the brilliance he once had. As for Brandon Jennings, he hasn't been able to have a scoring average in double figures since the Achilles injury, so in his case I'm even more skeptical of his ability to become a productive player again.

     The only other noteworthy addition that I haven't mentioned is Courtney Lee, who has been more of a role player over the course of his career, playing good defense and knocking down some threes. Lee can't be expected to be anything better than what he's already been, which is to score around 10 points and shoot close to 40% from 3-point range. That's solid, but nothing to get super jazzed about.

     At the end of the day, the additions to this New York Knicks team look a lot better on paper than they actually are. Carmelo Anthony will still need to carry the load and Kristaps Porzingis will have to continue to be the Great White Hope of the franchise and build upon his stellar rookie season. If Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah, and Brandon Jennings all stay healthy and play better than they did last season, the Knicks will actually be pretty good and threaten to win a playoff series. The problem is that the odds of that happening are about as high as the odds of Cookie Monster switching to brownies. It could theoretically happen, but we all know it's not. In terms of a win total projection for this Knicks team, I'll say they improve by 10 wins, finishing with a 42-40 record, which might be good enough to make the playoffs.
   

Daily Dunks: 10/26-11/1/15

                                                  (Credit: Andy Melton. Click here for source) 

     Here is my Daily Dunks page for Monday, October 26 through Sunday, November 1, 2015. Throughout the week, this page will be updated with news from across the NBA until a new Daily Dunks page is created for the following week. (Note: This is the final Daily Dunks page. At least for a while. This page was getting tiring to create every week! Haha. This blog will be solely focused on generating good opinion pieces)

Monday's NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1. A former Bucks team dancer is suing the team for wage violations (Click here for details).

#2. After being cut by the Kings, Marshall Henderson will join the Reno Bighorns of the D-League (Click here for details).

#3. Andrea Mazzon is joining the Delaware 87ers as an assistant coach (Click here for details).

#4. Meyers Leonard hopes to stay with the Trail Blazers (Click here for details).

#5. Wizards center Marcin Gortat will donate $200 to charity for every shot he blocks this season (Click here for details).

#6. Kings rookie Willie Cauley-Stein will start at power forward (Click here for details).

#7. NBA coaches will wear a lapel pin to honor the late Flip Saunders (Click here for details).

#8. Glen Rice, Jr. was shot in the leg out of an Atlanta restaurant (Click here for details).

#9. Rick Carlisle and the Mavericks are reportedly close to an extension (Click here for details).

#10. The Heat have unveiled new uniforms (Click here for details).

Tuesday's NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1. Click here to get caught up on all the cuts from the NBA in the past couple of days. A key one was the Pistons waiving Danny Granger.

#2. Harrison Barnes and the Warriors have closed talks regarding an extension (Click here for details).

#3. The Lakers plan to transition Metta World Peace into an assistant coach (Click here for details).

#4. Hawks small forward Thabo Sefolosha has officially decided to sue the NYPD for $50M (Click here for details).

#5. Sam Mitchell will take over as the Timberwolves' head coach. Milt Newton as GM (Click here for details).

#6. John Stockton is joining Montana State as an assistant coach on their women's basketball team. His daughter Lindsay is a senior on the team (Click here for details).

#7. Bucks forward Jabari Parker is targeting a November return (Click here for details).

#8. Pelicans point guard Jrue Holiday didn't play on opening night. He is day-to-day (Click here for details).

#9. The Utah Jazz will now be playing in the "Vivint Smart Home Arena". Same building with a new name (Click here for details).

#10. The Spurs exercised their 2016-17 option for Kyle Anderson (Click here for details).

#11. The Pelicans signed guard Ish Smith (Click here for details).

#12. The Suns exercised their options for T.J. Warren, Alex Len, and Archie Goodwin (Click here for details).

#13. 76ers guard Nik Stauskas is hoping to play on Wednesday (Click here for details).

#14. The Grizzlies exercised their 2016-17 option for guard Jordan Adams (Click here for details).

#15. The Hawks exercised their fourth year, 2016-17 options on guard Tim Hardaway, Jr. and guard Dennis Schröder (Click here for details).

#16. The Clippers exercised their 2016-17 option on guard C.J. Wilcox (Click here for details).

Tuesday's NBA Final Scores: 

Pistons 106 Hawks 94. Bulls 97 Cavaliers 95. Warriors 111 Pelicans 95.

Wednesday's NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1. Mavericks owner Mark Cuban doesn't give a **** about the Clippers (Click here for details).

#2. Stephen Curry is getting a wax figure at Madame Tussauds in San Francisco (Click here for details).

#3. The Warriors hope Steve Kerr is hoping to return by January 1, 2016 (Click here for details).

#4. Thanasis Antetokoumpo will play in the D-League for the Westchester Knicks (Click here for details).

#5. Michal Frissdahl is named President and CEO of MLSE (Click here for details).

#6. The idea for Joakim Noah to start coming off the bench actually came from Joakim Noah (Click here for details).

#7. Carmelo Anthony on the Knicks: "I believe in this team" (Click here for details).

#8. Craig Sager has returned to TNT sidelines (Click here for details).

#9. The Cavaliers called a players-only meeting in the preseason (Click here for details).

#10. Chris Paul wants to retire with the Clippers (Click here for details).

Wednesday's NBA Final Scores: 

Pistons 92 Jazz 87. Cavaliers 106 Grizzlies 76. Timberwolves 112 Lakers 111. Wizards 88 Magic 87. Celtics 112 76ers 95. Heat 104 Hornets 94. Bulls 115 Nets 100. Raptors 106 Pacers 99. Nuggets 105 Rockets 85. Knicks 122 Bucks 97. Thunder 112 Spurs 106. Mavericks 111 Suns 95. Trail Blazers 112 Pelicans 94. Clippers 111 Kings 104.

Thursday's NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1. Lance Stephenson is starting at the 3 for the Clippers (Click here for details).

#2. The Nuggets have some new"Whitegold" uniforms (Click here to see them).

#3. The Utah Jazz are starting rookie Raul Neto at point guard over Trey Burke (Click here for details).

#4. Derrick Rose says he is still battling blurred vision (Click here for details).

#5. The Rockets won't extend the contracts of Terrence Jones or Donatas Motiejunas (Click here for details).

#6. Nuggets forward Wilson Chandler is likely out two weeks (Click here for details).

#7. Linda Luchetti is now the Vice President of Basketball Operations for the Utah Jazz (Click here for details).

#8. Wizards forward Martell Webster may need season-ending hip surgery (Click here for details).

#9. Pistons shooting guard Jodie Meeks is out indefinitely due to a Jones fracture in his right foot (Click here for details).

#10. Clippers point guard Austin Rivers has been fined $25K for throwing a seat cushion that hit a fan (Click here for details).

#11. Pacers forward Paul George has been fined $10K for criticizing officials (Click here for details).

#12. Mavericks forward Chandler Parsons is targeting a Sunday return (Click here for details).

#13. Warriors center Andrew Bogut is out indefinitely with a concussion (Click here for details).

#14. The Pelicans waived point guard Nate Robinson (Click here for details).

Thursday's NBA Final Scores: 

Grizzlies 112 Pacers 103. Hawks 112 Knicks 101. Clippers 104 Mavericks 88.

Friday's NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1. Mavericks point guard Deron Williams is out indefinitely (Click here for details).

#2. NBA Global Games London 2016 has already sold out (Click here for details).

#3. The NBA plans to put a sponsored Kia logo patch on NBA All-star Game jerseys (Click here for details).

#4. ESPN has suspended Grantland (Click here for details).

#5. Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov is buying control of Nassau Coliseum (Click here for details).

#6. The Cavaliers may or may not use their $10.5M trade exception this season (Click here for details).

#7. Jeff Ayres, Jimmer Fredette, and Perry Jones were picked in the Top 3 of the D-League draft (Click here for details).

#8. Pistons' head coach and president of basketball operations Stan Van Gundy isn't happy with his team's early schedule (Click here for details).

#9. Click here to view the NBA's Christmas jerseys.

#10. LeBron James says he plans to play in all 82 games this season (Click here for details).

#11. Lakers head coach Byron Scott calls his team "soft" (Click here for details).

#12. Terrence Ross is hopeful that the Raptors will give him an extension (Click here for details).

#13. Erica McKinley is the NBAPA's new Chief Operating Officer (Click here for details).


Friday's NBA Final Scores: 

Jazz 99 76ers 71. Timberwolves 95 Nuggets 78. Warriors 112 Rockets 92. Cavaliers 102 Heat 92. Thunder 139 Magic 136 (2OT). Raptors 113 Celtics 103. Pistons 98 Bulls 94 (OT). Hawks 97 Hornets 94. Wizards 118 Bucks 113. Spurs 102 Nets 75. Kings 132 Lakers 114. Suns 110 Trail Blazers 92.

Saturday's NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1. The Bulls exercised their contract options for Ton Snell and Doug McDermott (Click here for details).

#2. The Celtics exercised their contract options for Marcus Smart, Kelly Olynyk, and James Young (Click here for details).

#3. Pistons guard Jodie Meeks is expected to miss 12-16 weeks after surgery on his right foot (Click here for details).

#4. The Pelicans signed guard Toney Douglas (Click here for details).

#5. The 76ers exercised their contract options for Joel Embiid, Nerlens Noel, and Nik Stauskas (Click here for details).

#6. Grizzlies guard Tony Allen has been warned for flopping (Click here for details).

#7. Pacers legend Mel Daniels has died (Click here for details).

Saturday's NBA Final Scores: 

Jazz 97 Pacers 76. Warriors 134 Pelicans 120. Grizzlies 101 Nets 91. Knicks 117 Wizards 110. Suns 101 Trail Blazers 90. Clippers 114 Kings 109.

Sunday's NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1. Steve Nash was inducted into the Suns' ring of honor earlier in the week (Click here for details).

#2. 76ers center Joel Embiid grew two inches during the off season (Click here for details).

#3. Terrence Ross and the Raptors are still discussing an extension (Click here for details).

#4. Click here for an update on Cavaliers guard Kyrie Irving.

#5. Bulls guard Kirk Hinrich is dealing with a sore toe (Click here for details).

#6. Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, and Tony Parker are the winningest trio in NBA history with 541 wins and counting (Click here for details).

#7. Jeremy Lamb and the Hornets are closing in on a three-year, $21M extension (Click here for details).

#8. Kobe Bryant isn't happy with how he is playing (Click here for details).

#9. 76ers center Joel Embiid is reportedly recovering ahead of schedule (Click here for details).

#10. Rick Carlisle (Mavericks) and Dwane Casey (Raptors) have set franchise records for all-time wins (Click here for details).

#11. Chandler Parsons returned for the Mavericks (Click here for details).

#12. Pelicans center Kendrick Perkins is out indefinitely with a right pectoral injury (Click here for details).

#13. Kings center DeMarcus Cousins is day-to-day with a right Achilles strain (Click here for details).

#14. The Nets are declining Sergey Karasev's option (Click here for details).

#15. The Wizards won't be giving Bradley Beal an extension (Click here for details).

#16. The 76ers dealt J.P. Tokoto to the Thunder (Click here for details).

#17. The Rockets signed forward Chuck Hayes to a non-guaranteed contract (Click here for details).

#18. The Thunder and Dion Waiters won't agree on an extension (Click here for details).

#19. The Rockets picked up Clint Capela's option (Click here for details).

Sunday's NBA Final Scores: 

Hawks 94 Hornets 92. Spurs 95 Celtics 87. Heat 109 Rockets 89. Raptors 106 Bucks 87. Bulls 92 Magic 87. Thunder 117 Nuggets 93. Mavericks 103 Lakers 93.

Daily Dunks: 9/28-10/4/15

                                                   (Credit: Andy Melton. Click here for source ). 

     Here is my Daily Dunks page for September 28, 2015 through October 4, 2015. Throughout the week, this page will be updated with news from across the NBA until a new Daily Dunks page is created for the following week.

     Monday's NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1. The Mavericks are optimistic that Chandler Parsons will be available for the regular season opener (Click here for details).

#2. Carmelo Anthony says he feels like himself again (Click here for details).

#3. The Grizzlies have announced their training camp roster, which now includes former UCLA guard Lazeric Jones (Click here for details).

#4. Grizzlies rookie Andrew Harrison isn't on the team's training camp roster. He'll spend the season in the D-League with the Iowa Energy (Click here for details).

#5. The Spurs have announced their training camp roster (Click here for details).

#6. The Bulls have announced their training camp roster (Click here for details).

#7. LeBron James is motivated to win a title in Cleveland (Click here for details).

#8. Wizards point guard John Wall donated $400K to a center for homeless children (Click here for details).

#9. Pistons point guard Brandon Jennings still has no timetable for recovery (Click here for details).

#10. Warriors small forward Andre Iguodala underwent knee injections in Germany (Click here for details).

#11. John Wall is ready to recruit Kevin Durant to the Wizards (Click here for details).

#12. Wizards guard Alan Anderson is dealing with an ankle injury (Click here for details).

#13. Emmanuel Mudiay will start at point guard for the Nuggets (Click here for details).

#14. Kyrie Irving is starting to run (Click here for details).

#15. DeMarcus Cousins and George Karl claim their relationship is fine (Click here for details).

#16. John Lucas III and Trey Kelly join the Heat for training camp (Click here for details).

#17. The Pistons added Eric Griffin and Jordan Bachynski to their training camp roster (Click here for details).

#18. The 76ers have finalized their training camp roster (Click here for details).

#19. The Rockets will pick up Clint Capela's 2016-17 option (Click here for details).

#20. Pistons small forward Danny Granger (knee) won't be healthy for the start of training camp (Click here for details).

#21. Rod Thorn is joining the Bucks as a special consultant (Click here for details).

#22. The Warriors signed Ben Gordon (Click here for details).

#23. Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki hopes to play for a couple more years (Click here for details).

#24. Click here for a Tristan Thompson update

Tuesday's NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1. Cavaliers guard Iman Shumpert is out 12-14 weeks due to wrist surgery (Click here for details).

#2. Bulls point guard Derrick Rose suffered an orbital bone fracture and needs surgery. He is out indefinitely (Click here for details).

#3. The Cavaliers have announced their training camp roster (Click here for details).

#4. Italian coach Andrea Mazzon is joining the 76ers in a coaching role with their development league team (Click here for details).

#5. The Hawks have signed forward Arsalan Kazemi for training camp (Click here for details).

#6. Trail Blazers guard Gerald Henderson (hip) may miss the start of the season (Click here for details).

#7. Adam Morrison reportedly never took showers while in the NBA according to a former teammate (Click here for details).

#8. Kyle Korver, Shelvin Mack, and Thabo Sefolosha of the Hawks have all been cleared for basketball related activities (Click here for details).

#9. Damian Lillard spent the offseason improving his ball handling (Click here for details).

#10. Jordan McRae has officially taken the 76ers' required tender. He'll be present at training camp (Click here for details).

#11. Clippers forward Paul Pierce won't let his teammates wear LeBron shoes (Click here for details).

#12. Kobe Bryant implies that he will never leave the Lakers (Click here for details).

#13. Mavericks guard Wesley Matthews may be out until Christmas (Click here for details).

#14. Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony expects to play some power forward this season (Click here for details).

#15. Jabari Parker was a full partipant when the Bucks opened training camp (Click here for details).

#16. Bulls point guard Derrick Rose denies the rape charge. He says everything was consensual (Click here for details).

#17. James Worthy is back with the Lakers organization (Click here for details).

#18. John Henson says he and the Bucks are progressing towards an extension (Click here for details).

#19. The Thunder signed guard Michael Qualls for training camp (Click here for details).

#20. The Raptors exercised their third-year team options on Bruno Caboclo and Lucas Nogueira (click here for details).

Tuesday's WNBA Playoff results: 

Fever 65 Liberty 51: Final. Fever win series 2-1 and advance to the WNBA Finals to face the Lynx.

Wednesday's NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1. Arturas Gudaitis says the Kings are interested in him (Click here for details).

#2. Mikhail Prokhorov plans to attend 25% of all Nets home games this season (Click here for details).

#3. Cavaliers guard Iman Shumpert has undergone wrist surgery (Click here for details).

#4. Bulls power forward Pau Gasol says he will play fewer minutes this season (Click here for details).

#5. Danilo Gallinari hopes to retire with the Nuggets (Click here for details).

#6. The NBA replay refs will help determine certain outcomes (Click here for details).

#7. Pistons point guard Brandon Jennings still has no timetable for return (Click here for details).

#8. Bradley Beal says the Wizards have not offered him a contract extension (Click here for details).

#9. Jimmer Fredette worked out with Chauncey Billups this summer (Click here for details).

#10. Kevin Love is expected to get more touches this season in Cleveland (Click here for details).

#11. Rumor: Kevin Durant is eying the Lakers if he leaves the Thunder (Click here for details).

#12. Carmelo Anthony says the Knicks are targeting at title (Click here for details).

#13. The Wizards have some new "Baltimore Pride" alternate uniforms (Click here for details).

#14 Michael Beasley signed in China with Shandong (Click here for details).

#15. After having surgery, Derrick Rose should be able to resume basketball activities in two weeks (Click here for details).

#16. The Wizards picked up their 2016-17 option for Otto Porter, Jr. (Click here for details).

#17. Pau Gasol had a nasal operation. He says he is breathing better (Click here for details).

#18. Mike Miller has signed with the Nuggets (Click here for details).

#19. Grizzlies point guard Mike Conley plans to keep wearing the mask (Click here for details).

#20. The Trail Blazers exercise their options for C.J. McCollum, Noah Vonleh, and Mason Plumlee (Click here for details).  

Thursday's NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1. The Lakers are considering playing Kobe Bryant at small forward (Click here for details).

#2. The 76ers' owner is happy with the rebuilding process of his team (Click here for details).

#3. The Cavaliers hope Tristan Thompson signs with the team on Friday and reports to camp (Click here for details).

#4. Bucks head coach Jason Kidd says Giannis Antetokoumpo has the whole package (Click here for details).

#5. Nuggets head coach Mike Malone wants Kenneth Faried to step it up (Click here for details).

#6. Marc Gasol says the Grizzlies will try to sign Pau Gasol (Click here for details).

#7. Kevin Love says re-signing with the Cavaliers was a pretty easy choice (Click here for details).

#8. As a welcome gift of sorts, Adidas gave James Harden a truckload of shoes (Click here for details).

#9. Wizards' John Wall hopes to be in the MVP conversation (Click here for details).

#10. Pistons president of basketball operations Stan Van Gundy has positive things to say about rookie Stanley Johnson (Click here for details).

#11. Steve Kerr is taking an indefinite leave of absence from the Warriors as he recovers from back surgery. Luke Walton will step in as interim head coach (Click here for details).

#12. Bucks point guard Tyler Ennis (shoulder) is likely out until mid-November (Click here for details).

#13. Flip Saunders is unlikely to return to the Timberwolves this season (Click here for details).

#14. Lakers point guard D'Angelo Russell is day-to-day with a bruised foot (Click here for details).

#15. The Bulls signed guard Stefhon Hannah to a non-guaranteed contract (Click here for details).

#16. Michael Jordan says Air Jordans are bigger than him (Click here for details).

Friday's NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1. Tristan Thompson denied the Cavaliers' qualifying offer (Click here for details).

#2. Nets forward Andrea Bargnani's chief focus is getting healthy (Click here for details).

#3. Kevin Love is expected to sign with Nike (Click here for details).

#4. Zach LaVine is trying to get Andrew Wiggins in the dunk contest (Click here for details).

#5. Orlando Magic forward Nikola Vucevic will miss the preseason opener with a shoulder injury (Click here for details).

#6. Magic forward Channing Frye is on the open market (Click here for details).

#7. Paul George says he's the best player in the NBA (Click here for details).

#8. Kevin Durant says Stephen A. Smith is lying about him going to the Lakers. Stephen A. Smith sort of admits KD may be right (Click here and here for details).

#9. Adam Silver is getting a retired military general as a special advisor (Click here for details).

#10. Pistons point guard Steve Blake is out indefinitely with a concussion (Click here for details).

#11. The Bucks signed forward John Henson to a 4 year, $45M extension (Click here for details).

#12. The Pacers signed former Rutgers forward Kadeem Jack for training camp (Click here for details).

Friday's NBA preseason scores: 

Clippers 103 Nuggets 96: Final. Clippers forward Josh Smith had 13 points and 8 rebounds. Nuggets point guard Emmanuel Mudiay had 14 points.

Saturday's NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1. Joakim Noah is doing yoga (Click here for details)

#2. The Bucks will use an alternate court and have uniforms to go with it (Click here for details).

#3. Marc Cuban understands if Tyson Chandler is unhappy with the Mavericks (Click here for details).

#4. Cavaliers head coach David Blatt isn't worried about Tristan Thompson's holdout (Click here for details).

#5. Derrick Rose should rejoin the Bulls on Wednesday (Click here for details).

#6. The Clippers waived Nikoloz Tskitishvili (Click here for details).

#7. Hornets forward Michael Kidd-Gilchrist is out indefinitely with a dislocated right shoulder (Click here for details).

#8. Trail Blazers forward Cliff Alexander is out two weeks with a bruise on his left knee (Click here for details).

#9. The Kings picked up their 2016-17 option for shooting guard Ben McLemore (Click here for details).

Saturday's NBA Preseason scores: 

Pelicans 110 Pacers 105. Hornets 106 Magic 100.

Sunday's NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1. Nets forward Andrea Bargnani (hamstring) will miss the team's preseason opener on Monday (Click here for details).

#2. The Hornets signed forward Damien Wilkins to a non-guaranteed contract (Click here for details).

#3. 76ers shooting guard Nik Stauskas is out two weeks with a stress reaction in his right tibia (Click here for details).

#4. Pelicans center Alexis Ajinça is out 4-6 weeks with a hamstring strain (Click here for details).

#5. Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge says extensions are not imminent for Tyler Zeller or Jared Sullinger (Click here for details).

#6. Celtics guard Evan Turner has a knee strain, which means he is doubtful to play against Olimpia Milano (Click here for details).

#7. The Bulls reached a partnership deal with a company from Poland (Click here for details).

#8. LeBron James feels like the whole Tristan Thompson situation is becoming a "distraction" (Click here for details).

#9. Dwight Howard believes that belief is the first step towards the Rockets winning a title (Click here for details).

#10. Kevin Durant appears to be fully healthy (Click here for details).

#11. Thunder head coach Billy Donovan already is thinking about his starting lineup (Click here for details).

#12. Carmelo Anthony denies ever wanting to request a trade from the Knicks (Click here for details).

#13. Paul George isn't sure he's cut out to play power forward (Click here for details).

#14. Carmelo Anthony is optimistic that he can play at a high-level for 4-5 years (Click here for details).

#15. The Pistons have revealed some new "Detroit Chrome" uniforms (Click here for details).

#16. George Karl admits talking about trading DeMarcus Cousins was a bad idea (Click here for details).

#17. Cedi Osman plans to make a jump to the NBA and Cavaliers in 2017 (Click here for details).

#18. Kings rookie Willie Cauley-Stein is reportedly out of shape (Click here for details).

#19. Ty Lawson is now talking smack about Chris Paul (Click here for details).

#20. Grizzlies rookie Andrew Harrison will spend the season in the D-League (Click here for details).

#21. Stephen A. Smith fires back and says Kevin Durant is lying (Click here for details).


Sunday's WNBA Finals results: 

Fever 75 Lynx 69: Final. Briann January led the Fever with 19 points, 4 rebounds, and 6 assists. Fever lead the best-of-five series 1-0.

Sunday's NBA preseason scores: 

Hornets 90 Heat 77. Raptors 93 Clippers 73. Jazz 90 Lakers 71.


---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @nba_lord for NBA news. Also, like my NBA Facebook page NBA Lord Nation and and follow my Google Plus page NBA Lord if you prefer those social media mediums.