Deron Williams, Dime #41The Western Conference’s next-to-blow teams have been taking care of business this summer. The Hornets locked up Chris Paul for the next few years and brought in James Posey. The Blazers killed the draft again (more on that later) and finally got rid of Darius Miles (although he’s reportedly looked good in every workout he’s had recently). The Clippers got Baron Davis, Marcus Camby and Eric Gordon, even though all three of them could miss 30 games apiece this year and no one would be surprised. And the Jazz took care of their first priority yesterday, getting Deron Williams signed to a contract extension. The deal is for three years with a player-option for a fourth, worth as much as $70 million if Deron sees is through. Utah still has a lot to think about next summer, when Carlos Boozer, Memo and Kyle Korver can all opt out of their deals, but for now they’re good money … On the other end of the ballin’ spectrum (on and off the court), the summer leagues were active on Thursday. The main event was Blazers/Wolves, where Jerryd Bayless and Kevin Love were on display. Both guys had it going early and often, doing what they do best: Bayless attacked the basket and repeatedly got to the line, finishing with 29 points (13-for-16 FT’s). He’s like the Dwyane Wade of the summer league. K-Love’s team won the game while he put up 26 points and 15 boards, 10 of them offensive. Yeah, that’s TEN offensive boards. Why do people still doubt this kid? He’s gonna be good. Just accept it … One guy we do have to admit we’ve doubted is Robin Lopez. He had 14 points and 9 boards in Phoenix’s win over San Antonio, in which he also made some nice passes and hustled whenever he was on the floor. Not like he’s gonna get a ton of PT initially with Shaq and Amare around, but Lopez can be a good, contributing piece for the Suns eventually … Three worst hairlines in basketball: (1) SportsCenter’s Jay Harris, (2) Rip Hamilton without the mask/headband, and (3) Michael Olowkandi, with Jermaine O’Neal also in the running. Jamont Gordon is making a strong case, however. According to one of the Dime crew, “His hairline looks like the Batman symbol.” The undrafted Sixers’ hopeful made the game-winner against the Raptors in Vegas, hitting a reverse layup with 0.6 ticks left. Gordon’s backup, our man Dawan “Doc” Robinson, had two points and one assist in seven minutes … Hilton Armstrong re-surfaced on the radar for the first time since getting his fitted hat from O.J. Mayo, scoring 25 in the Hornets’ win over the Clippers. DeAndre Jordan had 11 boards, but was getting worked by Hilton and air-balled a free throw one time … We’re doing some summer cleaning in the Dime office, which means we’re giving away stuff. If you want to get in on an autographed D-Wade Dime #13 issue or a Rasheed Wallace Bullets jersey, there’s still time. Stay tuned for more giveaways today and throughout next week … We said it the other day — sometime after the Elton Brand-to-Philly move and before the Marcus Camby trade — that the Clippers’ next big move would determine where a lot of the remaining free agent chips would fall. The Camby trade means the Grizzlies and Nuggets are really the only teams with a lot of cap space to go after free agents like Josh Smith, Josh Childress, Emeka Okafor, Andre Iguodala, Monta Ellis, Andris Biedrins, Ben Gordon and Luol Deng, it looks like (barring sign-and-trades), many of them will end up back with their own teams. If anyone changes squads, we could see it being BG … Meanwhile, the Clippers keep adding pieces, signing Kelenna Azubuike yesterday. The storylines for next year’s Warriors/Clippers games just keep writing themselves … Yao’s back. He came off the bench and put up 11 points in 12 minutes in an Olympic tune-up against Serbia … Seeing as his other options were supposedly the Celtics, Suns and other contending teams, is Tyronn Lue finding it hard to pretend he’s happy about going to the Bucks? Oh wait, they did pay him more than any of those other teams could have. So he’s probably cool … Here’s an idea: Since the Suns still need a backup point guard (no, Leandro Barbosa isn’t a real point guard), why not take a chance on Shaun Livingston? The risk is big, but the reward is potentially huge. Phoenix’s medical staff is apparently the best in the NBA anyway (ask Shaq and Grant Hill, and wasn’t Steve Nash’s career supposed to be over by now thanks to that back condition?), so if anyone can get Livingston back on the court, it’s them … Yesterday we told you about Sam Dalembert quitting/getting kicked off Team Canada. By all accounts it was more of an ongoing issue between The Dalembeast and coach Leo Rautins than a one-time incident, and as the agent of one Canadian team member told a Toronto paper, “He’s kind of got an NBA aura. He’s a role player in the League, but he sees what stars can get away with there and now that he’s in a smaller pond, he’s pulling a lot of the same stuff.” That’s kind of cold to call Sam a role player like that, but even though he was one of only like three or four players to average 10 points, 10 boards and 2 blocks last year, that’s what he is … Speaking of role players, the Hawks worked out Kwame Brown and Randolph Morris the other day. And you wonder why people think they should sign-and-trade Josh Smith to the Clippers for one of their centers … Forget Steph playing in Italy; Gilbert Arenas wants to play pro ball in the Philippines when he’s done collecting those nine figures from the Wizards. “They make you feel like a god,” Gil told the New York Times after getting back from a promo tour in Asia. “When my NBA career is done, I have to play here one year.” What would a healthy Arenas, even at age 36 or so, average in the Philippines? About 45 a night? … The Hawks hired Tyrone Hill as an assistant coach, which means we’re that much closer to the day when Ty Hill and Sam Cassell are coaching against each other in an NBA game. Imagine the announcers trying to get through those split-screen shots without making a joke … We’re out like The Dalembeast …
July 18th, 2008 at 4:06 am
carlos burgos a.k.a daquest?on says:
the dalempet 1st??
July 18th, 2008 at 4:07 am
Bruce says:
K-Love’s aka Cecil Turtleteam won the game while he put up 26 points and 15 boards, 10 of them offensive. I don’t care about stats. He have to show me more!
July 18th, 2008 at 4:07 am
Borgs says:
CP3 got D-Will money.
July 18th, 2008 at 4:09 am
the_don_mega says:
man… agent zero here?
in the Philippines???
at age 36…
he prolly could still average 50 a night…
ei FED… tnx for d shout out d last time!
i just hope Dime shares us them goodies!
July 18th, 2008 at 4:10 am
Bruce says:
Arenas wants the Ali, Jordan and Tiger treatment.
I feel you Arenas, I feel you. When I was balling in Vietnam, I was a rock-star.
That was 8 years ago, right after college too. I miss college: the education, the class hours, the partying, the booze, and the best for last: the women!
July 18th, 2008 at 4:11 am
jryu says:
my friend used to play poker with tyrone hill and said that he used to get pissed when people would joke about his aesthetic appeal, or lack thereof.
imagine an nba finals series between those 2 coaches.. throw in popeye jones and shelden williams as assistant coaches and i guarantee you only 4 people in the world could watch that whole series..
July 18th, 2008 at 4:15 am
Bruce says:
Who was guarding K-Love aka Cecil Turtle? The fool should have been thinking Sprewell, “I got a family to feed.”
I would have, I got a fmaily to feed too.
July 18th, 2008 at 4:25 am
BxBaller says:
It’s funny how people were clowing Steph for wanting to play in Italy, now they’re embracing it when Arenas wants to play in the Philippines. Doesn’t matter, anyways good looks for Deron, get that paper homey.
July 18th, 2008 at 4:31 am
Bruce says:
Why do people like Kevin Love? A chubby college kid who lost weight for the draft.
When he guards power forwards like Gasol Brothers, Tim Duncan, Elton Brand, Amare, etc. he’s gonna get dunked on. It’s ridiculous.
Cecil Turtle ain’t starting over Big Al and I don’t see Cecil Turtle starting over any other PF.
July 18th, 2008 at 4:42 am
HIBACHI says:
AGENT ZERO SHOWS LOVE TO MANILA (from my blog)
http://my.nba.com/thread.jspa?threadID=5700017915
Everybody should visit Manila
Some quotables. I took out some stuff since the blog was long
Then we stopped in Manila. It was a different world. I’ve never seen fans like that in my life. These pictures can’t even do justice to what was going on out there. I had a reception at a small, little venue to welcome me to the city and there were 200 people there.
One thing I want to say about Filipinos: they’re very warm people, very good-hearted people. Like, everybody was nice. You know, you meet nice people, but a whole country of nice, genuine, warm-hearted people was unbelievable. These are diehard fans.
You have to look at the Agent Zero posters they had out there. They put me in a cape at one of my last events in Manila. It was at one of their biggest malls and they were predicting it was going to be crowded. I mean, crowded to me is a Saturday afternoon at the mall where you have to wait in line for 10 minutes to pay for your jeans. Their crowded was probably four or five thousand people in the mall. It was like nothing I’ve ever seen before, and I’ve seen crazy fans all over the world. It was like Golden State against the Dallas Mavericks with Game 3 back in Oakland. It was that type of atmosphere in the mall.
They made me feel like an NBA star.
Any NBA players out there: If you’re having a bad day, or you’re having a bad career, go to Manila. They’ll bring your spirits up, trust me.
I felt like I just won the NBA championship, to be for real.
After we left the mall we were looking at pictures from the event a couple days later and we were telling ourselves, “Man, that was unreal!”
We actually went to a college basketball game together. Their college game would be like if it was Duke and Maryland playing each other and you split the crowd in half, 50-50. One side of their gym was blue and one side of their gym was green and everybody was just yelling.
Backstage I met Manny Pacquiao, he’s the town hero. I have to be honest, they made me feel even bigger than him at the moment. I talked to him and he invited me to his November fight, so if I have time and depending on if we have a day off, I might go see that. Oh, I also met Jet Li in Shanghai, can’t leave him out.
On top of everything else in Manila, I stayed at the best hotel I’ve ever stayed at – The Peninsula. I was in the mack daddy “El Presidente” suite and was like the Fresh Prince with Geoffrey – I had a live-in butler.
One more note on Manila, just so you guys can get a picture of what kind of people they are and how much they adore and love entertainers and the NBA. Think about this: If you’ve ever been to a Beyoncé concert, or anybody’s concert in the states really, if they sell out an arena it will be 20,000 fans. Last year in Beyoncé’s hometown, Houston, she pulled in 12,000 people to her show. D.C. was her biggest sell, she put 18,000 people in the seats. Meanwhile, she was in Manila for two days to do two concerts and she had 85,000 people, two nights straight.
July 18th, 2008 at 4:52 am
the real marcus says:
man, that tyrone hill / cassell split shot would be damn hilarious… imagine the nba’s “there can only be one” promo, with tyrone and sam on each side… that’d give the predator’s face (maskless) a run for its money…
well, i’m not a big fan of k-love, but who’d start over him? calvin booth? i think even right now, mchale would make him look silly in practices… and ryan gomes is a 3 masquerading his lack of laterals by playing the 4…
and gilbert in PH? well, 40 a night aint farfetched, but let it be known, they have good guards and lockdown defenders down there… can’t say much about bigs, though…
we’re out like a tyrone / cassell portrait…
July 18th, 2008 at 4:55 am
the real marcus says:
and mad props to gil for that blog…
…im half filipino by the way
July 18th, 2008 at 5:41 am
Big Daddy says:
@ HIBACHI
We had a Phillipino guy on our team in our summer league… he was like 5′ 8″ but was used to playing a center in his home town cause they’re all so small there. So we let him play center and he really held his own against dudes that were 6′2″/6′3″ Great guy and all. You must’ve felt like a freaken giant there!
BD
July 18th, 2008 at 5:57 am
Wesley says:
More bout Areanas workout:
http://www.squidoo.com/GilbertArenas
July 18th, 2008 at 6:02 am
HIBACHI says:
average height for a filipino dude is 5′-5′7… so if your 6 feet plus y’all ass will be playing center around there…
July 18th, 2008 at 6:09 am
the real marcus says:
well, the 5′7″ height average was around 10 years ago…
go into malls and urban joints, and you’ll see teens around the 5′11-6′2″ ranges nowadays…
…not tall enough, but taller than before…
July 18th, 2008 at 6:26 am
YOUNGFED says:
Naw Mega we probably ain’t gonna get anything cause the whole promotion thing is for the Newbies, plus we ain’t got no sob stories….TRUTH. But they need to look out or I’m cancelling my subscription. lol
July 18th, 2008 at 6:45 am
bigger_daddy says:
props to arenas for praising philippines. man, he was huge here. and i mean very huge…
July 18th, 2008 at 7:03 am
sans says:
marcus, the only one moment thing would be rough with Tyrone Hill and Sam Cassel–vomiting, angry phone calls, at least on e miscarriage–but I bet either of them could get players to hustle. Anything to get away from being face to face with either of their angry faces.
July 18th, 2008 at 7:07 am
Yoooo says:
@ Austin: Tre Fo is Winston-salem, NC. Stands for something like the Ird city in the 4th county
July 18th, 2008 at 7:41 am
JoV says:
I was at the college game that Gil Zero attended, and everyone went crazy when he arrived. He only watched the 1st quarter of the game though.
July 18th, 2008 at 7:51 am
OKC Hicks says:
Blazers seem to draft real well as of late. I wish I could say the same about the Knicks…
July 18th, 2008 at 8:00 am
off the bench says:
while china may have the better bigs outside of the middle eastern teams, Filipinos have the best point/ combo guards in Asia.
Koreans snipe from the outside, the Japs are quick, but Filipino point guards are tough and gritty.
they just don’t have enough size to make it in the olympics though.
July 18th, 2008 at 8:27 am
bballer aka king ralf says:
@HIBACHI
Most asian countries let u feel like you´re a king. Their hospitality is unmatched in the world, i think. Plus, you´re getting the star-bonus, don´t underestimate that.
I was in Bali (on Bali?) before the terrible bomb assaults and people really made you feel good over there. everybody smiles all the time, at least as long as you´re the hand feeding them (aka tourist). But there are very bad places, too.
July 18th, 2008 at 9:00 am
Damon says:
Pre olympic qualifier news:
croatia just dismantled canada, advancing to the semifinals.
July 18th, 2008 at 9:36 am
Imperial-Mel says:
Hibachi, this wasnt meant to be your article….wow thats long….informative but loooonnngggg!!
July 18th, 2008 at 9:41 am
Logan Light says:
First thing first: Kevin Love has come to play. Big ups to him for letting all the doubters out there (myself included) that he is actually good. I really doubted his pro career ability, but he seems to be able to find the ball in traffic against other NBA sized bodies. You can’t teach that - he has a knack for being in the right position. I’ll be keeping up with him more now than I would have 2 months ago.
Could D Miles really come back and be a substantial role player? If he went in with Boston and KG could get a hold of him it might mean another chip for the Green. If you think about it, Darius Miles is a “puff, puff, pass” away from being Lamar Odom….
LL
July 18th, 2008 at 9:45 am
fiyaman says:
y dont the clippers do sign and trade and get Okofor for Camby…
July 18th, 2008 at 9:49 am
MSkittle says:
What about Jason Terry and Kobe for the worst hairlines in basketball?
July 18th, 2008 at 9:52 am
heavy d says:
Denver does not have any cap room. They just barely get under the luxury tax and they go back above if they sign any of their free agents like JR Smith. Memphis is the only hope for a RFA payday and they’ve been clear they aren’t interested in spending this year.
July 18th, 2008 at 10:15 am
girlybballluver says:
Don’t get the Casell, Tyrone Hill thing…must’ve been before my time.
July 18th, 2008 at 10:17 am
Austin Burton says:
@Yoooo — Thanks. Josh Howard has a chain that says “Tre 4,” and we were trying to figure out what that meant. Some people around here guessed it meant he was REALLY tight with Devin Harris.
July 18th, 2008 at 10:31 am
GEE...D P G C and tha R O C says:
the real marcus @ 11 I was thinking the same thing about that whole split screen, pimpin that would be so hidious.
As a matter of fact I think I am going to ask my wife, ok if you had no choice and had to go out with either Tyrone Hill or Sam Cassell who would you pick lol. She gone try to get out of it but THIS day she will choose lol. I am gone mess with her all week on who ever she pick.
Yao shmao, I hope someone from team USA straight crown money for the stunt dude is pullin. You can ball for China but not Houston. I ain’t saying his injury wasn’t all the way legit but I think he could have pulled playing both off. Right now I ain’t happy with him.
They should do a summer league all star joint and throw it on some station, it could be upn for all I care, I would watch it.
Yo for not getting Brand the Clips still making moves fa real. I feel like I am seeing someone different sign with them everyday.
I waiting for one of these big detroit trades to jump off (Not the T-Mac one though) cause with Dumars saying how no one is exempt, I want to see who is packing. I know Joe D trying to get the most bang for da buck though.
Got to be a strange feeling to know at any day you could be traded off. Yo bags pretty much got to stay pack for the whole summer. Dang.
Kevin Love putting down like that. Wow. I always figured dude would be trash or either have a Carlos Boozer type game. Guess he gone lay his down his way.
Man I don’t care if doc had .5 points dude is still among some of who will possibly be the elite and getting on the court so major props still.
Might create you on 2k8 and put you on the sixers squad just because you getting a shot pimpin. I know, give you crazy handles on the attributes deal.
July 18th, 2008 at 10:33 am
GEE...D P G C and tha R O C says:
girly surely you have seen Cassell so you know how dude looks. You know he got the hot grits grill.
Anyway go type Tyrone Hill in a search engine and pull up some pics of him.
Then imagine you out on a date with both lollllll.
July 18th, 2008 at 10:36 am
isotope says:
I thought the suns were going to sign Lue. Did they pick up a PG in the draft? I dont remember.
It’ll be interesting to see what Denver does with all that money they have now.
July 18th, 2008 at 10:39 am
kulas says:
yeah 35 year old Gil would average 35-40ppg in the Philippines, but like the real marcus said, guards from the philippines are really good (not to mention around Gil’s height 6′3″ - 6′4″), so they probably wouldn’t be overmatched as some may think.
Also, I think Phils got the best guards in Asia, I’ve watched team Philippines live against Team China, Lebanon etc and the Asian powerhouse teams and they always had great if not the best guards.. (Big Men though, well that’s another story)
Combine Team China’s big men with the Phils guards, now that would be something…
July 18th, 2008 at 10:45 am
kulas says:
and their pro league is way more physical than in the NBA…
July 18th, 2008 at 10:53 am
DaPro says:
Damn Tyrone Hill and Sam Cassell in HD!!!! My screen will explode from the ugliness
I hate to call them brothas out but them cats lucky they can ball
July 18th, 2008 at 11:10 am
yallallreadyknow says:
espn’s mike tirico has the ABSOLUTE worst hairline
July 18th, 2008 at 11:12 am
dagwaller says:
Hahahaha @ post 37. Good thing for all of us that Michael Ruffin probably won’t end up coaching.
Also, Dime, I retract my submission for the Bullets jersey - IF you can get me a Dawan “Doc” Robinson jersey. With either “Doc” or “Robinson” on the back. Seriously.
July 18th, 2008 at 11:14 am
Austin Burton says:
Tirico…
http://www.webwiseforradio.com/site_files/296/Image/Mike_Tirico.jpg
July 18th, 2008 at 11:38 am
that's whats up says:
Mike Tirico, just shave that shit man.
It looked like a pigeon landed on your head and left some doo-doo behind
July 18th, 2008 at 11:42 am
DaPro says:
Stephen A Smith
July 18th, 2008 at 11:48 am
Tha Boddy says:
The difference between Agent-Zero and Marbury is that ones career is still going while Marbury will be going overseas pretty soon
July 18th, 2008 at 11:51 am
GEE...D P G C and tha R O C says:
Yea Stephen A’s stuff is pusheeeed baaaaaaaaack.
@that’s whats up
if he shave it though, granted it’s horrid lookin, he gone look real “slow” with the baldness lol.
dude just need a wig.
July 18th, 2008 at 11:56 am
Miljan says:
Yo DIME, do you think with the numbers Bayless is putting up, that he can one day be in the same crowd as Monta Ellis, D-Wade, A.I.? You know, one of the relentless undersized players that always drives to the hoop against monsters…
July 18th, 2008 at 12:14 pm
GEE...D P G C and tha R O C says:
check out ANDRAY BLATCHE lol
http://www.mediatakeout.com/25202/lmao_check_out_nbas_andray_blatche_from_the_washington_wizards__my_man_is_having_way_to_much_fun_in_the_club.html
July 18th, 2008 at 12:18 pm
GEE...D P G C and tha R O C says:
They also taking a poll askin ladies if they would honestly let Greg Oden hit. lol.
Junk is funny.
July 18th, 2008 at 12:24 pm
Austin Burton says:
Bayless does play like a younger version of Wade or Monta. Think the Bucks wish they would have taken him instead of Joe Alexander? Mike Redd and Mo starting, with Sessions and Bayless off the bench is a good backcourt.
July 18th, 2008 at 12:43 pm
dagwaller says:
I dunno, Austin - that’s an awful lot of shots coming from the four smallest guys on your team. It didn’t work too well last year with gunners in the backcourt, if memory serves.
July 18th, 2008 at 1:14 pm
Austin Burton says:
Sessions is a pass-first PG; and it wouldn’t hurt the Bucks to have an effective scorer off the bench with an actual jumper (so Desmond Mason is out). As bad as Alexander has looked in summer league, combined with the fact that they just got Richard Jefferson, I would make that trade if I could (Bayless for Alexander).
July 18th, 2008 at 2:34 pm
Austin Burton says:
Currently watching a replay of Blazers/Wolves, a.k.a. Jerryd Bayless and Petteri Koponen writing Drew Neitzel’s ticket to Europe. They’re killing him.
July 18th, 2008 at 3:44 pm
eyeused2b says:
Tyronn Lue didn’t need to sign with a contender. He has more rings than KG and Nash combined. He’s smart to be chasing the money at this point in his career.
July 18th, 2008 at 3:53 pm
carlos burgos a.k.a daquest?on says:
PR beat Slovenia to advance to the semifinals. Rasho had 10 points and 10 rebounds, Arroyo has 17 points. Im out like rasho in the olympics peace
July 18th, 2008 at 4:34 pm
girlybballluver says:
@ Gee
OH MY GOD!!! LoL, I clearly didn’t get it because I had no idea who Tryrone Hill was, and I’ve never seen him before. They are clearly from the same planet, (they’re probably neighbors)…chauncey billups lives down the street from them.
July 18th, 2008 at 4:35 pm
girlybballluver says:
Greg Oden is a beast!!! And I’m not talking about on the court…I’ve never even seen him play.
July 18th, 2008 at 4:36 pm
girlybballluver says:
Bayless is a great scorer…the probklem is, they need him to be a distributor. He has to play the point…I don’t see him putting up too many assists right now, do you?
July 18th, 2008 at 8:38 pm
doc says:
I dont see Beyless getting assists unless he just know he can jack in summer league,but the dude know how to draw fouls and put the ball in the hole.He can be a more stocky Monta easy.And Im feeling K-Love game out here.@dag One day Ima have that Robinson jersey for you.@Fed thats real rap.
August 14th, 2008 at 5:42 am
jaggedfreak says:
50ppg in the Phil league? i don’t think so. former NBA stars who ended up playing in the filo professional league never did anything exceptional than pack their bags home after playing some few lousy games. ask cedric ceballos, dennis rodman, darvin ham, etc.