Where Are They Now, 2010; Part 31

I wasn't initially going to mention this, not until we got to Marko Tomas's entry at least. But, browbeaten/prompted by Jonathan Givony, I will relent and do it now.

An amusing scandal has broken out in the world of Croatian basketball. A team called Cibona Zagreb are perhaps the best team in the country; they were in the last 16 of the Euroleague just last month, and currently lead the powerhouse Adriatic league with a 19-5 record. Players on that team that you may have heard of include former Bulls centre Dalibor Bagaric (whose name was brutalised into Dalibor Ballagachayridge by inept English commentator Roy Birch last week), former Real Madrid sharpshooter Marko Tomas, Slovenian shooter Samo Udrih (Beno's brother and one time Maverick), and balding former Mississippi State guard Jamont Gordon (covered here earlier this week). It's a deep team that also houses upcoming draft prospect Bojan Bogdanovic (a tall wing player with a fine jumpshot, if not much else) and Leon Radosevic (a 19 year old big man who, in true Croatian style, cannot rebound). Cibona have long had a strong youth movement, and this continues today.

Cibona Zagreb's captain is 27 year old Croatian national team veteran forward Marin Rozic. Rozic is currently injured and has been out of action for the last three months, but this doesn't mean he hasn't been keeping himself busy. News reports out of Croatia claim that, in a homage to former England captain John Terry, Rozic has been knocking off Radosevic's woman on the side, despite the two being teammates. It was Radosevic himself who went to the press, and, via the awkward medium of Google Translate, here's the gist of the story:

- I went to training and left to record their conversation. A day later I am still shocked and listen - told 24 hours Radosevic and briefly recounted the contents of their conversation.

- Euphoric spoke as she went with him into the apartment, but apparently nothing happened because they did not have condoms. Only the love.

.......

When he discovered the affair, called the girl and brought the completed act.

- First denied and then I let her recording of the conversation. Picked up the items and left the flat.

The gist of that, confirmed by this English language version of the story, is that Radosevic's girlfriend told him that a (female) friend of hers was going to come over to their place while he was at practice. This prompted Radosevic to set up a covert recording of their liaison, as he claimed that he 'liked to hear girls talk.' When he returned from practice and replayed the tape, he found that his girlfriend's actual visitor that day was Rozic, with whom she had been making out on the couch. (Although, as you can see above, apparently they avoided bumping uglies due to a lack of penis wraps. So they're not animals.)

The seediness of Radosevic's actions - who seemingly was covertly recording his girlfriend with another woman just to add to his own personal spankbank - has been overlooked by the two reports that instead seem to focus on Rozic's moral disobedience and general douchebaggery, as well as the girlfriend's deviance and slagginess. This is, perhaps, fair enough. Yet I don't believe it should be overlooked that, if what I can gather from the various reports is correct, Radosevic was illicitly recording other people's conversations. If he did so because he suspected she was straying, that's one thing, but it doesn't look like he was. It looks like he was just being a bit of a deviant himself. And that's pretty weird, dude.

Radosevic has asked to be released at the end of the year; fortunately, with Rozic's injury keeping him away from the team, they should be able to avoid any conflict between now and then. If there's any justice, Rozic will be the one released, but he's the better player and that often counts for a lot. So we'll wait and see.

As for the girlfriend in question, this is her. She's 8 years older than Radosevic; in fact, she's even older than Rozic. She seems to be claiming that she and Radosevic had already broken up, and that her and Rozic are just friends. The tape would suggest otherwise. Rozic refuses to comment.

It's funny, yet it isn't.

And now for some red hot Where Are They Now action.


- Jeff Horner

Iowa product and D-League veteran Jeff Horner started the year in Belgium, which is only fitting because he's American. However, he was released by Aalstar after posting 0 points and 1 assist in 47 minutes, while still recovering from a twice-broken foot. He then took up coaching, starting at Des Moines area high school, moving to Grandview University, and has now joined Iowa University's player development program.

Horner was the first player acquired in the history of the Iowa Energy D-League franchise. This was for his local ties more than anything else.



- Robert Horry

Horry last played two years ago, and he's not coming back now. In retirement, Horry has done a bit of TV work for ESPN, appeared in a reality tv show called "The Superstars" (which sounds like a tacky American imitation of the seminal British classic), and has opened a sports bar in Houston. He'll also appear at your club, for a fee.



- Daniel Horton

The last two years of the Daniel Horton Experience have not gone well. Last year, due to a combination of injuries and Pau Orthez's struggles, Horton played in only 4 games all year, averaging 11.3 points and 4.0 assists. And this year has been even worse; now with a different French team (Hyeres-Toulon), Horton played the first three games of the French league season before getting injured. He missed two months of action and only returned in the new year; since then he's played seven more games. Yet in these ten games, Horton is averaging only 3.4 points and 3.0 assists in 22 minutes per game. He is shooting 10-46 from the field; 8-33 from two point range and 2-13 from three. Toulon have now released Horton, who remains unsigned.

Another Hyeres-Toulon player is Pierre Pierce. Now into his second year with the team, the infamous former Iowa player is averaging 14.0 points, 4.5 rebounds and 5.5 assists per game, albeit shooting only 39% from the field, 28% from three and 56% from the line. (The assists rank fourth in the league.) Pierce is more notorious for his criminal history, which is rather well-sculpted; he was released from prison in September 2006 after serving 11 months for assaulting his girlfriend, serving 332 days after pleading guilty to intent to commit sexual abuse, false imprisonment, third-degree burglary and criminal mischief. Pierce is to stay on probation until October 2010, and has to register as a sex offender wherever he goes, and while he played in summer league for the Warriors in 2007 - and playing rather well at that - in doing so he violated his probation and served 30 more days.

Pierre Pierce, everybody. Charge your glasses.



- Quinton Hosley

Fresno State product Hosley signed his first ever NBA contract this past October when he joined the Portland Trail Blazers for training camp. However, he was an early cut, never challenging for a roster spot. Rebounding from that didn't take long, as Hosley returned to Turkey and promptly began to beast. On the season for Aliaga Petkim, Hosley is averaging 18.0 points, 8.3 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 2.9 steals per game. He's 5th in the league in PPG, 2nd in RPG, 1st in SPG, and only just outside the top ten in APG (Emir Preldzic is tenth with 4.0apg). He's arguably the best player in the country. But due to a lack of domestic support, Aliaga are 12th in the league with a 9-13 record.



- Allan Houston

Houston was never the compelling protagonist of his own amnesty clause, as was erroneously expected by a large contingent of the mainstream media. This is because he didn't need to be; the Knicks knew that they could get a retirement exemption thing on Houston's salary eventually, and they finally did so in October 2005.

Houston wasn't done, however; he launched two comeback attempts, both with the Knicks, who signed him for training camp in both 2007 and 2008. However, Houston made neither roster, and the comeback attempts appeared to be more in hope than expectation. (If he really wanted to get back in the NBA, he wouldn't have signed with the Knicks; the roster situation was always against him. Loyalties were a big factor.) It was, however, a more noble way to go out than before. Houston is now working for the Knicks as an assistant to team president and part time mafioso, Donnie Walsh. He also co-owns the clothing label UNK NBA, and is a prominent charity event organiser.



- Ron Howard

Valparaiso graduate Howard is again in the D-League, and again he's with the Fort Wayne Mad Ants. This is his third consecutive season there, and he has improved every time. His first year, he averaged 11.1 points, 2.9 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game, rising to 18.7 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.4 assists last year. He has had training camp contracts after the conclusion of both seasons, first with the Bucks and then last year with the Knicks.

This year, Howard - best on the defensive end - has improved his numbers even further. He is averaging 20.6 points, 4.1 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game, shooting 46% from the field and 80% from the free throw line. Better still, he's now shooting threes. In his first two seasons with the team, Howard went 0-16 from three in 95 games and 3,073 minutes, but this year he's shooting 42-109 from out there, a 39% clip. Howard can't improve his age (27) or his height (6'5 small forward), and he hasn't improved his rebounding, but he has improved his jumpshot range. So now he's a 21ppg defensive specialist. Can't be bad.

Worse players than him have been called up before. Stick with it, Ron.

[EDIT; Howard left the Mad Ants two weeks ago to go and play in China.]



- Marcus Hubbard

Like Howard, Hubbard is in the D-League. Like Howard, Hubbard has had training camp contracts the last two seasons; with the Hawks in 2008 and the Bucks in 2009. But unlike Howard, Hubbard is on the cusp of nothing. In 37 games this season, 17 with the Reno Bighorns and 20 with the Albuquerque Thunderbirds, Hubbard is averaging 8.4 points and 5.8 rebounds per game. But to get those numbers, he's shooting only .376% from the field, with 312 points on 314 shots. And that's a 6'9 forward. Hubbard is athletic, but all he really uses that for is to get elevation to take a lot of long twos. And that's not getting it done.



- Troy Hudson

Hudson last played with the Warriors in the 2007-08 season, when he appeared in only 9 games and shot 29%. He has not signed anywhere since. Hudson was trying to make a comeback as recently as August, when he sponsored and played for a team in the Howard Pulley Summer League. The Howard Pulley Summer League is a summer league (obviously) centred around former and current Minnesotans; also involved were Trenton Hassell, Quincy Lewis, Rich Melzer, Khalid El-Amin, and pretty much every member of the current Gopher squad (including Paul Carter, Al Nolen, Ralph Sampson and Damian Johnson). He also had workouts with multiple NBA teams in the summer, including Detroit. But nothing came of it.

The website for his record label no longer exists, and there's no word on whether his album's sales figures ever cracked the three figure mark. However, Hudson continues to pursue an entrepenurial dream. Hudson still has a website for his own musical endeavours, T-HudOnline.com (although it is remarkably out of date), and Nutty Boyz Entertainment has become Hudson Records, a subsidiary of Hudson's larger company, Troy E. Hudson Enterprises. Included in Hudson Enterprises are the record label, a sports management firm, and Undrafted Pros, a sports recruitment firm of sorts.

In addition to this dream, Hudson is still "in the streets in every city and hood" promoting his music>, and is also writing a book. More on that when it is known. Until such time, would you like to hear a Troy Hudson song? You would? All right. But make sure that you do before you play the following clip.



And if you'd like to see how that musical sensation was created, why not watch this mesmeric behind-the-scenes video?



That looks like my old bedroom. Or the bedroom of one of many thousands of other teenage boys with musical dreams around the world. Good luck though, Troy!



- DeeAndre Hulett

Raptors draft pick DeeAndre Hulett is a veteran of the Central American leagues, yet he had disappeared from the scene in December 2008 when he left his Mexican team, Potros. Over a year passed, but he eventually reappeared last month when he signed with the Domincan Republic team, Cupes De Los Pepines (which I think translates as "Cucumber Coupés"). Statistics are unavailable.

Somewhere, I read that this transaction also marks the end of Hulett's two year ban from Dominican Republic basketball. However, I can't find where I initially read this, and nor do I know what the ban was for. Any details welcomed.......but it seems unlikely that anyone cares enough.



- Ryan Humphrey

Humphrey is playing for Grupo Begar Leon in Spain's LEB Gold. He's averaging 15.3 points and 7.5 rebounds in 26 minutes per game, shooting 56& from the field and 62% from the line. The Magic may once have tried to turn him into a small forward/shooting guard, but it hasn't happened. And it's not going to, either.



- Brandon Hunter

Brandon Hunter is playing for Hapoel Jerusalem, where it has been my very great privilege to watch him quite a few times this season. For those wondering, he is still really really really strong, still bald, and still an out and out post player that can't (doesn't) shoot outside of the paint. And he's still awesome. On the year Hunter is averaging 7.9 points and 4.5 rebounds per game in the Israeli league, alongside 8.2 points and a surprisingly low 3.8 rebounds per game in the Eurocup.



Finally.....

- Jimmie Hunter

Snap has been in Spain since early 2006, and is currently in his second season with CB Granada. He is averaging 12.5 points and 3.2 rebounds per game in the ACB, but is shooting only 28% from three point range. As the one time CBA Three Point Shootout Champion, this is quite the drop off.

Where Are They Now, 2009; Part 25

- Little Jeff Horner - who is kind of like John Stockton, only with better rebounding - averages 8.4 points, 3.6 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.6 steals for Antibes. Antibes play in the French second division (ProB), which undermines that Stockton comparison a bit. But still. Stockton didn't play much in his rookie year, either. Give Horner time. He's only 25 dammit. By the way, that bulge in my cheek is my tongue.

- Robert Horry is unofficially, but effectively, retired.

- Daniel Horton was released by Pau Orthez in December, after totalling 45 points on 49 shots, with 16 assists, in 4 games.

- Quinton Hosley is playing for Real Madrid, where he averages 6.8 points and 3.4 rebounds in 16 mpg in the Spanish league, and 9.1 ppg and 3.3 rpg in the same amount of time in the Euroleague. Other Real Madrid guards include former Michigan starlet and booster recipient Louis Bullock (one of the team's leading scorers), former NBA journeyman Pepe Sanchez (who is still painfully bad at scoring; on the season he has 48 assists to 20 points, on 6-28 shooting), Marko Tomas (who isn't playing any more than he was last time he was at Real), Raul Lopez (we'll come to him later), and my own personal favourite, Sergio Llull. Nothing says "YES!" more than a 21 year old 5'10 point guard with terrific athletic ability and three point range. I like this guy.

- Allan Houston is now a part of the Knicks front office, something which hopefully means no more comeback attempts. I know you don't like how it ended, Allan, but to be honest I can't see it ending any better even if you did make a mini comeback. You did fine, really. Plenty of money, an NBA Finals appearance, two All Star games.....yeah, you should totally be contented with that.

- Ron Howard is carrying basically the entire offense of his D-League team, the Fort Wayne Mad Ants. Howard averages 16.6 points and 4.8 rebounds a game, but hasn't hit a three all year, which is a valid concern when you're trying to consider the NBA prospects of a 26 year old 6'5 swingman.

- Marcus Hubbard is also in the D-League, averaging 9.0 points and 4.8 rebounds in 27 minutes a game for the Rio Grande Valley Vipers. Hubbard (often) starts at centre for the Vipers, and is a fairly strong and supremely athletic centre, in a league with an emphasis on pace and devoid of much size. And yet, he grabs less than 5 rebounds in 27 minutes a game. That's not good enough, hammer fred.

- Troy Hudson is unsigned, and recently asked Olympiakos if they would sign him. Olympiakos said no.

- DeeAndre Hulett is also unsigned, as he was recently released by his Mexican team, Potros ITSON, who currently rank last in the Mexican league with a 8-34 record. Here's a quick explanation of who DeeAndre Hulett is: DeeAndre Hulett was a second round draft pick of the Raptors back in 2000. He played one year of college ball, for the Division 3 school "College Of The Sequoias". (Yeah, that powerhouse.) Hulett left after one season and went to the IBL in a bid to raise his draft stock. (Yeah, that powerhouse.) After a season of averaging roughly 8/2, he declared for the draft, and was picked 46th, basically on account of his 48 inch vertical leap. Since then, Hulett has done the rounds, playing for at least 4 Domincan Republic teams, as well as stops in the CBA, USBL, NDBL [as it was], Italy, France, Germany, Finland and Iceland (yeah, that powerhouse), performing reasonably well against low standards of opposition.

But here's what I'm thinking: Hulett never signed a contract with the Raptors at any point. He went to their summer league a few times, but that doesn't count. As a result, the Raptors still own his draft rights. And right now, they need a swingman. And DeeAndre Hulett just left his Mexican team. Can you see where I'm going with this? It's basically inevitable. Basically.

- Big Comfy Ryan Humphrey is also in the D-League, averaging 13.6 points and 7.2 rebounds in 28 minutes per game for the Tulsa 66ers. He also averages 4.1 turnovers, a simply staggering amount, particularly in so few minutes a game, and when playing in the paint. By the way, out of all the stupid nicknames I had to invent for players for this site (after my initial genius of idea of "yeah! Let's list everyone's nicknames!" unravelled when it dawned on me that only about 1 in 4 players have them), Big Comfy Ryan Humphrey is the one I'm most proud of. It has it all - rhyming, a Bryant Reeves reference, an accurate description of the player in question (Ryan Humphrey has been know to be a tad fat, thus he's big and comfy).......yes, I'm proud of myself here. Less proud of the fact that this is what I do with my life, but justifiably proud at the sweet stench of unimportant success.

- Brandon Hunter is with Bread Mountain in Italy, averaging 14.9 points, 10.3 rebounds and 2.1 steals per game. Montegranaro are right in the middle of the table in Serie A, with an 8-8 record, despite Hunter's big numbers. It probably doesn't help that their team leader in assists is former Illinois, Magic and Kings point guard Kiwame Garris, who averages all of 2.4 assists per game.

- Jimmie "Snap" Hunter is the leading scorer (13.4ppg) on a CB Granada team that hangs a lot nearer to the bottom of the ACB than they would like.

- Finally, since it's becoming a habit now, here's some more Kenny Adeleke news, not obtained via his Facebook - he failed his medical with ALBA Berlin, thus nullifying the contract he had recently signed with them. Bugger!

Second Prize Is A Set Of Steak Knives

I should have written this note before I did. But you're not the boss of me. Unless you are the boss of me. In which case, hey. Sorry I'm late. Traffic was bad.

These are the camp signing and battles that we are to watch with captivated interest. If you're not even slightly interested, then don't worry, because I'm intrigued enough for the both of us.


- Atlanta re-signed Mario West, and signed Marcus Hubbard, Frank Robinson and ShamSports.com favourite Olumide Oyedeji, after having earlier signed Thomas Gardner and Othello Hunter. These moves give them three shooting guards to battle for one backup spot, but Gardner has the advantage of 50% guaranteed money. Hubbard and Hunter will fight for the inactive list power forward spot, but Hubbard's grand total of three NCAA games can't work in his favour. (If anyone can tell me why he played so little, please do.) Oyedeji has already been waived, which is a damn shame. Sham's predictions to make it: Gardner and Hunter.

- Boringly, Boston only signed one player for training camp, with the re-signing Sam Cassell taking their roster to 16 players. Come on now. Even if they haven't a hope of making the team, play the game and bring in some fringe D-Leaguers. You don't have to give them any guaranteed money, and you get to look at players that might help you one day. Even if they don't, you lose nothing but the tiny amount that you have to pay them for the fortnight that they're there. Signing only Cassell, though, is still enough to give Boston a problem, for they now have 16 players for 15 spots, with no obvious cuts. Maybe the Darius Miles comeback story isn't going to be quite as fairytale as we had hoped, for his fully unguaranteed contract looks very expendable right now. Sham's prediction: Sorry, Darius, but you're a massive health concern, you have a 10 game suspension to deal with, and Bill Walker just got a 4 year contract. I'm not seeing where you fit any more. Failing that, someone might remedy the situation by trading a second for Gabe Pruitt. Someone like the Thunder, maybe.

- Charlotte took on three guys, like the slut that she is. New head coach Larry Brown has always had a thing for guards with no offensive skill who work hard on defense. so that, plus the Bobcats lack of third option at point guard, might bode well for Donell Taylor. Other camp invites Marcus E. Williams and Andre Brown have less of a chance - the Bobcats have enough inconsequential players at Brown's power forward spot, and while Williams has the ability to make it, he just so happens to play the one position that Charlotte doesn't need any help at. Sham's prediction: Donell makes it. How long he lasts for, is another matter.

- Chicago beautifully combined the training camp signing requisities of "fringe NBA talents" and "hometown guys to give people something to care about", when they signed Elton Brown, Roger Powell and Darius Washington. Powell, the hometown boy, has no chance to make it as a reformed small forward, given Chicago's present depth there. Brown isn't exactly the calibre of post scorer that Chicago needs, but his skillset fits the team, and he has NBA talent. Washington has less of a chance, given the team's guard depth, but the Bulls could still use an extra defender at point guard, which gives him a chance. Sham's prediction: Since Ben Gordon took the qualifying offer like a damn fool, the Bulls are now able to afford 14 players. So Brown should make it, along with Demetris Nichols, whose $150,000 guarantee and good outside shot serve him well. Also note - I didn't mention Michael Ruffin - the Bulls other camp signee - at any point. There's a reason for that; the Bulls need an extra centre, particularly a defensive one.....but they don't need Michael Ruffin.

- Cleveland made some of the best signings ever, bringing in Ronald Dupree, Vernon Hamilton and Jawad Williams, as well as making the ultimate random camp signing in Michael Dickerson, a man who medically retired five years ago. The randomness of that group is sublime, and is the reason that I love summer league. Those four, plus holdover Lance Allred, are battling for what is more than likely only 1 roster spot. (Note: Eric Snow will never play again, but they can't trade his expiring contract if they waive him, so he'll probably prop up the inactive list until the trade deadline. Also, Lorenzen Wright is D-U-N done and shouldn't be taking up a spot, but he got guaranteed money, so they're probably stuck with him too.) Sham's prediction: Erm, don't know. Dickerson is (or was) easily the most talented of the bunch, and the Cavaliers could use an extra shooting guard, particularly one with decent size. But the man retired in his prime with an assortment of injuries - now 33, and after 5 years out of the sport, how can we accurately predict what he can offer this season? We can't, so I'll go ahead and assume that it's nothing, due to a lack of alternatives. (I'd dearly like to be wrong on that.) The other invitees offer little. Allred perhaps has the most talent, but after bringing in Wright and drafting J.J. Hickson and Darnell Jackson, the Cavaliers don't really need an extra big man any more.

- Dallas have given themselves a pleasant predicament. After signing Gerald Green, Keith McLeod and James Singleton spectacularly early (during the moratorium, in fact), the Mavericks then added some more players, signing JaJuan Smith, Cheyne Gadson, Reyshawn Terry and Charles Rhodes for camp. Green has a guaranteed contract, so he's in, but the rest have a problem, and there are only two spots left to fill. In this blog, I have previously mentioned how Singleton is an NBA calibre talent and a good signing for Dallas, but unfortunately for James, so is the other power forward, Charles Rhodes. Rhodes had a fine summer league, and has shown himself to be a fine candidate for this year's Craig Smith Award™ (an award annually given to the undersized power forward that either goes undrafted, or who slides into the second round, because scouts overlook their skill set, believing it to be less important than the inch or two of height that would make them ideal for their position. Formerly known as the Chuck Hayes Award.) The Mavericks don't need both players, and so it looks as though they're fighting for one spot. Working in Singleton's favour is that Rhdoes largely duplicates Dallas's other power forward backup, Brandon Bass; working against Singleton is the fact that he's four years older than Rhodes. Neither can play centre, and so the Mavericks can't really keep both, so there's a legitimately interesting training camp battle for you there. As for the guards, JaJuan Smith's sweet jumpshot stands him in good stead for a spot on the guard roster as a shooter off of the bench, as does the inherent uselessness of Keith McLeod. (Gadson is irrelevant.) Reyshawn Terry may play in the NBA one day, but he chose the wrong year to come over, because Devean George just took his spot for no real reason. Sham's prediction: Singleton beats out Rhodes due to him having guaranteed money, and Smith makes it as the 15th man. But this won't be the last time we see Charles Rhodes in the NBA.

- The Denver Nuggets often make signings that fill one of two criteria - veterans for the veteran's minimum, and players that are widely disliked. They achieved both this summer, as they signed Ruben Patterson, Smush Parker, Mateen Cleaves, Juwan Howard, Nick Fazekas and James Mays for training camp. Given Denver's tendency to go with only 13 players due to their self-inflicted payroll concerns, it seems tough for anyone of the above to get in, given that the Nuggets had 13 players under contract already, but the proposed Jamaal Tinsley trade may open up one spot, and Sonny Weems is not certain to make it, albeit probable. The Tinsley trade, should it go down, will spell doom for Parker and Cleaves, whose chances of making the team are miniscule anyway. Fazekas has NBA talent, but doesn't seem to have made the best choice of training camp to join. Howard is D-U-N done, and hopefully Denver aren't too attatched to the sentimentality that accompanies his return to the team. Patterson is also returning to one of his former teams, and he's got to be somewhat fresh, after his career best 2006/07 season with Milwaukee went largely by the wayside. (He has only played in 20 games since then, while on an unguaranteed minimum salary contract with the Clippers last season. This is the sort of thing that will happen when you're on the sex offenders register - you need to be more than marginal to get into the NBA.) And Mays always has Top Gear to fall back on. Sham's prediction: Ask me after the Tinsley deal. If there isn't one made, expect nothing, because there just isn't the money for it.

- Detroit brought back their former draft pick Alex Acker for training camp, and that's it. Boo them. Boo them loudly. Boo them now. Sham's prediction: who cares. Detroit highly rated Acker a few years ago after picking him with the last pick in 2005, but he did nothing for Barcelona last year with plenty of opportunities. At least he's not Lindsey Hunter, though.

- Golden State's training camp signings were made well in advance of this great day, with Rob Kurz, DeMarcus Nelson, Dion Dowell and Anthony Morrow all signing nice and early. But, ever eager, they added two more to that list, bringing journeyman point guard Dan Dickau and love machine Justin Williams in as well. Sham's prediction: The Warriors need a point guard in the worst way, but Dickau is the only one of the bunch. He's had a modicum of success in the NBA before, but only on a bad Hornets team, and he also apparently has a bad back right now. Nelson might make the team as a point guard defender, but he has no offense for the position. Dowell and Kurz add little, but Morrow may be a useful shooter off the bench, even if the depth chart is against him. Williams has a shot at making it, if only for his genuine size on a team bereft of much of that. But he hasn't developed much. I'm going to call it as being Dickau and Williams that make it, with Morrow not far behind, and I fully expect to be wrong on this.

- Houston has very little money to spend, and few spots to spend it on, but they've played the training camp game anyway, and God bless them for that. Along with bringing in their draft pick, Joey Dorsey, to a first round sized-contract, their camp signings are off-guard Von Wafer and late blooming big man Marcus Campbell. The Dorsey signing gives them 13 guaranteed contracts, with Mike Harris and D.J. Strawberry also on the team with unguaranteed deals, and there may also be Dikembe Mutombo to add to that. The Rockets are also tiptoeing around the tax, so it looks bleak for those on the cusp. Sham's prediction: Doesn't look good for Wafer or Campbell. Strawberry was acquired specifically for his unguaranteed salary, which has bad news written all over it. And despite the Rockets' like of Harris, his unguaranteed deal may be more useful to them than whatever few minutes he gets. But he might make it if Dikembe doesn't return. A dump-type trade of Steve Francis, Luther Head or Chuck Hayes (less likely) might open things up for somebody, but such a trade would be sought out only to save money.

- Indiana's lone camp signing was their former figure of hate and love, Justin Frazier. We can make a teeny weeny allowance for their almost total ignorance of the training camp phenomena, because a summer of decent trading has left them with already 16 guaranteed contracts for only 15 spots, and probably regretting their decision to take out Stephen Graham's team option. Sham's prediction: Croshere didn't look like he had much left last season anyway, and while a redux of his would be nice, there isn't the room for him here. It also doesn't look good for Graham, who just isn't required on the Pacers right now. Also note - if the Jamaal Tinsley for Chucky Atkins and Steven Hunter trade goes down as reported, as expected, then the Pacers again have to cut or move someone with guaranteed money. If they can't get Denver to take back Graham or Josh McRoberts in the deal, then they'll have 17 contracts for 15 spots. That would pretty much be it for Graham, and it doesn't look great for McRoberts either, purely because of the numbers involved. This is unless a side move sees Shawne Williams moved on to somewhere where he hasn't worn out his welcome. (Also note: if they see enough in McRoberts to keep him, contracts be damned - and they might - then Macy O'Baston is an easy cut, in spite of his $2.2 million deal.)

- The Clippers have spent their whole season reworking their entire roster, but after Jason Williams's unexpected retirement, they suddenly have a spot to fill all over again. Always willing to play the training camp game (God bless you, Elgin Baylor), the Clippers brought in four players, ranging from underwhelming point guard Dontell Jefferson, through to journeyman centre Jelani McCoy, via forwards Curtis Sumpter and David Noel. Paul Davis also has only a $200,000 guarantee, so his spot is still available on a team with no luxury tax concerns. That said, he's probably safe - the Clippers don't really have a third point guard, but Mike Taylor can handle the role better than Jefferson could, and McCoy doesn't outclass him by enough to merit the spot over the far younger Davis, if at all. Sumpter and Noel have only each other for competition, but neither is needed. Sham's prediction: fuck it, pick one out of a hat. Jelani McCoy. There you go. (And Davis, obviously.)

- The Lakers did most of their training camp business early, signing Brandon Heath, Dwayne Mitchell and C.J. Giles long before September ended. They also brought in their second rounder of this year - Joe Crawford - and re-signed Didier Ilunga-Mbenga, the most famous jug eared half-Belgian half-Congoish 7 footer in the game today. (Note: former Clipper Josh Powell only has $200,000 guaranteed this season, and therefore is not a guarantee to make the team, but for the purposes of this paragraph, I'm treating him as though he is. He should be - he's better than the others.) You will notice that those five players are all either shooting guards or centres, which gives you a clue what the two upcoming camp battles might be. Sham's prediction: Mbenga makes the team as the unnecessary fourth string centre (for those questioning my counting ability - Bynum, Gasol, Mihm, in that order), and all of the shooting guards lose out to the incumbent Coby Karl. The only way for one of the others to make it is for Powell to duly unimpress, ro for Sun Yue to be imprisoned for heroin smuggling.

- Memphis signed Quinton Ross, which comes as a great relief to those of us out there to have posed the question, "Won't somebody PLEASE think of Quinton Ross?". Unfortuantely for us Ross fans, Quinton seems to have chosen the one team that really doesn't need a guard. (Memphis's backcourt is small, something which Ross can help with, but it's also deep, and in need of an extra shooter, which Ross doesn't bring.) The Grizzlies' other camp signings include former Blazer (for about a week) and summer league bench player, Brent Petway, and former Rockets draft pick Malick Badiane. Sham's prediction: Memphis needs a power forward, but Petway isn't it. Ross has the most talent of the three, but the numbers are against him. Badiane therefore has a chance, but the Grizzlies threw several million at Hamed Haddadi earlier this summer, thereby filling up their "project centre" quota, and doing so without Badiane, a soon to be 25 old year old man still suffering from inherent rawness, and who runs like a pre-teen girl. (Hint: it's in the wrists.)

- The finest quality that the Miami Heat possess is their ability and desire to sign everybody in the world of professional basketball, which leaves those of us obsessed with transactions nursing semi's. Having already waived Stephane Lasme and Bobby Jones earlier this summer, and signing Jason Richards and David Padgett straight after summer league, the Heat kept on playing the signing game, bringing in Eddie Basden, Matt Walsh, Omar Barlett and Tre Kelley for camp. Since then, the Heat have brought in Shaun Livingston, waiving Kelley to open up the spot. (Kelley must have been real bad, because Richards - the other excess point guard on the roster - has suffered a knee injury and won't play this year. Yet somehow the Heat would still rather have him than Kelley.) Sham's prediction: Walsh, Richards, Padgett, Barlett and Basden are all doomed since the Livingston signing, which gives the Heat 14 guaranteed contracts. The 15th man - Jamaal Magloire - has a 50% guarantee on his contract, and despite me often harping on about how poor Magloire is, he's still better than David Padgett. Any role Basden may have filled has already been filled has already been taken by Yakhouba Diawara, any role Walsh may have had has already been filled by James Jones, the Heat have four point guards already that are better than Richards (who can't take the court anyway), and Barlett.......well, he's not got guaranteed money, or NBA talent. So I don't think he's making it.