Summer league rosters whereabouts updated, again, needlessly

For no reason other than an itching craving to scratch my own Where Are They Now itch - I can't really started the 2009 series of posts until all leagues are underway, which will be about another six weeks - I have decided to revisit the whereabouts of all players on summer league rosters this past summer.

Eagle eyed viewers will have noticed that I've already done this once before, in a series of three posts (een, twee, drie) back in September. This list is designed to update that list.

Everyone whose circumstances have changed since the last update is listed, as are those few who are still unsigned. Part of me hopes that this list might in some way help those players get some gainful basketball employment. Then the other part of me remembers that the only people who read this website are Chilean teenagers and my uncle Peter. Can't win them all.



Boston Celtics


- Coby Karl: Strangely, Karl made the Cavaliers roster this summer. He has racked up 3 whole minutes on the season, and will probably rack up about 7 more before the contract guarantee date gets here. I don't know why a luxury tax team like Cleveland is so keen on carrying 15 men all the time. But they are, and this is good news for Karl. Speaking of Karl, here are some llamas with hats.




- Chris Lofton: Lofton was signed with with Caja Laboral in Spain - formerly known as Tau Ceramica - but he left he team last week when his contract expired. The team brought in Sean Singletary instead, seemingly wanting a wildly different kind of player.

- Gabe Pruitt: Pruitt went to camp with the Knicks, but was an early cut. He then signed with the D-League and was allocated to the Los Angeles D-Fenders, but he was waived today due to injury.

- Mike Sweetney: Sweetney went to camp with the Celtics, and didn't make the team. He was bigger than ever, and if it weren't for Sofoklis Schortsanitis' showings at the start of last season and the fella from the And-1 tour, Sweetney would have been the fattest professional basketball player that I've ever seen. Adrian Wojnarowski reports that Sweetney turned down a workout from the Grizzlies, and is going to sign in China. This is a good move. The money's solid, he needs the work, and the stats will be almost as massive as he is. If he can shed 50 pounds in the process, we're back in business.

- Robert Swift: Swift signed in the D-League and was allocated to the Bakersfield Jam. Reportedly, he has bulked up. For a man with a debilitating knee problem, I'm not sure that that's a good thing. But here's to a better run of health.



Chicago Bulls


- Chris Davis: Davis was in the D-League draft pool, but he did not get drafted.

- Julius Hodge: Hodge went back to Australia, despite the acrimonious circumstances surrounding his departure last season. He's only played one game so far, but already he's the best player in the country once again, putting up 22 points, 9 rebounds, 7 assists, 3 blocks and 3 steals on debut.

- Linton Johnson: Johnson signed with the Magic for training camp, and made the team, for all of about three days. Considering that Brandon Bass and Ryan Anderson both then got injured, and with Rashard Lewis starting with his 10 game suspension, maybe they could have kept him a bit longer. He could surely have helped against Cleveland.

- Lorenzo Mata-Real: As far as I can tell, Mata-Real is still unsigned, but it can sometimes take about 6 years for Mexican league signings to filter through. And as a Mexican native, Mata-Real seems like a logical candidate to be back there soon, if not already.

- Anthony Roberson: Roberson went to camp with the Clippers for absolutely no guaranteed money, lost out to Kareem Rush, and is currently unsigned.



Cleveland Cavaliers


- David Harrison: Chinese Basketball Association transactions are extremely hard to verify, but as far as I know, Harrison has re-signed in China for another year. The Chinese season is still six weeks away.

- Maureece Rice: Rice is unsigned, and did not return to the Erie BayHawks after all. I have no further information on him.



Dallas Mavericks


- Alfred Aboya: At the time of the original list, Aboya was unsigned, but it's all been happening for him since. Aboya originally signed with Gravelines, a French first division team, signing a one year contract with a three week "test period" (not sure what that means); however, he lasted only one week before being cut. He then joined up with French second division team Antibes, but the signing was voided as it put Antibes over the salary cap. After Antibes did whatever it was that they needed to do to accommodate him, Aboya rejoined the team, and has since played three games with them, totalling 35 points, 17 rebounds and 11 fouls.

- Andre Brown: Brown joined the Heat for training camp, but lost out to Shavlik Randolph. He remains unsigned, but is one of many players rumoured to be heading to China. Covering the Chinese league is great fun, so if he does sign there, you'll know when I do.

- Henry Dugat: Dugat signed with the D-League and made the Rio Grande Valley Vipers roster as a local tryout player. The Vipers made their first round of cuts today, and Dugat survived, but they still have two cuts to go so he's not guaranteed a spot yet.

- Shan Foster: Foster was unsigned the last time we covered him, but he has since signed with Kepez Bld Antalya in Turkey. By the way Shan, if you're reading this, change your Twitter password. Your account is sending out spam messages.

- Mickael Gelabale: Gelabale is still unsigned, and still refuses to rejoin the D-League.

- Herbert Hill: Hill is signed with the Daegu Orions in Korea. Korean basketball is about as much fun to cover as the Chinese league.

- Quinton Hosley: Hosley has been one of the better players in Turkey over the last two years, and last month he went back there, signing with Aliaga Petkim.

- Nathan Jawai: Jawai was traded to Minnesota, which made more sense for everybody. He's been something of a bright spot early for the otherwise terrible Timberwolves.

- Curtis Jerrells: Jerrells agreed to sign with the Pistons, but then didn't, joining the San Antonio Spurs instead. The Spurs gave him $75,000 of guaranteed money to do this, even though Jerrells didn't have much chance of making the team. They did that so that they'd get him instead of Detroit, thus ensuring that, when Jerrells went to the D-League, he'd be allocated to the Spurs owned affiliate, the Austin Toros. And that's exactly what happened.

- Bryson McKenzie: Bryson McKenzie is also in the D-League, drafted in the 7th round by the Iowa Energy. Iowa haven't announced their first round of cuts yet, but 7th rounders very rarely make it to the opening day roster.

- Aaron Miles: Miles returned to Greece, joining Aris.

- Moussa Seck: Can't find Moussa Seck, but I'd suspect he's back with Montegranaro's feeder team. Unfortunately, that team is so far down the Italian league structure that it's not possible for me to find.

- Trent Strickland: Strickland will be playing basquetball next season for AEK Larnacas in Cyprus. Presumably, Cyprus pays well.




Denver Nuggets


- Derrick Byars: Byars went to camp with the Bulls, played well, won loads of fanboys, got paid a few quid, then got waived, and is now signed in Germany with ALBA Berlin.

- Dontaye Draper: Draper went to camp with the Nuggets, didn't make the team, and then signed in Italy for Prima Veroli.

- Ronald Dupree: Dupree is signed in Germany for Telekom Baskets Bonn, but is only on a short term contract as injury cover for Vincent Yarbrough.

- C.J. Giles: Giles was released this week by Smart Gilas, the quirky old Philippines team that's trying to supplant the entire Philippines league in ways that I don't really understand. Reportedly, Giles would turn up practice hungover, tested positive for marijuana, and punched his brother in the face. The team are looking at Jamal Sampson, Earl Barron and Shaun Pruitt as Giles' possible replacements.

- Kareem Rush: Rush went to camp with the Clippers, and made the team. He currently has 9 points on 11 shots this season, which sounds about right.

- Cedric Simmons: Simmons was released by his Greek team, Peristeri, before the season started. He is unsigned.




Detroit Pistons


- Marquise Gray: Gray has signed with Gelisim Koleji in Turkey's second division. Turkey's second division isn't like those in Spain or Italy. It's far weaker.

- Dwayne Jones: Jones signed with Crvena Zvezda in Serbia last month, but he was released after only three days. The reasons as to why are shrouded in mystery; the official story is "personal problems," whereas the unofficial one is that they just didn't like him. The team then tried to sign Mile Ilic as his replacement, but Ilic failed his physical. Jones went back to the D-League and has rejoined the Austin Toros.

- Walter Sharpe: As expected, Sharpe was waived by the Bucks, and is unsigned.

- Sean Singletary: Singletary went to camp with the Sixers, didn't make it, and has now joined Caja Laboral in Spain's ACB.

- Deron Washington: Washington was waived, weirdly. He joined the D-League draft pool and was picked 3rd overall by the Los Angeles D-Fenders.



Golden State Warriors


- Connor Atchley: Atchley is signed with Darussafaka in Turkey. They're currently last in the Turkish TBL, but they picked up a former NBA player this week, which should help mightily. If you want to know who that player was, read on. If you can't want until then, here's a clue; it rhymes with "Quincy Douby."

- Jermareo Davidson: Davidson is Atchley's teammate at Darussafaka. More accurately, Atchley is Davidson's backup at Darussafaka.

- Othello Hunter: Hunter re-signed with the Hawks.

- Lawrence Hill: Hill signed with Mexico with a team called Halcones Rojos de Veracruz. A quick Google image search for "Vera Cruz" reveals as the first result a very ugly woman with the world's most misshapen tit, breastfeeding a child with the finest head of hair in the world today. Bad times. That's not what I was hoping to see.

- Acie Law: Law was traded to the Bobcats in the Stephen Jackson deal, and there's not a lot of minutes in Charlotte's guard rotation for him.

- Lawrence Roberts: Despite having absolutely no chance of making the roster, Roberts went to camp with the Pacers, where he inevitably failed to make the roster. Roberts then signed in Serbia with Partizan Belgrade.

- Jamal Sampson: See above, re; C.J. Giles. Sampson is currently unsigned.




Houston Rockets


- Hassan Adams: Adams is still unsigned. I do not know why.

- Rod Benson: Like Lawrence Roberts, Benson went to camp with the Pacers and failed. After that, he signed in D-League was more and will return to the Reno Bighorns.

- Will Conroy: Conroy went to camp with the Rockets, did not make the team, and has since signed in China with the DongGuan New Century Leopards. Pretty great name.

- Joey Dorsey: Dorsey was the first D-League assignee of the season when the Rockets sent him to Rio Grande Valley last week. He's a year older than Andrew Bogut, and almost two years older than Darko Milicic. That just doesn't feel right.

- Charles Gaines: Gaines went to camp with the Bucks, did not make the team, and is unsigned.

- Mike Green: Green won David Thorpe's heart in summer league, but not a training camp spot. He's now in Belgium with Belgacom Liege.

- Garrett Temple: Temple also went to camp with the Rockets, but didn't make it either, and is now a member of the RGV Vipers. The Rockets own that affiliate. This is not a coincidence.

- Darryl Watkins: Watkins went to camp with the Cavaliers. He didn't make it, and is another one of the whispered names vying for a spot in China next year. Nothing official yet though.

- James White: White was traded to the Nuggets, didn't make their team, and was waived. He has since signed in Russia with Spartak St Petersburg.




Indiana Pacers


- Will Blalock: Blalock went to camp with the Nets, did not make the team, signed with the D-League, and was allocated to the expansion Maine Red Claws.

- Derrick Byars: See Denver entry.

- Aaron Jackson: Last time we checked, it was unclear as to whether Jackson had signed with Antalya in Turkey. I can now assure you that he did.

- Anthony Smith: Smith signed with CB Cornella in Spain's second division.




L.A. Clippers


- Sean Banks: Banks remains unsigned.

- Corie Belser: Belser had originally signed with Aris Thessaloniki in Greece, but then for whatever reason, he left. He is now signed in the basketball powerhouse of Finland, playing for the immortally titled Honka Espoo Playboys.

- Dionte Christmas: Christmas went to camp with the Sixers, but lost out because of the finances of the situation. The day after he was released, Christmas was pulled over for driving erratically, then arrested and charged for driving without a license and for carrying a loaded weapon. Both the car and the gun were registered to Marreese Speights.

- Kyle McAlarney: McAlarney initially signed in Israel with Ironi Nahariya, but he opted to come home before the season started because he "wasn't having any fun." He is now in the D-League with the Fort Wayne Mad Ants.

- Kevinn Pinkney: Pinkney has signed with Hapoel Jerusalem in Israrl.

- Mike Taylor: Taylor went to camp with the Grizzlies, was waived, and is unsigned.




L.A. Lakers


- Chinemelu Elonu: Elonu has signed with Zaragoza in Spain. I went there a few months ago. Tiny, tiny, tiny airport, one strangely populated by fighter jets. Felt like being in your nan's house at wartime.

- Tony Gaffney: At the time of the last update, Gaffney was signed with Altshuler Saham Galil Gilboa in Israel. He then left to come back to the Lakers to play in training camp. Gaffney didn't make the team - although he bloody nearly did - and subsequently returned to Gilboa. It was nice of them to let him try to live his dream like that, though.

- Justin Hawkins: Remains unsigned.

- David Monds: Monds went to camp with the Lakers too, yet he also didn't make the team. He is unsigned, and doesn't appear to be returning to the D-League this year.

- Luke Schenscher: Even though I wrote last time that Schensch is "not going to be signing in Australia," he did, signing with the Perth Wildcats. In my defense, though, I was only recycling his own words.

- Mustafa Shakur: Shakur went to camp with the Timberwolves, lost out to Jason Hart, and is now in the D-League with the Tulsa 66ers.

- Reggie Williams: Williams is also in the D-League with the Sioux Falls Skyforce.




Memphis Grizzlies


- Erik Daniels: Daniels signed in the Ukraine with Azovmash.

- Trey Gilder: Gilder had a $25,000 guaranteed contract, and because of that, he was free to keep for a week. But once that week was up, Gilder was waived. He is currently unsigned. If he goes back to the D-League, he'll earn about the same for the entire D-League season as he did to be Memphis's 12th man for 5 games. Just some perspective there.

- Kenny Hasbrouck: Hasbrouck is unsigned and is currently rehabbing from a foot injury

- Longar Longar: Longar went back to the D-League with the Los Angeles D-Fenders.

- Donta Smith: Smith remains unsigned.

- Greg Stiemsma: Stiemsma was picked in the KBL Draft, but he never played there, so apparently their rules must have changed since 2007 (when you had only a matter of minutes after being drafted to sign a contract). He's gone back to the Sioux Falls Skyforce.




Milwaukee Bucks


- Paul Delaney: Delaney was originally signed with Hapoel Holon in Israel, but was released in favourof Titus Ivory. However, he stayed in Israel and is now signed with Ironi Nahariya.

- Dominic James: Even though he missed summer league due to injury, James cashed in on his hometown ties and signed with the Bucks for training camp. He was quickly released, partly because he had no chance to make the team, but also because he got a good offer in Turkey. He now plays for Mersin.

- Chris Richard: Richard went to camp with the Bulls, and was absolutely awful, except for one game, in which he was absolutely brilliant. He is currently unsigned, but the Grizzlies were mentioned as a possible destination recently.

- Salim Stoudamire: Salim is still unsigned.

- Szymon Szewczyk: Szewczyk is an established European presence whose body type, skillset, harline and and athleticism are more suited to the European game. He has no reason to give that up. So he hasn't; he's signed with Air Avellino in Italy for next year.

- Mohammed Tangara: Not a clue. Neither where he is or who he is.




Minnesota Timberwolves


- Bobby Brown: Brown was traded to the New Orleans Hornets late in the offseason, and started the year in the Hornets rotation. He's pretty much the reason why Byron Scott got fired.

- Pat Carroll: Carroll is back in the D-League, drafted in the second round by the Iowa Energy.

- Devin Green: Green went to camp with the Wolves, which I didn't expect, but he failed to make the roster, which I did. He's since gone to Greece with Olympia Larissa.

- Paul Harris: Harris went to camp with the Jazz, but missed preseason with an injury, and got inevitably waived. He's now in the D-League with the expansion Maine Red Claws.

- Steven Hill: Hill went to camp with the Bulls, and lasted for all of about 8 minutes. He is back with the Tulsa 66ers.

- Rob Kurz: Kurz signed with the Cavaliers for training camp, but lost out on a spot to Darnell Jackson. He too is in the D-League, with the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, acquired from the Erie BayHawks.

- Adam Parada: Parada is in his native Mexico playing for Halcones UV Xalapa.

- Garret Siler: Siler went to camp with the Hawks, but the Hawks then decided to carry only 13 players, which makes you wonder why they brought in 20. Like so many other camp signees, he is now in the D-League, playing for the Utah Flash.




New Orleans Hornets


- Earl Barron: Barron went to camp with the Hornets and is now in the D-League with the Iowa Energy, but if Smart Gilas come a-calling then that might not last for much longer.

- Terry Martin: Martin was originally with wonderfully named Oberwart Gunners in Austria, but he was only there on a tryout. He was later drafted in the 5th round of the D-League draft by the Reno Bighorns. He has not been cut yet.

- Luke Nevill: Nevill went to camp with the Cavaliers, one of many to do so, yet he didn't make it. He's now also in the D-League with the Utah Flash.

- Larry Owens: Owens is another D-Leaguer, having been allocated to the Tulsa 66ers. He came to camp with the Hornets like Barron did, but he also failed to make it like Barron did.

- Courtney Sims: Sims went to camp with the Hawks, but didn't make the team. Nor any team, for that matter. He is currently in China on a tryout.

- Anthony Tolliver: Tolliver, another camp cut (this time the Heat), is in the D-League with the Idaho Stampede. He was traded by the Iowa Energy in exchange for Earl Barron. If Barron now leaves for the Philippines, that will suck.

- Quinton Watkins: Not a clue. But based on his Twitter name, he's doing all right for money.





New York Knicks


- Alex Acker: Almost as soon as he was back in it, Acker is out of the NBA again. He is signed with Armani Jeans Milano in Italy.

- Morris Almond: Almond went to camp with the Magic, but did not make the team, and is unsigned.

- Warren Carter: Carter did enough to get to camp with the Knicks, but did not make the cut either. He has since signed with Ilysiakos in Greece.

- Joe Crawford: Crawford was waived out of training camp, despite the Knicks having an open roster spot and Crawford having $50,000 in guaranteed money. He has returned to the L.A. D-Fenders.

- Patrick Ewing Jr: Ewing missed summer league with injuries, and is still unsigned, so maybe he's still injured. Ajani Williams is trying to get him to play for Jamaica. Fun fact.

- Ron Howard: Howard was another Knick campette, and he has returned to the D-League with the Fort Wayne Mad Ants.

- Yaroslav Korolev: Awesomely, Korolev was in the D-League draft, which was entirely unexpected. Somewhat more depressingly, he wasn't picked until the last pick of the fourth round, by which time luminaries such as Booker Woodfox and Derrick Mercer had been picked ahead of him. But no matter; Korolev is now a member of the Albuquerque Thunderbirds and is back in American basketball. Sweet.

- Mouhamed Sene: Sene signed in France with Hyeres-Toulon. He's doing pretty brilliantly there, too. But we'll talk about that more in three months times.

- Rashaad Singleton: Singleton in in Japan, signing in the BJ League for the Oita Heat Devils. Since he won't be in the WATN series, I'll add some numbers; Singleton is currently averaging 9.4 points, 12.1 rebounds and 4.7 blocks in 33 minutes per game. He's shooting 47% from the foul line, a dramatic improvement on last year's 26%.

- Nikoloz Tskitishvili: Skita is signed with Panionios in Greece.




Oklahoma City Thunder

My initial summary


- DeAngelo Alexander: Alexander was drafted by the Rio Grande Valley Vipers in the 8th round of the D-League draft, but was waived today due to injury.

- Marcus Dove: Dove was picked in the third round by the Dakota Wizards, and has not been waived.

- Tony Durant: Durant is unsigned and yet has more followers than me on Twitter. I think I need to improve my people skills. All he Tweets about are women and sex, though, so I can see why that would be more fun for some people.

- Moses Ehambe: Ehambe has gone back to the Tulsa 66ers.

- DeVon Hardin: Hardin spent some time in a secondary Chinese league this summer, which I did not know about until recently. He is currently unsigned; maybe the premier Chinese league awaits.

- Keith McLeod: McLeod is back in the D-League with the Albuquerque Thunderbirds.

- Richard Roby: Roby has signed with Maccabi Haifa in Israel.

- Doug Thomas: Thomas is in the D-League, drafted in the second round by the Dakota Wizards.




Orlando Magic


- Lance Allred: Allred has changed Italian teams, going from Napoli to Scavolini Pesaro.

- Courtney Fells: Fells has signed with with AEL Limassol in Cyprus, oh mighty mighty Cyprus. Others that signed in Cyprus this summer included former NBA players Maurice Baker and JamesOn Curry. But they came straight back.

- Stevan Milosevic: Milsoevic had a tryout with Panionios in Greece, but I don't think he made the team.

- Russell Robinson: Robinson signed with the Cavs for training camp but did not make the team. He has since returned to the D-League with the Reno Bighorns.

- Darian Townes: Townes was signed with GasTerra Groningen until about 4 days ago, when he was replaced by Matt Haryasz.




Phoenix Suns


- Geary Claxton: Remains unsigned.

- Lee Cummard: Cummard started the season with ALBA Berlin in Germany, but quickly came home and was allocated to the Utah Flash of the D-League.

- Zabian Dowdell: Dowdell is unsigned, which, considering that he was supposedly close to a training camp contract at one point, means he's probably injured. The fact that he missed summer league with injuries may also factor. But I can't find anything to confirm this.

- Carlos Powell: Powell went to camp with the Suns, did not make the team, and was then the #1 overall pick in the D-League draft by the Albuquerque Thunderbirds.

- Chris Rodgers: Rodgers has signed with EclipseJet-MyGuide Amsterdam, a team that really needs to stop selling sponsorship of its name.




Portland Trail Blazers


- Deji Akindele: Akindele was signed with Xacobeo BluSens Obradoiro in Spain's ACB, but has been released and is now unsigned.

- Uche Echefu: Still unsigned.

- Thomas Gardner: Gardner went to camp with the Grizzlies, but was cut and is now unsigned. I hope these aren't getting a bit samey.

- Pooh Jeter: Jeter is signed with Unicaja Malaga, but his contract expires next week.

- Joe Krabbenhoft: Krabbenhoft was allocated to the Sioux Falls Skyforce, where he joins up once again with Greg Stiemsma. We should let Brian Butch know.

- Patrick Mills: In a highly unusual move, Mills signed with the Blazers towards the end of training camp. I still suspect that he accepted their tender offer without them wanting him to, yet I still have no evidence of that.

- Jeff Pendergraph: Since the original post was written, Pendergraph has signed with the Blazers.




Sacramento Kings


- Jon Brockman: Same as Pendergraph; Brockman has now signed with the Kings.

- John Bryant: Bryant is in the D-League, a good place for a reasonably talented 7 footer to go, since they'll get the opportunity to put up huge stats and get noticed. He is with the Erie BayHawks.

- Marcus Landry: Landry signed with the Kings for training camp, and, in direct contravention of the precedent set out by the rest of this post, he made the roster. Hallelujah.

- Wesley Matthews: Matthews made a team, too; the Utah Jazz. He even starts for them right now. Good times.

- Jerel McNeal: Things return to normality with McNeal, who made the Clippers training camp roster, but who then got waived. He is currently unsigned.

- Victor Stowes: As last check, Stowes had just signed in Venezuela, but he's since been released.




San Antonio


- Antonio Anderson: Anderson signed with the Bobcats for training camp, got waived, and has since joined the Rio Grande Valley Vipers.

- Romel Beck: Beck made the Rockets camp roster, but was also waived, and has returned to the Dakota Wizards. Romel, you too need to change your Twitter password. I've gotten four spam messages from you.

- Alonzo Gee: Gee was signed and waived by the Timberwolves in camp, and was later picked 6th overall in the D-League draft by the Austin Toros. In case I haven't made this clear; int he D-League, players don't sign with individual teams. They sign with the league itself and are then distributed via various means - allocation, local tryouts, the draft, etc. So if a player was drafted, they are already signed in the D-League. This is also why players get waived due to injury; the player loses nothing from it, and the team gains a roster spot.

- James Gist: Still unsigned, strangely. Maybe he's injured. Or maybe he's dead.

- Carldell 'Squeaky' Johnson: As assumed, Johnson has returned to the Austin Toros.

- Jack McClinton: Things went a bit strange for McClinton; he silently signed with the Spurs on September 14th for training camp, but requested his release 9 days later on the assumption that he wouldn't make the team and therefore would like to try for another one. He caught on with the Timberwolves, but didn't make it there either, and is now signed in Turkey with Aliaga.

- Donell Taylor: Taylor went to camp with the Blazers, did not make it, and was later made the second pick of the D-League draft by the Erie BayHawks.




Toronto Raptors


- Paul Davis: Davis went to camp with the Wizards and made the team briefly while they waited for Antawn Jamison to recover from injury. However, the Wizards then had a load of injuries to their guards, so Davis was dumped for Earl Boykins. Davis is now unsigned.

- Quincy Douby: Douby was cut by the Raptors last week to avoid a guarantee date in his contract. He then immediately signed with Darussafaka in Turkey.

- Demetris Nichols: Nichols went to camp with the Pacers, did not make the team, and is unsigned once again.

- Smush Parker: Parker has re-signed for another year with Guandong in China.

- Shawn Taggart: Taggart is signed in Israel with Ironi Nahariya.




Utah Jazz


- Cedric Bozeman: Bozeman has signed in China with Beijing.

- Andre Ingram: Ingram has returned to the Utah Flash.

- Goran Suton: Suton signed with the Jazz for camp, did not make the roster, and has since signed a long term contract with Spartak St Petersburg in Russia. Then again, Russian long term contracts have not always meant a whole lot.

- Dar Tucker: Darquavis was picked in the second round of the D-League draft by the Idaho Stampede, and was traded to the L.A. D-Fenders.




Washington Wizards


- Alade Aminu: Aminu was drafted 10th overall in the D-League draft by the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, then was traded to the Erie BayHawks for Rob Kurz.

- Dwayne Anderson: Anderson is signed with MEG Goettingen in Germany.

- Ryan Ayers: Ayers signed with the D-League and was allocated to the Mad Ants.

- James Lang: Lang returned to the D-League with the Utah Flash, but was waived yesterday due to injury.

- Diamon Simpson: Simpson went to camp with the Warriors, but did not make the roster. He was later allocated to the L.A. D-Fenders.

- Brandon Wallace: Wallace has signed with Hapoel Holon in Israel.



Of the 352 players that made it onto NBA summer league rosters - including those that didn't turn up - all bar about 43 are now under contract somewhere. Those locations can all now be found in this list, or in the three that proceeded it. Why have I done all this? For the same reason that a 78-installment Where Are They Now series commences next month; because I like it. No, I don't know why either. Legalise euthenasia.

Training camp predictions, revisited

At the start of the month, over the course of three posts united by the overused theme of Alec Baldwin's monologue from Glengarry Glen Ross (one, two, three), I attempted to anaylse and predict the training camp rosters of every team in the NBA.

For the hell of it, here's the monologue again:




Preseason is now over, and rosters have been set. Here are my predictions again, along with a depressing look at their whimpering inaccuracy and some half-baked excuses for my own failings as a person.


- Atlanta Hawks

Signings: Juan Dixon, Othello Hunter, Mario West, Frank Robinson, Garrett Siler, Courtney Sims, Mike Wilks, Aaron Miles

Predicted to make it: "Dixon, Wilks, Siler. Or any two from three."

Actually made it: Hunter only.

Excuses: The Hawks needed an extra guard, hence why they signed four of them. So expecting them to sign at least one of them seemed logical. I guess Dixon hasn't enough left. As for the Siler/Sims thing, it never did make a whole lot of sense for the team with Randolph Morris at fourth string centre to be bringing in two more for training camp, but Siler and Sims represent two of the best American centre prospects not currently in the NBA, so I figured one of them had a chance. Guess not.




- Boston Celtics

Signings: Lester Hudson, Michael Sweetney

Predicted to make it: Hudson.

Actually made it: Hudson.

Excuses: Reports came out that stated that the Celtics really liked Sweetney, and tried to find a way to keep him on the roster, but they eventually decided that he wasn't worth eating someone else's guaranteed money for. And they're right. If ever Sweetney gets it together, loses all the weight and finds mentor that gets him to dedicate himself in ways he's never done before, some team will have themselves a frigne starter/quality backup, the kind of player that shouldn't be readily available. But it's not happened yet. Not even close.



- Charlotte & Bob Katz

Signings: Stephen Graham, Antonio Anderson, Dontell Jefferson

Predicted to make it: "Neither."

Actually made it: Graham.

Excuses: When I said "neither," I was referring to Anderson and Graham, and hadn't factored in Jefferson. I should have done, really, especially after the Bobcats signed Ronald Murray. Why they want Stephen Graham, I don't know; they already have enough small forward options, and Graham will do no better of a job masquerading as a power forward than the rest of them. But at the very least, he's the most talented of the bunch.



- Chicago Bulls

Signings: Curtis Stinson, Derrick Byars, Steven Hill, Chris Richard

Predicted to make it: "Byars or no one."

Actually made it: No one.

Excuses: Byars made it briefly, but was waived on opening day. He still hasn't appeared in an NBA game. He did as much as he could do in preseason, and played well enough to win the spot, but the finances of the situation got the getter of him. And they were always going to, in fairness.



- Cleveland Cavaliers

Signings: Luke Nevill, Andre Barrett, Coby Karl, Russell Robinson, Rob Kurz, Darryl Watkins, Jawad Williams, Danny Green, Darnell Jackson

Predicted to make it: "Jackson gets cut, Williams and Green survive, Karl and Kurz make the team."

Actually made it: Williams, Green, Jackson, Karl.

Excuses: Three for four's not bad, but the Cavaliers decided to keep Jackson over the rangier power forward Kurz. I'm not sure they should have done, since Kurz fills a role that the Cavs don't otherwise have, while Jackson somewhat replicates a slower and crapper J.J. Hickson. But since they're vying for the 14 man spot, it's probably not important anyway.

If Antonio Daniels joins the Cavs, it doesn't look good for Karl.



- Dallas Mavericks

Signings: Jake Voskuhl

Predicted to make it: None.

Actually made it: None.

Excuses: Dallas apparently wanted to keep Voskuhl, and tried to open a roster spot for him. They got halfway there when they traded Nathan Jawai to the Timberwolves, but they didn't complete a trade/buyout of Shawne Williams's contract in time, so Voskuhl lost out. He's rumoured to be headed to the Kings.



- Denver Nuggets

Signings: Joey Graham, Keith Brumbaugh, Kurt Looby, Dontaye Draper, James White.

Predicted to make it: "Only White."

Actually made it: Only Graham.

Excuses: The Nuggets need an extra shooter, and Graham is a terrible one. White isn't much of one either, but he's comfortably better at it than Graham, and would have cost the same. Graham also doesn't really bring anything different to what Renaldo Balkman does, and so that's why I didn't fancy his chances. But then the story came out about how the Nuggets were at one time willing to trade Linas Kleiza for Graham. And at that point, it was over.



- Detroit Pistons

Signings: Chucky Atkins, Maceo Baston, Deron Washington

Predicted to make it: "Probably neither, unless Atkins shows there's still a spark on the fire. If there is, he needs to throw a log on it."

Actually made it: Atkins did, Washington didn't.

Excuses: As described here, Washington shouldn't have been a candidate to be waived. But he was, as Atkins apparently showed there was still a spark in the fire, enough of one for Washington to be needlessly waived.



- Golden State Warriors

Signings: Diamon Simpson, Shaun Pruitt

Predicted to make it: "Neither."

Actually made it: Neither.

Excuses: This one was a bit obvious. The Warriors' only non-guaranteed contract is that of Anthony Morrow, and not even the dysfunctional Warriors could get that wrong. By the way, have you noticed that their four acquisitions via trade and free agency this summer were Mikki Moore, Devean George, Acie Law and Speedy Claxton? Can it get much worse than that?



- Houston Rockets

Signings: Pops Mensah-Bonsu, Garrett Temple, Will Conroy, Romel Beck

Predicted to make it: "[Brent] Barry waived, Pops makes the team."

Actually made it: Barry was waived, Pops made the team.

Excuses: The downside to this, as mentioned, was that it leaves the Rockets with only two point guards, and none of the players on the roster can really masquerade as one. Shane Battier did it a tiny bit in his rookie year, but that was a long time ago, and it wasn't a good idea even then. Nonetheless, that's not a need until it's actually a need. And since the Rockets are a team made up of glue guys with very little offensive creators anyway, what good would keeping an inactive list point guard do for that?



- Indiana Pacers

Signings: Rod Benson, Demetris Nichols, Lawrence Roberts

Predicted to make it: "None of them will make it, because the Pacers already have 15 contracts."

Actually made it: None of them made it, because the Pacers already had 15 contracts.

Excuses: The only possible way in for the camp invites was if they could outplay Luther Head and/or A.J. Price, whose contracts are not fully guaranteed. But a slew of injuries at the guard spots saw those two play big minutes in preseason, and play them rather well. So even though Rod Benson did well in his audition, the numbers were against him once again.



- L.A. Clippers

Signings: Anthony Roberson, Kareem Rush, Taj Gray, Jerel McNeal

Predicted to make it: "I'd like McNeal to make the team, but suspect that Rush will."

Actually made it: Rush.

Excuses: Rush didn't shoot the ball well in preseason - then again, he doesn't often shoot the ball well - yet seemingly he was tall enough to win a roster spot. That's how it works, apparently.



- L.A. Lakers

Signings: Thomas Kelati, Tony Gaffney, David Monds, Michael Fey, Mickael Gelabale

Predicted to make it: "If Gelabale proves his health, he will make the team. If he does not, none of them will."

Actually made it: None of them.

Excuses: Tony Gaffney put on a damn good charge for the spot, but unfortunately, his minimum salary was deemed to be too much. Here's the thing, though; the Lakers stated their intentions early to have only a 13 man roster this season, due to them currently having the biggest payroll in the league. As such, the camp invites never really a had a chance. Why, then, did they bring so many in? What was the point? Even when someone (Gaffney) won you over enough to want to keep him as a player, you still couldn't do it, because the finances dictated the situation. So then why bring in players like Fey, who have no chance of making the roster, since all they can do is get injured and hamstring your finances? Don't get this.

I also don't get why a team that absolves itself of all youth chooses to own its own D-League affiliate; the Lakers currently have no players eligible for assignment down there. Whatever, though.



- Memphis Grizzlies

Signings: Thomas Gardner, Trey Gilder, Mike Taylor, Leon Rodgers

Predicted to make it: "If they [buyout Marko Jaric], I predict Gilder will make it; if they open a second spot, I predict Gilder and Taylor make it."

Actually made it: They didn't buyout Jaric, thus keeping on only 1; Gilder.

Excuses: Sorry about completely missing out on news of the Thomas Gardner waiving for the best part of three weeks. I'm not as good at this as I was in my youth, and am just simply not eighteen years old any more.

Also, it appears that Steven Hunter is actually healthy to play, appearing in multiple preseason games and playing 9 minutes on debut tonight. He hasn't played well at all yet, but he's playing, thus making me responsible for yet more misinformation. Sorry about this as well.



- Miami Heat

Signings: Shavlik Randolph, Andre Brown, Alade Aminu, Anthony Tolliver, John Lucas

Predicted to make it: "I'm predicting none of the 5 to make it; however, if any of them do, I vote Lucas, Randolph, Tolliver, Aminu and Brown, in that order."

Actually made it: Carlos Arroyo and Randolph.

Excuses: I chose that order pretty much solely on the basis of the Heat's depth chart; they needed help at the point guard and power forward spots, and while Randolph was the best power forward option, Lucas was the only point guard option. The Heat clearly saw that, and surprised us all by bringing in Arroyo partway through preseason. Didn't see it coming. A good move, though.



- Milwaukee Bucks

Signings: Charles Gaines, Marcus Hubbard, Mark Tyndale, Dominic James

Predicted to make it: None of them.

Actually made it: None of them.

Excuses: Cheated slightly here, since all of them had already been waived before I wrote my prediction. But I'm claiming it anyway, because I need all the success I can get.



- Minnesota Timberwolves

Signings: Jared Reiner, Jason Hart, Alonzo Gee, Mustafa Shakur, Jack McClinton, Devin Green

Predicted to make it: "If and when the buyouts with [Antonio] Daniels and Mark Blount are finalised, the Wolves will have two roster spots. At that point, they'll need a point guard, which bodes well for Hart. Releasing Blount will leave the Timberwolves with only five big men, two of whom are Brian Cardinal and Oleksiy Pecherov (whom, since they're expiring, are also slim possibilities for being released, as is Damien Wilkins). So that gives Reiner a chance. I'm predicting him and Hart."

Actually made it: Hart and Nathan Jawai

Excuses: Apparently I can't count; they needed only to release Daniels to open two spots, which they did. A buyout of Blount wasn't finalised in time, but my logic was at least right; Minnesota opted to keep a point guard and a big. They kept Hart, but decided to bring in Jawai over Reiner. Hadn't considered that a possibility at the time. But it's probably best.



- New Jersey Nets

Signings: Brian Hamilton, Will Blalock, Bennet Davis

Predicted to make it: "None of them."

Actually made it: "None of them."

Excuses: The Nets didn't have any roster space, they won't spend any money this year, and none of the three has NBA talent. They liked Hamilton, in the same way that all teams love defensive minded athletic forwards, but they didn't have any roster space. So this one was self-explanatory.



- New Orleans Hornets

Signings: Earl Barron, Larry Owens

Predicted to make it: "The Hornets could use someone with centre size, particularly if they're going to pawn [Hilton] Armstrong off to the Clippers as I'm predicting they'll do between now and February. As such, they could use Barron, and any and all frontcourt offense is welcome. But despite all their cost cutting moves this summer, the Hornets are still over the tax (hence the Armstrong suggestion). So even if they freed up a roster spot by salary dumping Devin Brown or whoever, any additional signing would then cost them double. And is Earl Barron worth that? No. So for that reason, he's out. (Owens is out too, and I guarantee I'll be right about him this time. Hopefully.)" [A long-winded way of saying 'neither of them.']

Actually made it: Neither of them.

Excuses: Same as the Nets; the Hornets have no roster space and no money.



- New York Knicks

Signings: Ron Howard, Marcus Landry, Chris Hunter, Joe Crawford, Sun Yue, Warren Carter, Gabe Pruitt

Predicted to make it: "Crawford and Pruitt."

Actually made it: Landry only.

Excuses: Strangely, the free spending Knicks opted to keep a roster spot open instead of keeping an unguaranteed 15th man. This was kind of unexpected. Also unexpected was Marcus Landry's blazing hot three point stroke; he first demonstrated in summer league, but after a four year career of only decent shooting on few attempts at Wisconsin (with the shorter three point line), him being such a fine shooter is perhaps unexpected. But it's what's kept him around.



- Oklahoma City Thunder

Signings: Ryan Bowen, Mike Harris, Michael Ruffin, Tre Kelley

Predicted to make it: "It should be just Harris, but for some I suspect it'll be just Ruffin. Maybe I'm too cynical."

Actually made it: Bowen only.

Excuses: Not cynical enough, apparently. I respect Ryan Bowen, because any man who can keep getting jobs in a field where he's so badly underqualified is clearly doing something so very very right. But why he keeps getting these gigs, and why NBA executives are so enamoured with players who understand the nuances of defence in lieu of having any discernible talent, I will never understand. Good luck to him, though.



- Orlando Magic

Signings: Morris Almond, Linton Johnson

Predicted to make it: "I'm going to go ahead any say they'll keep them, even though they probably won't. (If that makes sense.)"

Actually made it: Neither of them.

Excuses: No idea what I just said here, but apparently Orlando isn't willing to spend any more on luxuries after all. And why should they? They've got enough talent right now to win the NBA title. A strong inactive list will change nothing.



- Philadelphia 76ers

Signings: Brandon Bowman, Rashad Jones-Jennings, Sean Singletary, Stromile Swift, Dionte Christmas

Predicted to make it: "In spite of needing a shooter more urgently, they've got to keep Swift. It matters not that they have [Primoz] Brezec, Marreese Speights and the returning Jason Smith: you can never have too much frontcourt depth. And even if he didn't show it for the Suns, Stromile is great frontcourt depth. This is more of a plea than a prediction."

Actually made it: No one.

Excuses: Stromile was injured in preseason, which will have factored, but seemingly the Sixers don't rate him as much as I do. Apparently not many people do. Has he really fallen off this much between the ages of 28 and 29? I find it hard to believe. We'll wait and see, though.



- Phoenix Suns

Signings: Carlos Powell, Dan Dickau, Raymond Sykes

Predicted to make it: "None of them."

Actually made it: None of them initially, but then they picked up Jarron Collins off of waivers.

Excuses: All brothers jokes aside, I don't understand the need for Jarron Collins. Robin Lopez is injured, and the Suns are short of quality size, but Jarron Collins isn't quality size.



- Portland Trail Blazers

Signings: Quinton Hosley, Ime Udoka, Donell Taylor, Jarron Collins

Predicted to make it: Collins.

Actually made it: None of them, as Patrick Mills was unexpectedly signed towards the end of preseason.

Excuses: Nate McMillan wanted to keep Udoka really badly, and if the Blazers had been able to foresee Nicolas Batum's injury, then maybe Udoka would have stayed. As it is, Mills gets a spot, despite currently being injured and having no short term role on the team. (I still think it's possible that Mills accepted his tender offer without the Blazers wanting him to, as this would explain the very weird timing of the signing. If this is true, or even if it's not true, please let me know.)



- Sacramento Kings

Signings: Lanny Smith, Melvin Ely

Predicted to make it: "As a result, neither player will make the team, as the Kings are already carrying the minimum of 13 players. It also doesn't help that neither is NBA calibre."

Actually made it: Neither of them.

Excuses: Once again, I can't count; the Kings had 14 players at the time, and still do. Desmond Mason made the team even in spite of his unguaranteed contract, and although he joins a stacked small forward rotation (weakened a bit by Francisco Garcia's freak physio-ball injury, he always had the talent to make it. Unlike the others.



- San Antonio Spurs

Signings: Curtis Jerrells, Dwayne Jones, Malik Hairston, Marcus E. Williams

Predicted to make it: "There's not enough room for Jones, and after the signing of [Keith] Bogans, the Spurs wing positions just got full as well. Jerrells might be the least skilled of the bunch, but the depth chart is most in his favour, so I vote for him."

Actually made it: Hairston.

Excuses: Jerrells' position and amount of guaranteed money certainly made his chances look promising. Instead, though, it seems he's going to join Hairston and Williams in the Spurs' juggling act between the big league team and the Austin Toros, getting paychecks here and there as incentive to hang around with the Toros and essentially extend the Spurs' roster to 18 players. It's sneaky, but it's totally legitimate. This, Lakers, is how you're supposed to use an affiliate.



- Toronto Raptors

Signings: None.

Excuses [theirs, not mine]: "Our roster is already full." Maybe so. But it's also got Quincy Douby and Marcus Banks on it. You can always improve.



- Utah Jazz

Signings: Wesley Matthews, Goran Suton, Ronald Dupree, Alexander Johnson, Spencer Nelson, Paul Harris

Predicted to make it: "If [there's] only 1 [spot available], I vote for Matthews. If it's 2, I vote for Matthews and Suton. If it's 3, I vote for Matthews, Suton and Dupree. If it's 0, shame."

Actually made it: It was 1, and it was Matthews.

Excuses: Utah had the same sort of thing going on as the Lakers - open roster spots, but a huge payroll, and not a whole lot of incentive to keep someone on. However, unlike the Lakers, the Jazz had injuries; Matt Harpring will almost certainly never play again, and C.J. Miles is out for a while after thumb surgery. As such, they needed an extra player, which is where all the auditions came in. And Matthews did enough of everything

It's going to look like I'm just saying this because he's made the team, so please trust me that I'm not; I always thought Matthews was underrated at Marquette last year. Maybe he does nothing exceptional, but he does everything pretty well, and he doesn't look as athletically disadvantaged as advertised. There should always be a place for players who are solid at everything. There should be less places for players who are only good at the defensive "little things."



- Washington Wizards

Signings: Vincent Grier, Paul Davis

Predicted to make it: "Neither. The Wizards already have 14 players and are in the tax, so taking on extra players for the inactive list won't be done unless they're hit by their usual injury bug."

Actually made it: Davis only.

Excuses: Antawn Jamison got injured again, and I'm fully prepared to count that as being "hit by their usual injury bug." It suits me to do so.

Third prize is you're fired.

Continuuing the round-up of training camp invites.


- Phoenix are going to run with 13 players, because they always run with 13 players. And they already had 13 players before training camp started, so the prospects of their signings were slim to none before they even started. Regardless, the Suns brought in three more, just in case; Carlos Powell, Dan Dickau and Raymond Sykes.

Dickau joins one of the few teams that he hadn't previously on. For those counting, he's now up to 10; Kings (drafted by, but never signed), Hawks, Blazers, Warriors, Mavericks, Hornets, Celtics, Blazers again, Knicks, Clippers, Warriors again, and now the Suns. It's not bad going, that. Last year he was in Germany, averaging 17.6 points in only 5 games for Brose Baskets Bamberg, doing the Dickau thing of shooting jumpshots and not much else. The story's been told on him by now; he is what he is, and what he is is perpetually on the cusp. Well, except for that time Danny Ainge gave him $7.5 million.

Carlos Powell has put up very big numbers in far smaller leagues, including one frankly awesome season in the D-League when he put up 22.5 points, 6.4 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game for the Dakota Wizards. Last year was similar, when he put up 25.6 points, 6.6 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game for Black Slamer in South Korea. He also led Australia's NBL in scoring back in 2007, averaging 28.2 points per game. Those numbers are big, regardless of the context, and Powell's scoring talent speaks for itself. He drives, shoots off the dribble, exploits the mid range game, and his three point range has gotten a bit better over the years. However, there's also a reason for them; Powell completely and totally dominates the ball, in a way which is great for his own numbers, but not always beneficial to the team. He's a complete ball stopper, who's very good at being the guy on minor league teams, but who can't (or won't) do shit without the ball. And since this is the NBA we're talking about here, somewhere where he'd only ever be a role player, he needs to change that. But he hasn't, and so the fringes are where he remains.

I only got to watch one Clemson game last year, which is a shame, because I wanted to watch more. Partly because I liked the novelty of the press, but also because I think Trevor Booker is the next Paul Millsap (with less rebounding, obviously). Raymond Sykes was in the game, but he wasn't exactly impressive. He looked for his offense more than he should have, looked more keen than skilled, and didn't have NBA size. His numbers weren't good either, averaging 7.9 points, 5.1 rebounds, 1.9 turnovers and 1.0 blocks in 21.7 minutes per game. There's nothing NBAish there. More importantly, you can tell that he's viewed as a 'hustle' player, because he has big hair. Why are all players with big frizzy hard considered hard workers? Do we just think that they are because their hair is so bouncy and vibrant, and it confuses our tiny minds? Or are they actually all hard workers? Because they do all seem to be. Sykes, Joakim Noah, Anderson Varejao, Mikki Moore......had it not just ended, the list would have been endless. (NB: Robin Lopez should shave his head so as to not confuse the issue.)

Prediction: None of them. Money talks, and even if we can't explain why Taylor Griffin has been signed to a $175,000 guaranteed contract, we just know that he has. So he's here until at least Christmas.



- Portland brought in five players for training camp, although we're already down to three. They brought in long term NBA veterans Juwan Howard, Ime Udoka and Jarron Collins, as well as former Wizards guard Donell Taylor and rookie forward Quinton Hosley.

Udoka has spent the last two years with the Spurs, playing the Bruce Bowen role behind Bruce Bowen himself. However, even though it should have been a perfect fit, Udoka didn't play very well for San Antonio. This was particularly true last year when he didn't shoot the ball well, shooting only 38% from the floor and 33% from three point range. Considering that the man's job on offense is largely limited to catching and shooting, that level of inefficiency is pretty poor, and Udoka needs to catch a second wind to get back into the NBA. He's not been in it for especially long, with only three full seasons under his belt, but at aged 32 this might be his last chance for a contract.

Howard looked all kinds of done in the 2007-08 season, flumping round the court like a damp box of new born puppies and playing the worst defense since Stallone in Rocky II. He sported a white hot PER of 4.4, had more fouls than points, and only just had more rebounds than that. Last year saw a slight redux, though, as Howard had a slightly better season for the Bobcats. He found some touch on the midrange jumpshot again, and even though his 171 total points came on an inefficient 145 shots, that was good enough for the highest single season true shooting percentage of his career at .534%. However, Howard's rebounding, always bad, was worse than ever last year, grabbing only 7.2 per 48 minutes, and his 0.1 blocks per game was right on line with his career average of 0.2. He was only ever a scorer, and not a very efficient one at that, and now that he's hurtled past 36 and 1,000 games played, he's basically done.

Taylor is a good sized combo guard who plays good defense. He's fairly athletic and fairly strong, and he has quick hands to go with that. However, on offense, he's more awkward than your granddad's skidmarks, permanently stricken with massive limitations on that end. Taylor can't create for himself or for others, and all forays to the rim when facing any kind of traffic usually results in some kind of wild turnover. He's also not a good outside shooter, and that carries over to the free throw line. Taylor can finish at the rim, but since he can't get there unless it's in transition, that's not worth a whole lot.

Jarron is the lesser known of the Collins twins, but he might be better than Jason. He's spent the last 8 years with the Jazz, despite the fan's patience with him running out five years ago, and his last three years have been utterly forgettable. He suffers from many of the same flaws that Jason has; Jarron is not a scorer, who takes only easy shots, yet still manages to score inefficiently (a career eFg of .459%). He also rebounds badly, averaging less than 9 rebounds per 48 minutes for his career. If you rebound badly and score worse, you'd better be a good defender to make it this long, and Jarron's all right at it. But even at that end, Collins mimics his twin brother quite strongly. He takes plenty of charges, can stay in front of similarly slow face-up orientated big men, and does a reasonable job in the low post, but he's not a shot blocker, fouls a ton, is not quick or athletic, and not especially strong. If it sounds harsh to say that he's disadvantaged in some way in every facet of the game, then I apologise, but he's had 8 years to disprove that notion and has not done so.

Hosley started last year with Real Madrid before being released and replaced by Kennedy Winston. He's hardly the most unique player in the world, being a classic example of the collegiate power forward who has to try and make the transition to small forward to make it at the next level because he's too small for the pros. Unfortunately, Hosley's never done a great job of developing these perimeter skills; he's still turnover prone and not a great ball handler, and the jumpshot is still under par, even though he uses it as often as ever. He didn't have a great year last year, but in his defense, Hosley did average a huge 22.9 points and 11.7 rebounds per game in the Turkish TBL in 2007/08, and after being released by Real Madrid he went back to Turkey, averaging a further 15.9 points and 5.2 rebounds per game for Galatasaray. For a guy whose major strength may be his defensive versatility, those are good numbers.

Prediction: Udoka is the better player than Collins, and in a way he fills a need for the Blazers. They could use the extra defender, and you can never have too much shooting. Unfortunately, the depth chart is totally against him. The Blazers already have Travis Outlaw, Martell Webster and Nicolas Batum at the small forward position, the latter of whom ranks somewhere between the next Scottie Pippen and the next Michael Curry. Meanwhile, they only have Ghostface Przybilla and Greg Oden at centre, and even though those two will swallow all the rotation minutes, they could use a third option for insurance. This tips matters into Collins' favour. (Note: I'm also assuming that Howard is a lock to make the team, and that seems to be a safe assumption considering that it's one the Blazers themselves have essentially publicly stated. Hosley and Taylor have already been waived.)


Since the inclusion of the occasional picture breaks up the otherwise monotonous drone of all this text, here's a picture of former Raptors forward Uros Slokar throwing up a gang sign (sort of):





- San Antonio finalised their camp roster early. After the McClinton thing happened, they brought in Dwayne Jones and Curtis Jerrells on unguaranteed contracts to compete with Marcus E. Williams and Malik Hairston (who were already there).

I saw a lot of Jerrells for Baylor last year, and I have to say that if he's making it in the NBA, it's as a specialist shooter. That's not to say that other aspects of his game are bad, because they're not. He's pretty solid. But he's also pretty ordinary, and his size at 6'1 isn't helping his cause any. The jumpshot is a good one, though, and he's fast enough to get by.

Hairston and the Spurs couldn't decide how they thought of each other last year. The Spurs traded the rights to Goran Dragic for him, and then they waived in training camp. Then they brought him back again midseason. Then they waived him again at the end of the season. And then they signed him again at the start of this offseason to a minimum salary contract with a $50,000 guarantee. Strange. In the times Hairston wasn't on the Spurs roster, he was on their D-League affiliate, the Toros, scoring a crazily efficient 23.7 points per game. He can shoot and he can score, and he's of the size that makes those skills worthwhile. But until the Spurs can decide what they think of him, I'm not sure that any of us can.

Williams is another Spurs second rounder that they can't quite decide on. They drafted him high in the second round in 2007, signed him, then cut him in training camp. Then they brought him back midseason. Then they cut him again. Williams went to the Clippers for a bit, then attended training camp last year with the Bobcats, but was waived and went to the D-League. Inevitably assigned to the Spurs-owned affiliate, the Austin Toros, Williams put up massive numbers; 23.1 points, 7.0 rebounds and 5.3 assists per game in 45 games. This as a 22 year old in the NBA's premiere minor league. Not bad. The Spurs brought him back in April and signed him through 2010, where he'll compete with Hairston for a camp spot. Who will win? Will it be Williams? Will it be Hairston? Or will it be Keith Bogans?

Dwayne Jones is a personal favourite, who rebounds and blocks shots at a good rate wherever he goes, but whose offense is thoroughly bland. Last year shows this as well as any: Jones averaged 17.2 points and 13.5 rebounds for the Austin Toros, plus 14.3/10.3 for the Iado Stampede, and also spent some time with the Bobcats (6 games) Efes Pilsen (2 games) and the Iowa Energy (1 game). He's well travelled and keeps on rebounding, but never developing.

Prediction: There's not enough room for Jones, and after the signing of Bogans, the Spurs wing positions just got full as well. Jerrells might be the least skilled of the bunch, but the depth chart is most in his favour, so I vote for him.




- Sacramento were set to bring in Jermareo Davidson to camp, but he bailed at the last minute to go and sign in Turkey. In his place, the Kings brought in former Hornet Melvin Ely, as well as D-League player Lanny Smith.

Ely is has been overrated by NBA fans for years, but the fact that he's been reduced to signing unguaranteed training camp contracts now reflects that the league has him finally pegged him about right. Ely was genuinely decent for one year, but the other six have been poor. He's not a scorer, he's not a rebounder, he's not a shotblocker, he's not really centre sized...so what is he? An inefficient foul prone 31 year old wannabe-scorer. It's up to you if you want that.

As for Lanny Smith, I knew nothing about him, so I asked. Here are the thoughts of Scott Schroeder, the Dakota Wizards' director of public relations:

.....pass first point guard... can knock down open jumpers... one man press break... good size as a point.. very good in open court and passes well on the move... solid size defensively... competes......I'm pretty good friends with him, also, so that's probably too nice. He's planning on playing in Idaho again this season.

It's good that he has a contingency plan, because Smith isn't going to be playing in the NBA in this or any season. He is in camp with the Kings as a Jones-Jennings-esque depth move, mainly because the head coach of last year's Idaho Stampede (Bryan Gates) was hired by the Kings as an assistant this summer. Smith played for the Stampede, on a team that also featured former fringe NBA players Jamaal Tatum and Kevin Burleson, and he averaged only 6.0 points and 3.0 assists per game, shooting 40% from the field and 31% from three point range alongside 1.9 turnovers a contest. Smith used to be a decent scorer and solid prospect from the University of Houston, but he badly broke his foot in 2006, and hasn't been the same player since. As evidence of this, he averaged 14.7 points and 4.2 assists per game in his sophomore season of college, numbers which capitulated to 5.5 points and 3.7 assists per game (on 31% shooting) in his senior season. That must have been a bad old break.

Prediction: The two have signed with the same franchise that gifted away John Salmons and took on the long term commitment of Andres Nocioni, just to be able to save some money on Brad Miller's salary this year. They could have had 8 figures worth of cap room this summer, but they let it all sit there instead, signing only Sean May for the minimum and trading for Sergio Rodriguez on draft day. That's how fearsomely committed they are (or have to be) to saving short term money right now. As a result, neither player will make the team, as the Kings are already carrying the minimum of 13 players. It also doesn't help that neither is NBA calibre.



- Far be it from me to besmirch Bryan Clungelo, but Toronto didn't sign anybody for training camp, and that's not cool. They rarely play the training camp game - last year's offering of Jamal Sampson was a mere token gesture equal to that of Dallas' signing of Jake Voskuhl this year, and 2007 saw only a camp battle between Luke Jackson and Jamario Moon, a battle that wasn't even close. But those two underwhelming years were still better than this year, when they brought in nobody at all. They didn't even bring in anybody to battle for Quincy Douby's roster spot. A team staring down an inactive list lineup of Douby, Marcus Banks and Sonny Weems can't claim that it has no way of improving the roster, so there's no real excuse here. I'm not angry, I'm just disappointed.



- In contrast, Utah played along suitably, bringing in Ronald Dupree, Wesley Matthews, Alexander Johnson and Paul Harris, as well as bringing back their camp signing from 2005, Utahian legend Spencer Nelson. They also signed their second round draft pick Goran Suton earlier this month to an unguaranteed contract, from whence he will have to fight to make it on a team already kitted out with lots of foreign size.

Matthews is a virtual lock to make the team. I wouldn't have said this had I written this post on time, but it's become obvious that Jerry Sloan wants Matthews inside him. He even started the preseason game versus the Bulls, and while it isn't unlike Jerry Sloan to start a third stringer over a second stringer when a regular starter is out, there was also no reason why he couldn't have started Dupree or Ronnie Price instead (especially since Jannero Pargo started at two guard for the Bulls). That counts for something. What also counts for something is Matthews's solid all around game. He excels at nothing, and he isn't the best athlete, but he's athletic enough, big enough and skilled enough. The jumpshot's solid, too, and if he ramps it up a bit he could make it for several years as a specialist shooter.

Had the Matthews situation not transpired as it did, I would have picked Doop to make the team. He has NBA calibre defense, and always has, and even though he seems to leave his scoring ability behind in the D-League on every call-up, he does enough on that end to cover for all the missed 6 footers. With Matt Harpring inevitably retiring, C.J. Miles out with a thumb injury and Kyle Korver always afflicted with something or other these days, the Jazz could use an extra wing defender. I thought Doop was going to be it. But now, it doesn't look like. Matthews is a better shooter, younger, and - perhaps most importantly - cheaper.

Nelson starred during a 4 year career at Utah State between 1998 and 2005 (I'll explain later), and made the Jazz summer league and camp rosters in 2005 as a result of that. After being waived from there, he's spent one year in Germany, two in Italy, and then last year in Greece, where he averaged 9.4 points, 7.3 rebounds and 3.0 fouls in 27 minutes per game for Aris Thessaloniki. The rebounding's good, but Nelson remains a 6'8 and 230lb power forward without a complimentary good three point shot. He posts up and faces up OK and can hit from mid range, but it's not easy to be a 6'8 post-up offensive player in the NBA. He's not Tyler Hansbrough, sadly.

Johnson has played two years in the NBA. The first was with the Memphis Grizzlies, for whom he averaged 4.4 points, 3.1 rebounds and a whopping 2.1 fouls in only 12.8 minutes of 59 games, including 19 starts. The Grizzlies then waived him before his second season became guaranteed (which is never a glowing endorsement), and Johnson went on to join the God-awful 2007-08 Miami Heat, playing in 43 more games and averaging only 1.9 fouls in the exact same amount of minutes. So that's an improvement. Less of an improvement was the fact that the points and rebounds dropped as well, to 4.2 and 2.2 respectively, with the rebounding being particularly bad. Johnson spent last year in Germany, where he averaged 11.5 points and 6.2 rebounds in only 23 minutes per game, but the reason he only played 23 minutes per game was he once again couldn't stop fouling (3.4 per game, and they foul out with 5 over there). He's now 26, and still hasn't remedied the problem that has plagued him for his entire collegiate and professional careers. Until he does so, he's on the outs.

I've covered Harris a lot recently and can't be bothered to do it again. He's like Dupree, only 5 years younger, 4 inches shorter and with a shorter history of success. And a worse shooter. And with one more conviction for intent to sell crack cocaine.

Suton's a personal favourite, but only because I favour people with big noses. (I'd explain why, but it's too close to home.) He's a tad short for a centre and isn't a leaper, but he's quicker than he looks, is strong, plays good post defense, can shoot the jumpshot and rebounds fairly well. I can't tell if the fact that he's a bit like other players the Jazz already own works for him or against him; it might mean that they see some potential in him (which would explain why they drafted him), yet it might also mean that they'll see him as superfluous and let him go (in which case, why draft him?) But as the only real size in camp, he has a chance.

Prediction: The Jazz are on for their biggest ever payroll by miles. If Harpring retires and they waive him, that cuts them down to twelve players, meaning there's a maximum of three sports up for grabs. But it also means there's a minimum of one, and given the size of their payroll, I wouldn't be shocked if 1 is what they went with. If it's only 1, I vote for Matthews. If it's 2, I vote for Matthews and Suton. If it's 3, I vote for Matthews, Suton and Dupree. If it's 0, shame.



- Finally, Washington's painfully quiet offseason triumphed into a rousing crescendo when they made two training camp signings; former Clippers big man Paul Davis, as well as Vincent Grier, who's tried out for assorted NBA teams and who got some guaranteed money from the Heat back in 2006.

Davis re-signed with the Clippers last offseason for his third season with the team, but was waived before his contract was to become guaranteed. He averaged a highly inefficient 4.0 points and 2.5 rebounds in 12 minutes per game before his waiving, which isn't very good. Davis only does three things; shoot mid range jumpshots, offensive rebound and foul. The first two are positive virtues, no doubt, but they're not enough. Davis' defensive rebounding is terrible, his defense is soft and clumsy, and his scoring is highly inefficient, as evidenced by his career eFG of .400%. (See earlier discussion about the mid range jumpshot. A man's got to do more.) Davis has had 3 years in the NBA and done little with them, so his time may be up by now. His main contribution to the world last year was this video:




Grier is a 6'4 slasher out of Minnesota (the uni, not the T-Wolves) who shoots about as badly as a 6'4 player can. Like Ron Howard from earlier, Grier not only doesn't shoot three's; he simply can't. Evidence of this can be found all over the show, but for example, last year in France, Grier played in 45 games for Cholet and hit only two three pointers all season. Grier can slash, will happily rebound and racks up the steals, but the lack of a jumpshot is a crippler, and the measurements aren't great either.

Prediction: Neither. The Wizards already have 14 players and are in the tax, so taking on extra players for the inactive list won't be done unless they're hit by their usual injury bug.



That ends the ShamSports.com 2009 NBA Training Camp Round-Up Thing. All training camp rosters are archived here. And now, the story of how I lost my virginity.......