We’ve written a lot in this space about the league’s “one more try” theme going into this next NBA season with the amount of older players getting contracts. One of the more intriguing teams trying to put it together is Dallas. On Friday they won Elton Brand off waivers to join Chris Kaman and Darren Collison as new additions in Mavericks blue. We’re sure they’re excited to have a home but it’s only temporary: all those contracts are for one year just in case the Magic hold onto Dwight Howard and he enters free agency next summer. Everything is obviously still going to flow through Dirk on offense but Brand can be a better option than they had last year at the four. It also continues a tradition of underwhelming Dallas big men, but we like Brand back in the West, even he’ll get beaten badly against OKC and San Antonio in that division. … Because we can’t go a day without mentioning Howard more, Friday’s newest turn in the drama is that Houston GM Daryl Morey‘s plan to nuke his roster in return for the disgruntled center might just come true. Included in the deal would be all the rights to the Rockets’ new three draft picks: Terrence Jones, Jeremy Lamb and Royce White. Two weeks into their professional life and the draft picks are already getting the ‘it’s a business’ phrase drilled into their heads. … One player the Rockets are going to try and snag is Jeremy Lin. He signed their offer sheet on Friday, putting the offer in New York’s court. … The Trail Blazers went in the opposite direction of Charlotte in their search for a new head coach, one that’s still ongoing. While the Bobcats went for untested NBA head coach Mike Dunlap (an accomplished college coach and briefly NBA assistant, it should be noted) Portland went straight to the top. Phil Jackson and Jerry Sloan were targets of the team, with Jackson telling the team he wasn’t interested but “flattered” — we’re thinking in a pat-on-the-head way. Sloan turned down the gig this week. Portland will likely go toward the Dunlap route unless Stan Van Gundy is tempted enough by the Rose City. According to Blazer beat writer Jason Quick, Stan’s brother, Jeff, won’t coach again until 2013, when a daughter graduates from high school. The team apparently has a former Van Gundy assistant in Orlando, Steve Clifford, in mind. Or they could always lure Quin Snyder back from Russia. … Scary news out of Orlando’s Summer League action with Philly’s Xavier Silas possibly suffering a major head injury during a game against Detroit. What some believe could be a skull fracture happened when he, another defender and Casper Ware all fell into the front row of chairs together. Terrible news if true, scary stuff even if it isn’t. Best of luck to Silas. … Read on to check out the night’s performances from Barry Farms in D.C.
We had our guy Sean Sweeney live at Barry Farms in Washington D.C. Friday night to catch all the highlights and other events from Team Nike from New York City vs. Team Goodman. With the World Basketball Festival stop in town, former Goodman League great Kevin Durant in the house with James Harden, too. It was about 11 months after Durant led Goodman over Harden and the Drew League in the biggest street game we’ve seen in years. Goodman won after getting the seven-point halftime lead and a late 71-58 advantage. Boo Jackson was hitting Js, Baby Shaq was scoring, Kenny Satterfield was shook not being able to take people. NYC legend Satterfield made a minute cameo in the first half but came back in the second and was looking a lot better, if still shaky. NYC made a run at it and got ahead by six even in the end before Goodman took control. Of note was Hard 2 Guard hitting a couple threes back-to-back with dudes in his face yapping on each one. We have to pass along how Baby Shaq tore down the lane for a slam that lit up the crowd. A little hesitation crossover then — BOOM. They’ll be talking about that even at WBF. … As much as we loved the “Dream Team” documentary on NBA TV almost a month ago to the day, we are just as excited for the release of the “Dream Team” book by Jack McCallum. Precisely for nuggets like this: MJ didn’t want to sign with Nike. It was his third choice. So now walk to where you keep your kicks (Joe Johnson, if you’re reading, go open your fingerprint-encrypted sneaker vault), look at your pair(s) or Jordans and say a quick thank you he went that way. … We’re out like Houston’s roster.
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