Posted by Kelly Dwyer

• Bruce Bowen was recently spotted taking a charge from a 3rd-grader.
  
• The Warriors are actually being careful with their money, which is nice to see. After the initial free agent rush produced no significant offers for Mickael Pietrus and Matt Barnes, Janny Hu reports that Golden State is hesitant to commit more than a qualifying offer (a little under $3.5-million for one year) to Pietrus, and is letting Matt Barnes find his way among the free agent desert. Barnes in particular needs to understand that he was the most anticipated MLE-bust entering the offseason (remember all those, "how long until Isiah Thomas signs Matt Barnes to a $30-million dollar deal?" jokes that popped up in John Hollinger and Bill Simmons' chats last May?); and though he's a fine player, he's best served on a team like the Warriors. Pietrus can play, and the Warriors need him, but they also probably want to see if they can involve him in some sign-and-trade weirdness first.
• Terrific Summer League roundup from Brian Windhorst today. Kevin Durant gathered just eight rebounds in 126 minutes (somebody send Durant some tapes of Adam Morrison to scare him), Nate Robinson (playing in his third consecutive Summer League, he's turning into this generation's Bobby Hansen) led the tournament in assists per game, Aaron Brooks might surprise, Jackie Butler can play on either low post in any uniform, and you should really read the darn thing.
• I like Maurice Williams a lot, but I really doubt that he'll eventually use that newly agreed-to opt-out clause after the fourth or fifth year of his new deal with the Bucks.
• Alonzo Mourning's in Miami for one more year, and it's definitely his last. Maybe. What's the word on the street?
  
• Who screwed up more? The Pacers, for wanting to trade for Richard Jefferson's contract (he's nice, but has played 166 games over the last three years), Jason Collins, and Nenad Krstic (unrestricted free agent after 2009) for Jermaine O'Neal, or the Nets, for turning that deal down? Krstic is young and can score (on a team that struggles for points), and I love Collins' defense -- but O'Neal is the perfect combination of the two. He's overrated as a scorer, but New Jersey really could have made a move next year with him running things in the paint. Also, I know every penny counts and that Bernard Robinson's contract is guaranteed, but just why did the Nets waive Hassan Adams this weekend? The guy is 22 and had a 13.1 PER last year, and yet the Nets constantly gave minutes to older and inferior Antoine Wright (another guaranteed deal) over him last season.
  
• Joe Smith: classy, long arms, good jumper, sops up minutes (hopefully not too many minutes, coach Skiles), nice pick-up for Chicago.
• Chris Webber talks about the Pistons, uses the word "we." Down at the bottom of the page, my friend.
• Celtics assistant Dave Wohl has been reassigned, and essentially has former Chris Wallace's old Number Two job in the Boston front office. Odd.
• Marc Stein reports that the NBA just can't quit the composite, though you won't see a revised composite ball until 2008-09, at the earliest.
• The latest Carnival of the NBA comes from a place where Extreme could still sell out stadiums.
• Tas Melas defends the Magic. Poor guy. Pretty voice, though.
• Tom Ziller is pleading with Geoff Petrie to save the summer, and not just for his beloved Kings. Something about two tradeable talents in Mike Bibby and Ron Artest, and the deepest (in terms of mediocrity) frontcourt in the NBA.