Jonathan Abrams of the Los Angeles Times: "[Elton] Brand departed for Washington on Wednesday to meet with his agent, David Falk, according to the sources. Neither he nor Falk could be reached for comment. As Brand flew, the Clippers spent much of the afternoon on the phone with Falk, according to the sources. ... He is well-received and respected within the organization, not only in the way he trains and dedicates himself to the game, but also in how he handles himself off the court. But the latest developments in the team's attempts to reach a deal with him on a contract have left some confused, according to the sources."
Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News: "The longer that Brand and his agent David Falk contemplate the Warriors' rich offer, the more obvious it is that Brand is trying to figure out how to stay in L.A., though it might be getting tricky if he's faced with leaving $20M or more on the table to do it."
Monte Poole of the Oakland Tribune: "Let's say Brand shocks the world and comes north. Who is going to get him the ball? Monta Ellis? A guy who averages five turnovers per eight assists? No matter how hard you or Chris Mullin or Don Nelson might wish, Ellis is not a point guard. Monta is a baller, yes. A natural scorer, tremendous talent. But he is not your quarterback. He simply doesn't view the game through the 360-degree lens of a great point guard. Which has the Warriors in the predicament of seeking the most critical position in an offense based on the concept of sprinting, scattering and shooting -- and smart passes. ... Unless Mullin spins magic, it's up to Nellie to improvise. And you know what that means. Stephen Jackson, point forward."
Ann Killion of the San Jose Mercury News: "The Baron Davis era is over. And so, I'm afraid, is the Warriors' brief moment of resurgence. Davis departs for L.A., taking with him the Warriors' mojo, their identity and -- probably -- their immediate playoff chances. Whom do you like to snag that eighth spot in next year's playoffs? Young, talented Portland with Greg Oden in the mix? The Clippers, potentially with both a highly motivated Davis and a healthy Elton Brand, providing he doesn't bolt to the Warriors? Or a Davis-less, identity-challenged Warriors team? But, hey, the Warriors have salary-cap room. Oh, joy! After years of misery and losing, a few good things happened for the Warriors in recent years. But Davis was by far the best thing. The best player. The catalyst. The engine that made the Warriors go."
Phil Anastasia of The Philadelphia Inquirer: "Josh Smith, who is nicknamed 'J-Smoove,' has struggled at times with shot selection, as well as protecting the ball. He was ninth in the NBA in turnovers last season with 245. But the YouTube videos showing Smith's dunks and blocks are among the most popular NBA highlights on the site. 'Josh Smith's Top 10 Amazing Plays in 06-07' had 261,528 views as of yesterday, and videos showing his top 100 dunks (148,181 views) and high school dunks (131,018) had drawn big traffic, too. 'He's not going to wake up tomorrow and be a great shooter or great ball handler,' the NBA scout said. 'He's not a great shooter. He's a great finisher.'"
Jeff Schultz of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution: "The Hawks maintain they will match any offer sheets given to Josh Smith and Josh Childress, their two restricted free agents. They're the correct moves, the almost mandated moves -- certainly with Smith, who, despite occasional geranium tendencies on the court, remains a far better player than most. In short, even when he's bad, he's not that bad. To lose Smith would be a significant step back for the Hawks. Few players in the NBA can match his skill set. Rare is the player who is 6 feet 9, can block shots, run the court, rebound, score and, by the way, is only 22. The strongest argument against giving Smith a bloated contract is it financially ties the franchise to a player who remains immature and inconsistent. There's also the matter of his tenuous relationship with coach Mike Woodson. But if you're the Hawks, can you take the chance of Smith developing with another team?"
Jim Masilak of the Memphis Commercial Appeal: "The Grizzlies haven't wasted any time introducing O.J. Mayo to the public. Both he and fellow first-round draft choice Darrell Arthur, a sophomore forward from Kansas, were in Memphis the day after the draft to meet the media and make an appearance at a local Boys & Girls Club. They also recorded voice messages that were sent to current, former and potential season-ticket holders. ... The Grizzlies aren't saying how many season-ticket equivalencies they've sold since draft night, but the early indications are heartening for a team that sold just 9,000 season tickets last season."
Chris McCosky of The Detroit News: "James Jones seems the most likely to be signed. Pietrus made nearly $4 million last year with the Warriors and will look for the full mid-level. The Jazz made a qualifying offer to Miles, giving them the right to match any offer. Plus, Jones is a guy the Pistons have liked for a while. He has tremendous range on the offensive end, plus he is a long-armed defender capable of defending the basket and clogging passing lanes. But again, Dumars is looking for depth on the free-agent market, not a major impact player. Free agents can begin signing July 9, but Dumars isn't on any rigid deadline."
Brian Hanley of the Chicago Sun-Times: "Derrick Rose will have his first full practice with the Bulls tonight when the summer-league team tips off a four-day minicamp at the Berto Center. It will be the first of five practices to prepare for league play, which begins Monday in Orlando, Fla."
Ailene Voisin of the Sacramento Bee: "While there should be no doubt in anyone's mind that Geoff Petrie intends to trade Ron Artest as soon as possible given Ron-Ron's recent outburst and dissatisfaction with his contract situation, don't expect anything to happen before the July 9th signing date. Petrie won't make a move until Beno Udrih formally rejoins the Kings. But that doesn't mean he hasn't compiled a trade wish-list or begun entertaining offers. The same teams that were intererested in Artest before he committed to the final year (and $7.4 million) of his contract continue to find him appealing, especially in light of his expiring contract. The Lakers, Miami Heat, Houston Rockets, Dallas Mavericks, among others, will be exchanging phone calls with in the near future."
Jason Quick of the Oregonian: "Darius Miles, the former Trail Blazers forward who is looking for employment within the NBA, became a little less attractive to teams Wednesday after it was learned that Miles is subject to a 10-game suspension for violating the league's anti-drug program. It is not known for what substance Miles tested positive, but the NBA's collective bargaining agreement states a player can receive a 10-game suspension for testing positive once for performance-enhancing drugs or for his fourth positive test of marijuana. ... Miles has not played in an NBA game in two years, so it is not known when, or if, he was suspended five games during that time."
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