- Mike Bresnahan and Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times: "Even though Kobe Bryant and Ron Artest had words during a couple of games last season, Bryant related a pro-Artest anecdote from the 2008 NBA Finals in which Artest, a spectator at Game 6, entered the showers in the Lakers' locker room after Boston clinched the championship with a 39-point victory. 'I was in there by myself,' Bryant said. 'He came in there and he said, 'This is not going to happen to you [again]. I'm going to come in here and help you out.' He wound up being in Houston, and [then] took us to Game 7. But he's here now. It's something we've both been trying to make happen for a while and here it is.' Bryant bristled Monday when asked if Artest's reputation would be a problem. 'Where is that reputation coming from? Because he ran in the stands and kicked somebody's . . . ?' Bryant said. 'You talk to anybody who played with him -- he's a great teammate, [will] never be a problem in the locker room. He had that one incident in Detroit, but outside of that, he's not a problem at all.' "
- Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel: "Marcin Gortat walked into the Orlando Magic's gym at RDV Sportsplex on Monday wearing a piece of clothing that perfectly summed up his current situation. The front of his Sean John T-shirt featured the unfinished pyramid that's found on the back of a one-dollar bill. Gortat insisted that he didn't wear the shirt to make a statement, but even he acknowledged the unintended irony. On Wednesday, the first day players can sign contracts with new teams, the Dallas Mavericks are expected to ink the 6-foot-11 post player to an offer sheet so lucrative -- worth so many of those dollar bills -- that the Magic won't dare match it. 'Either way, Dallas or Orlando, I'm going to be a happy man,' Gortat said, a smile on his face."
- Eddie Sefko of The Dallas Morning News: "Jason Kidd said Monday that the Mavericks' immediate future was the swaying factor for him coming back, rather than jumping to New York. A few extra million dollars didn't hurt either. But the prospect of rebuilding with New York couldn't compete with the Mavericks, who remain a solid playoff team that is a key piece or two away from being serious title contenders. Kidd is no less optimistic than owner Mark Cuban when it comes to the Mavericks' chances. 'I think we got a great chance,' Kidd said. 'Mark didn't waste any time in signing a free agent [center Marcin Gortat, a restricted free agent who will sign Wednesday], so I think we're sitting in a good spot. I think we still have a big window to win a championship.' "
- Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer: "The Portland Trail Blazers have millions in available salary-cap space and a longtime interest in Gerald Wallace. However, I'd be surprised if the Bobcats would be receptive to any trade proposal that would exchange Wallace for essentially cap relief and forward Nicolas Batum. My friend Jason Quick, who covers the Blazers for the Oregonian, called Monday night, wondering if I thought that sort of trade would be considered. Quick and I both heard the Blazers had inquired about Wallace in the past. So after Hedo Turkoglu jilted them, I can see why the Blazers would be interested in Wallace. But that's a non-starter for the Bobcats. Wallace is arguably their best player. While some cap relief would be helpful, Wallace is an asset you can't give away without getting real talent in return. What a terrible message that would send to the fans in a season when the Bobcats hope to be in playoff contention. Considering what Washington and Toronto have done this off-season, the Bobcats might have a tougher time staying in contention next season than they did last season. The last thing they can afford is to cast off a core asset to trim some payroll."
- Frank Dell'Apa of The Boston Globe: "Rajon Rondo is not predicting a championship for the Celtics next season, despite the addition of free agent Rasheed Wallace, who is expected to sign a mid-level exception contract tomorrow. 'We'll see,' Rondo said before the Celtics smoked Utah, 87-56, in a Summer Pro League game last night. 'It's early. [Wallace is] a proven player and it gives us more depth.' Rondo noted improvement in some of the Celtics' main rivals. 'I mean, everybody else is [improving],' he said. 'Cleveland is. LA's improved - they won the championship and they tried to improve. Even Orlando improved ... I don't know if they've improved, but they went out and got Vince Carter.' "
- Chris Perkins of the Palm Beach Post: "Michael Beasley's friends don't enjoy watching NBA games with him anymore. After a year in the league, it seems that he has developed the irritating habit of breaking things down as though he were a coach. 'When you play it and you've lived it ... you understand,' Beasley said. 'I can watch the game and see who missed a rotation or who messes up the play, who was supposed to be there on the other end of the pass. You understand why coaches get so intense and so emotional toward you on the court, because when you see something go wrong that could have been so perfect, of course you get mad.' That kind of perspective is a sign of growth for Beasley, 20, who was still a teenager last fall when he began his rookie season with the Heat. So, too, is his attitude toward off-season workouts that he began a month ago at AmericanAirlines Arena. Beasley, who averaged 13.9 points and 5.4 rebounds in an up-and-down season, has been fastidious about working on his skills during the day and playing pickup basketball with other local NBA players three nights a week."
- Paul Coro of The Arizona Republic: "Grant Hill, 36, said last week that he was leaning toward remaining with the Suns. Since then, he has been told that his role as a starter and leader would remain. Hill and his agent, Lon Babby, will speak Tuesday with Suns General Manager Steve Kerr, who visited Hill last week. NBA free agents can sign deals Wednesday. The Suns' search for a big man in free agency might take longer as they wait for the pool to dwindle, hoping to sign a player to a minimum-salary deal. Antonio McDyess is getting better offers from top teams, leaving the Suns' list at Joe Smith, Chris Wilcox, Channing Frye, Sean May and Fabricio Oberto once he clears waivers. Kerr also will talk soon with Stoudemire and his agent, Charles Grantham, and Steve Nash and his agent, Bill Duffy, about their desires for contract extensions."
- Ross Siler of The Salt Lake Tribune: "Eric Maynor must have felt right at home as he made his Jazz debut. After all, Monday night's game at times looked like Virginia Commonwealth against the Boston Celtics on the court at the RD
V Sportsplex. Maynor totaled nine points and four assists in what he described as his "first NBA game with an NBA jersey on" and was the saving grace as the Jazz were flattened 87-56 by Boston to open their five-game run in the Orlando summer league. After hosting the Rocky Mountain Revue for so many years, the Jazz's first game in Orlando proved to be the fourth-worst loss suffered by a team in the league's history. 'It's our first time playing with each other in a real game,' Maynor said. 'Once I got going a little bit, I was good. Just trying to get comfortable with the system.' " - Mark Murphy of the Boston Herald: "The Celtics ran out to a 44-19 halftime lead, including nine points in eight minutes from rookie Lester Hudson, and easily coasted to an 87-56 win over the Jazz last night. Free agent Nick Fazekas shot 3-for-6 from 3-point range, Bill Walker scored a team-high 14 points on 5-of-9 shooting before fouling out, and in general the Celtics had it their way in every category. Hudson, who finished with 11 points, to go along with another 11 from starting point guard Gabe Pruitt, settled in quickly. 'You have to show right away that you belong,' he said. Coby Karl, the free agent who spent last season in Spain, had to sit out last night's game because of a FIBA technicality. He will play in today's game against Orlando. Forward Michael Sweetney aggravated a hamstring injury but is expected to play today."
- David Benner of Pacers.com: "It was an ominous start for Tyler Hansbrough – a turnover on his first offensive possession as he came off the bench with 5:03 to play in the first quarter – but a pleasing finish for the Indiana Pacers' No. 1 draft choice. Hansbrough led the Pacers with 17 points in a 75-67 overtime victory over a combined team from Philadelphia/New Jersey in the opening game of the Orlando Summer League at the RDV Sportsplex Monday afternoon. Hansbrough added five rebounds and three steals despite being plagued with foul problems (four in the first half). 'I was a little nervous at first, but then I settled down,' said Hansbrough, who scored 14 points in the second half. 'I was pleased with my performance, I thought I played well and it was a good experience for me, but I'm just glad we got a win. I certainly didn't intend on getting fouls, but I'm learning the NBA, our system and the rules. I'm still getting used to that.' "
- Marcus Hayes of the Philadelphia Daily News: "Their stat lines were as divergent as the reviews. Sixers rookie point guard Jrue Holiday scored nine points on 3-for-11 shooting, turned the ball over five times, twice in the last minute on game-altering possessions, and dealt only two assists. Second-year forward/center Marreese Speights led all scorers with 28 points and grabbed 11 rebounds in a 75-67 overtime loss to the Pacers' squad in the first game of the Orlando Summer League. Holiday, the 17th pick of last month's NBA draft, exited the game with his bosses beaming. Speights' performance was not viewed as kindly. 'We like Jrue Holiday,' said new coach Eddie Jordan, who watched the combined Sixers/Nets team from behind the bench as Nets and Sixers assistants coached the players. 'There's no fear ... He's got a lot of point-guard mentality. A lot of point-guard personality.' "
- Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel: "Ryan Anderson's debut as an Orlando Magic player mirrored his 2008-09 rookie season with the New Jersey Nets. It was an up-and-down affair. Anderson, traded to Orlando in the draft-day deal that netted Vince Carter, missed all six of his first-half shot attempts in the Magic's 2009 Orlando Pro Summer League opener against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday at RDV Sportsplex. But the 6-foot-10 power forward bounced back in the second half, making 6 of 8 shots and finishing with a team-high 21 points. 'He had good moments and bad, about what you see with everybody,' said Magic Coach Stan Van Gundy, who watched the exhibition from the courtside scorer's table. Anderson said, 'It's summertime: It takes a little while to get going. I just tried to regroup and just keep playing. You've got to stay positive even if you're missing shots. It wasn't my greatest day, but luckily we have a couple more games.' "
- Tony Mejia of The Oklahoman: "Russell Westbrook's dominant play and James Harden's big debut got the most attention. But many at the RDV Sportsplex were raving about 19-year-old Serge Ibaka, who started at center for the Thunder. Ibaka moved impressively and thrived thanks to his athleticism, connecting on 6-of-8 shots and notching a pair of blocks. The No. 24 pick of the 2009 Draft, he played in Spain's top league a year ago and averaged 7.1 points and 4.5 rebounds in 15.5 minutes of play. That's a healthy chunk of playing time for a player so young to be granted in Europe. 'He's learning a new language, learning new rules, learning new teammates,' said assistant Brian Keefe, who is coaching Oklahoma City in the Summer League. 'This is invaluable for him to learn how to play with all the guys and gain familiarity with our culture, our organization, how we like things done and how we teach things. I think we'll see him keep progressive because he really likes to work. He's got the commitment.' "
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