- Jim Souhan of the Minneapolis Star Tribune: "With Ricky Rubio, the 2009-2010 Wolves would have won few games and drawn few fans. Without Rubio, the 2009-2010 Wolves will win few games and draw few fans. Rubio might have attracted a couple of curious crowds early in the season, but he wouldn't have changed the Wolves' plight, and knowing this franchise's luck, he may have won just enough extra games to ruin their chances in the next lottery. Without Rubio, Jonny Flynn, a dynamic and personable rookie, will get a chance to learn to play the point in the NBA. If he's good enough, Kahn may have the option of trading either Flynn or Rubio. Maybe, as Kahn has guessed, the two actually can play together successfully at some point. Kahn's manner doesn't inspire confidence. You suspect he has expert witnesses lined up to prove beyond the shadow of a doubt that the sky is green. When you listen to him speak in that measured, calculating tone remindful of Jon Lovitz, it is difficult to avoid thinking that he is indeed 'Kahn-descending.' Kahn, though, correctly judged this a franchise worthy of demolition. He replaced Kevin McHale and his cronies with what should at least be a hard-working, professional coaching staff of diverse skills and personalities. He chose Flynn, who may well prove to have been the most talented player available at No. 6. Kahn also took a reasonable risk in selecting Rubio after Rubio fell to the fifth pick. If you're a Wolves fan, you were going to have to be patient no matter what Kahn did this summer. Given that this promised to be a cross-country trek all along, you can afford another detour."
- Phil Jasner of the Philadelphia Daily News: "I understand the deep loyalty of Allen Iverson's fans. They sincerely love their guy. They will revel in someday seeing his jersey retired in the Wachovia Center. They miss the show. In a way, I do, too. He was a phenomenon, filling the arena the way no player ever had. I don't know why this particular memory has stayed with me, but I remember a night when the Daily News was celebrating the retirement of editor Zach Stallberg. I missed the arly portion of the party in town because I covered the Sixers game first. I paid my respects to Stallberg by laughingly saying 'In honor of you, Allen just dropped 60.' Allen could do things like that. The show, at some level, will go on, in Memphis or Charlotte or somewhere. But not here. That time has come and gone."
- Martin Frank of The News Journal: "I know that I have devoted a lot of space in the blog to Allen Iverson over the past few weeks, and I apologize to those who are sick of it. But personally, I find it fascinating in that here's a guy who is still an elite scorer, who made $21 million last season, and he still can't get a deal for more than 1/10th of that money this season. And also, the Sixers haven't really done anything this summer. But this blog isn't about Iverson's latest quest to join a team (it looks like either Memphis or Charlotte will take a chance on him). Rather, it's about the stupid comments that former Sixers GM Billy King had about Iverson last week in the Charlotte Observer. Now, before I post the comments, I want to make clear that what King said isn't wrong. The stupid part of it is that as Sixers GM, King is partially responsible because he allowed Iverson to act that way. When Iverson wanted a coach fired (Randy Ayers, Chris Ford, Jim O'Brien), King acquiesced. When Iverson missed practice or showed up in shootarounds in shower shoes, King didn't do anything about it. And so on, and so on."
- Frank Dell'Apa of The Boston Globe: "Marquis Daniels is buying into the Celtics' intentions of going for the NBA championship this season. In fact, Daniels refused higher-paying offers, signing with the Celtics yesterday, according to his agent, Glenn Schwartzman. 'It's his best chance to win a championship,' Schwartzman said. 'He played in the Finals in Dallas and he wants to have a chance to play for another one. He has a chance to play important minutes in a number of different areas for a team that has a chance to win the championship. ... He was definitely offered more money, even without the sign-and-trade, with other teams. But he felt strongly about Boston and the opportunity there. There were a couple other good situations, but Danny and Coach Rivers were most sincerely interested in him.' "
- Ross Siler of The Salt Lake Tribune: "Something about New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick 's description of retiring linebacker Tedy Bruschi as a 'perfect player' stuck with Jerry Sloan when he was asked about entering the Hall along with John Stockton . 'I'd never heard that before,' Sloan said, 'but it certainly would represent John Stockton in almost every aspect of basketball.' Sloan declined to reveal who would be presenting him for induction, though it won't be Stockton. He is still working on his speech and has heard from several former teammates who will be in attendance -- including one from grade school. 'He's an old rascal,' Sloan joked. Asked if he would be able to enjoy the Hall of Fame weekend, Sloan said: 'I don't know if I can or not, to be honest about it. There's so many emotions that will run through me, I'm sure. I just hope I can get through the day.' "
- Mike Monroe of the San Antonio Express-News: "When David Robinson walks across the stage to be inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame next week, he will be accompanied by Larry Brown, his first Spurs coach, and George Gervin, the only other Spurs player in the Hall of Fame. Brown and Gervin confirmed they have been asked to introduce Robinson at the enshrinement proceedings Sept. 11 at the Springfield, Mass., Symphony Hall. Robinson is to be inducted in a class that includes former Bulls great Michael Jordan, former Jazz guard John Stockton and Jazz coach Jerry Sloan, and famed women's coach C. Vivian Stringer. In recent years, the Hall has required that presenters be members of the Hall themselves. Gervin was inducted in 1996; Brown in 2002. ... 'This is going to be one of the neatest things that's ever happened in my life in this sport,' Brown said of his selection as a Robinson presenter. 'I got to do it for Coach (Dean) Smith and Coach (Roy) Williams for the College Basketball Hall of Fame, and it's really a neat thing to get to do.' Brown said Robinson's humility about his selection to the Hall of Fame is typical of a player who never expected acclaim."
- Dave D'Alessandro of The Star-Ledger: "Just to recap: After summer league in July, Terrence Williams took two weeks off at home in Seattle, went to Grgurich's camp in early August, took a week off because he tweaked his knee (he's fine), attended the Rookie Transition program (12th to 14th), and he's been in the Nets' gym ever since -- every day, seven days a week. Until this week, all by himself. It's been a lonely life. 'At the end of the day, it may be lonely, but
you work from 10 to 12:30 with a lift, then from 12:30 to 10 you're free,' the rook said. Actually, he's not entirely free. He also came back at night to shoot. But no complaints. The kid is used to work. 'It's not like college, when you go from 6 in the morning to 7:30, sometimes you don't get to shower if you have a class at 8,' he said. 'And after class you get done at 2:30 and practice until 5:30, then you try to see the girls. Now, here, you have free time to do whatever.' Actually, free time is over, for the most part. The gym is now filled with guys who are raising the bar for him and making him stay later. Flattery tends to have such an effect. As we learned Monday, this is the kid everyone chooses first for pickup games." - Langston Wertz Jr. of The Charlotte Observer: "Stephen Curry, now 6-3 and towering over me, is starting to look like a guy who's spending extra time in the weight room. He talks confidently about averaging 20 points per game as a rookie. Curry, who recently signed a Nike shoe and apparel deal, speaks confidently of a goal to be NBA Rookie of the Year. But he's also nervous about leaving home. Curry is 21. He's lived in Charlotte all his life. He went to college at Davidson, just a short drive from Mom and Dad. Within a few weeks, he'll report to training camp in Oakland, a five-hour plane flight from here and move into a three-bedroom condo about five minutes from his new home court. 'It's kind of weird to leave here,' said Curry, who says he can't avoid autograph-seekers at SouthPark Mall even though he wears a cap pulled low. 'I'll be a little nervous being away, but I'll be so wrapped up in basketball that what city I'm in shouldn't really matter.' "
- Jason Quick of The Oregonian: "Trail Blazers legend Maurice Lucas on Tuesday said he will return to the team as an assistant coach this season after missing nearly all of last season because of bladder cancer. Lucas, the bruising power forward on the Blazers 1977 team that won the NBA title, said he is unsure whether he will be able to attend all 82 regular season games because he is still not fully recovered from bladder surgery five months ago. 'I'm getting there, but it's a slow process,' Lucas said. 'I'm feeling pretty good though. We will see. I will play it by ear.' Lucas, whose No. 20 is retired by the team, is primarily responsible for coaching the team's big men, such as Greg Oden and Joel Przybilla. Last season, his sickness weakened him to the point where Lucas was rarely able to get onto the court to workout with the players. In fact, he was rarely seen except for some late-season appearances at the practice facility. However, he did maintain a line of communication with several of the players through phone calls and text messages."
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