The Thunder beat a good, good Rockets team 110-104 last night at the BOK Center in Tulsa. While Tracy McGrady didn't play, this Houston team is still among the best in the West.

Oklahoma City faces a Los Angeles Clippers team tonight that is in the middle of transition itself. Just last week, longtime GM Elgin Baylor left the club in lieu of Mike Dunleavy, who has held dual responsibilities as GM and head coach before (at Milwaukee).

The Clips are now led by Baron Davis, who is as dynamic and exciting player as there is in all the Association. The Clips are minus Elton Brand, who bolted for Philly after working to lure Baron to southern California. Oh, well.

Note: Davis is day-to-day with "flu-like symptoms." Hopefully, he plays. Baron is absolutely one of my favorite players in the NBA.

Before I get to the Thunder and who to watch, I figured I'd note a couple things about the Clippers. If you haven't seen Al Thornton play yet, keep an eye on the second-year player out of Florida State. He played in 79 of 82 games as a rookie, starting 31 of them, and shot 43 percent from the floor, scoring 12.7 a game.

His days of coming off the bench are probably numbered. The guy is a future all-star.

But the other guy to watch for the Clips is Chris Kaman. The fifth-year pro out of Central Michigan is one of the most underrated centers in basketball. He averaged 15.7 points per game and 12.7 rebounds per game last year and has some of the best footwork in the biz.

As far as the Thunder, by now you're aware that Kevin Durant is a stud. As Oklahoma City play-by-play man Brian Davis has dubbed him, KD is the heart and soul of the organization.

However, keep an eye on the development of Jeff Green, who is the Scottie to Kevin's Michael.

Chris Wilcox is only 26, but he's kind of the old-soul of this club. He's super reliable game to game. The big question with Chris is whether or not he takes the leap from Mr. Reliable to all-star. The potential is there.

The new kid on the block is Russell Westbrook, and if the preseason is any indication, Oklahoma City has a fearless floor leader who will weave in and out of traffic and take on the bigs. However, so far, he's shown signs of being a rookie -- throwing the ball into traffic, being a bit "too" fearless -- so, some patience is required.

But, make no mistake. Westbrook is a reason to be excited about this franchise. It will be quite fun to see how he grows from now until April.

However, the player who has caught my attention so far this preseason is Johan Petro. The third-year player out of France has been a spark plug for the Thunder in four games, showing ability to shoot from the field and drive to the basket.

So, tell us: What are you looking for in the preseason with the Oklahoma City Thunder? Is it game-by-game improvement? Is it for new talent?

Remember, for complete Oklahoma City Thunder coverage, you can visit our Thunder section on KOCO.com.

Entre los pocos partiditos que se jugaban anoche, el foco de atención estaba en el estreno del número uno del último draft, Derrick Rose, con los Bulls, y en la visita de Miami y New Jersey a París dentro del NBA Live Tour. Veamos qué dieron de sí tanto esos partidos como el resto de la jornada:

Derrick Rose: El número uno del draft se quedó en 10 puntitos en 27 minutos, en un partido que los Bulls perdieron ante unos Mavericks que pusieron el piloto automático tras marcharse de 20 al descanso, y que al final casi tuvieron que pedir la hora. Rose falló sus cuatro primeros lanzamientos hasta anotar su primera canasta en una bandeja. Pero para eso están estos partidos, claro: entre otras cosas, para que los rookies se vayan soltando. Veremos si Chicago acertó eligiendo a Rose por encima de Michael Beasley.

Carter y los Nets, Beasley y los Heat: El público parisino pudo ver un partido igualado entre dos equipos que no están precisamente para tirar cohetes. Al final fueron los Nets los que ganaron en la prórroga (100-98), con un buen partido de Devin Harris (21 puntos). Precisamente Beasley falló en los últimos segundos un tiro libre que podría haber forzado una segunda prórroga, pero aun así tuvo un partido completo con 21 puntos y 7 rebotes. En los Nets, la mala noticia fue la lesión de Vince Carter, aunque la cosa parece de poca importancia.

Los Rockets: Houston ganó a San Antonio en un feúcho partido (y lo digo porque pude ver un trozo y... en fin...) en el que lo único que se confirmó es que por ahora el equipo (o al menos sus titulares) tienen ciertos problemas de compenetración. Algo bastante normal con la llegada de Ron Artest, claro. Sin embargo, si Rick Adelman logra que ejecuten los sistemas con fluidez, puede ser un equipo a tener en cuenta para casi cualquier cosa, por la cantidad de talento puro que atesora... En los Spurs no jugó Tim Duncan y Tony Parker vio la segunda parte desde el banquillo. Los Rockets tampoco contaron con T-Mac.

El duelo angelino: Los Clippers sacaron los colores a los Lakers ganándoles de paliza (107-80), y lo peor de todo es que lo hicieron sin contar con Marcus Camby, y con Baron Davis jugando lo justo. Fueron auténticos desconocidos como el rookie Mike Taylor (20 puntos) o Steve Novak los que se cargaron a los Lakers. Ellos y Ricky Davis, claro, que metió sus buenos 17 puntitos. En los Lakers, Pau Gasol metió 12 puntos en 16 minutos y Lamar Odom se quedó en un cero patatero dos días después de que Phil Jackson declarara que lo de usarle de base estaba saliendo bastante mal y que le veía irreconocible (su frase exacta fue “parece que esté jugando al curling”). Y a mí que me parece que esta situación se está envenenando de forma innecesaria...

Matt Barnes: El ex de Golden State fichado este verano por los Suns empieza fuerte, demostrando que quiere ganarse un hueco en el equipo. Barnes metió anoche 19 puntos saliendo desde el banquillo, que sumados a los 21 de Alando Tucker fueron responsables en buena parte de la victoria de Phoenix ante Utah. Shaq debía de estar cansado del partido anterior y se quedó en 5 puntos, 3 rebotes y porcentajes más bien flojitos en 21 minutos de juego. Sería que anoche le tocaba estar en la piscina, y no en el parquet... En los Jazz, partido bastante flojo en general en el que apenas cabe destacar a Kyle Korver y Mehmet Okur.... por decir algo, vaya.

ELGIN BAYLOR

I love the NBA. It's probably the only business (let alone sport) where wholly and completely unqualified African-Americans can keep their six and seven figure jobs for decades. Other sports have abysmal records when it comes to minority hirings. Not the NBA. It's a league where Isiah Thomas can get multiple job opportunities. Did you know that all 30 NBA franchises have employed an African-American head coach?

Not only that, but NBA teams and the league also keep nice-guy, unproductive African-American executives of limited ability like Wes Unseld and Stu Jackson on the payroll for decades. Of course, there are also many talented and brilliant African-Americans in the NBA as well. And the NBA has provided a job for a guy like Wayne Embry for 50 years.

Even an utterly incompetant African-American executive like Elgin Baylor of the Los Angeles  Clippers has been able to keep his job for years. Good for him! In other sports brilliant and talented people of color can't even GET a job. Baylor, on the other hand, has no abilities or intelligence yet has somehow managed to suck a paycheck from the Clippers since 1986. Despite his decades of complete ineptness, Baylor has been able to keep his Clippers job for 22 years. Well, no longer.

Facing tough economic times, the Clippers have finally decided to downsize and eliminate Baylor's position. The team fired him this week. Baylor was making $ 1 million a year with the Clippers.

While Dunleavy said Baylor had decided to resign after spending 22 years as an executive with the team, Baylor painted a little different picture when reached by The Los Angeles Times on Tuesday.

"There is a dispute, and on the advice of my attorney they did not want me to discuss it," Baylor said, according to the newspaper. "That's all I can say."

Elgin Baylor is one of the greatest players in NBA history.  It doesn't seem like he "resigned", but wouldn't you want to leave the Clippers organization after 22 years?

 Baron Davis (PG)

Helps: Points, Assists, Steals, 3-pointers

Hurts: FG%, FT%, TOs

Normally players that can actually be damaging in three categories are not to be recommended, but Davis is an unusual fantasy option. He sports most of the typical stats for a high-profile point guard except for the terrible FT% (.692 career) and his .414 career FG% is tough to swallow, especially for someone who takes 18 shots per game.

But you can compensate for the percentages with later draft picks because few guards provide the scoring (21.8 points per game last season), assists (7.6 per game), steals (2.3 per game) and 3-pointers (2.1) that Davis can give.

It is difficult to tell how moving away from Don Nelson's frenetic style will impact Davis' numbers, though he has always produced when healthy. But health is another key factor. Although he played in all 82 games last season, it was the first time he has played in more than 67 games since 2001-02.

When to take him:In the late first or early second round, depending on how much you fear the percentages.

Marcus Camby (C)

Helps: Rebounds, Blocks, Steals

Hurts: FG%, FT%

Camby is also a curious case because he provide almost nothing on the offensive, yet thoroughly dominates defensively and on the glass. That leads some to draft Camby in the first couple rounds in some drafts, which is a bit too high.

If you draft correctly and with enough balance, you do not need to draft one players who provides only a few categories so early. Rebounds and blocks are spread throught the first six rounds or so, do not go reaching for one guy because you get too desperate, too early.

That said, Camby is a tremendous pick to anchor the middle and a healthy season almost guarantees a near-the-top finish in blocks and rebounds. Also new to the Clippers, Camby's numbers may affected slightly by playing alongside everyone's favorite fake German/Hulk Hogan look alike Chris Kaman.

A slight decline in rebounds is likely, though he will remain a blocks machine. Don't let the sub-par percentages fool you - he doesn't shoot or get to the line enough for them to be truly damaging. Plus he has finally played in at least 70 games in back-to-back seasons, hopefully shedding the fragile label for good.

When to take him: In the late third or early fourth round.

Chris Kaman (C)

Helps: Rebounds, Blocks, FG%

Kamanhad his best season as a pro in the 2007-08 after Elton Brand was lost to an Achilles injury. Now he once again has to share the paint with a talented big man in Camby and his numbers are bound to be altered.

Because Camby is not much of an offensive weapon, Kaman should produce about the same offensively (15.7 ppg, .480 FG%) but there are only so many blocks and rebounds to go around. Considering Camby's ability and defensive-minded attitude, expect Kaman's numbers in those categories to dip.

Kaman will still be the Clippers most effective interior weapon offensively and now has Davis getting him the ball. That in itself has some serious solid value.

When to take him: In the fifth round.

Ricky Davis (SF)

Helps: 3-pointers, Assists, Steals, FT%

Hurts: FG%

Davis has long been an under-appreciated fantasy asset mainly because he is a player no one in their right mind would want him on their NBA team. Let's face it, the guy is a major bell end. But he always given a nice combination of points, assists, 3-pointers and steals with a good FT%.

Davis' most valuable seasons came when he was the first or second option on a terrible team, allowing him to do whatever the hell he wants and pile up the stats while his team collects losses. Now he is on a revamped that has playoff aspirations, so where will Ricky go from here?

Expect a considerable improvement from last season, which he averaged just 13.8 points and 3.4 assists. He will either be the Clippers starting small forward or the sixth man and will get major minutes regardless. Davis can run with Davis and Camby on the break and is a good passer, meaning he can also serve as the de facto backup point guard.

Davis is a loose cannon and not to be trusted but this is an almost perfect situation for him to thrive and produce a line similar to 15 points, four assists, 1.5 3's, 1.5 steals and an .800-plus FT%.

When to take him: In the eighth or ninth round, though he could turn out to be a steal.

Al Thornton (SF)

Helps: Let me get back to you on that.

Hurts: FG%

Thornton was relatively productive as a rookie last season, averaging 15.6 points and 6.1 rebounds in 31 starts after injuries boosted his playing time. He will likely open the season as the team's starting small forward but expect a huge boost in minutes over the 35 per game he played as a starter last season.

With Davis as a solid veteran presence off the bench, this is likely not the year Thornton will be playing 40 minutes per game. In addition, his per minute numbers last season did not reflect a player on the verge of becoming a multi-category stud.

Thornton will not score or rebound enough to be truly valuable in those categories and he had sub-par percentages while averaging less than one 3-pointer, one steal and one block per 36 minutes as a rookie. Some of those numbers may improve, but it's far from a sure thing to try and predict any player's sophomore success.

When to take him: In the 10th or 11th rounds.

THE REST:

Cuttino Mobley is no longer the threat he once was and does not even provide enough 3-pointers to be relevant as a fantasy asset. The buzz is high for rookie Eric Gordon, but he is a score-first points guard and, unless Davis goes down, the Clippers already have one of those. Tim Thomas is always a reliable source of 3-pointers who can score in bunches but - of course- he's fugazi.

Be sure to check your league rules for specific position eligibility rules.

The last time we saw Shaun Livington in an NBA game, this was the unfortunate result. It's been a year and a half since this serious injury to his left knee and it may not be much longer before the 23-year-old returns to the court.

Livingston was signed today by the Miami Heat to a 2-year deal. Outstanding news. The kid is a once in a lifetime talent, who will become better than most point guards in the league even if he never returns to 100%. I think the Heat would settle for 85.

'You normally would never get a player of that talent at this time,'' first-year Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said of Livingston. ``He has the size and the vision. His passing ability reminds me of Penny Hardaway -- when [Hardaway] was young.''

When he returns he'll compete for the starting point guard position against Chris Quinn, Marcus Banks and rookie Mario Chalmers. So needless to say, he'll be the starting point guard when healthy, but he's not there just yet.

''Explosion is the last part of this process,'' said Livingston, who has averaged 7.4 points and 4.8 assists in two-plus NBA seasons. ``Soreness is going to be something -- the mental process [of] going out on the court and just trusting it. I'm confident.''

Just another fun story to track heading into the NBA season. He's got a lot of fans behind him.

Miami Heat takes a gamble, signs point guard Shaun Livingston [Miami Herald]

Baron Davis ready to take the Clippers to the top.

[Andrew D. Bernstein/Getty Images]

There was perhaps no bigger story in the NBA this offseason than Elton Brand spurning the Clippers for the Philadelpha 76ers. Newly signed free agent and hometown hero Baron Davis and Brand would've given the Clippers one of the most dynamic 1-2 punches in the league.  But with Brand in Philly, that's obviously not happening.  They made up for it as best they could, however, by trading for Marcus Camby by giving up nothing.  And I mean nothing.  All the Clippers gave the Nuggets was the OPTION to SWAP SECOND ROUND PICKS with them in 2010.  Talk about a steal.  So the other team in LA did pretty good after their drama-filled offseason.

Here's what a healthy Baron Davis can bring to the table.

Face of the Franchise: Baron Davis. With Brand now out of the picture it is without question Davis.  The Clippers are paying B-Diddy $65 million over five years to be their best player and lead them to the elusive NBA title Brand could not.  Quite a hefty price for a player who played his first full season in six years last year.  Despite his injury-riddled past, he is still the most athletic point guard in the NBA, a triple double threat every time he hits the floor, and one of my favorite players to watch in the league. But the question will always remain if he will stay healthy.  If he can (and I guess him being on Jenny Craig is a start...), maybe Los Angeles fans will be flying Clippers flags in June.

Send Him Away: Cuttino Mobley. I was never too enthralled by Mobley's game.  He is a shoot-first shooting guard with below average size.  He can put the ball in the hoop at a decent clip but I always thought he'd be better suited coming off the bench.  A better version of Eddie House I guess.  Mobley is starting to get up there in age and he makes a lot of money so it'd be tough to get rid of him.  He does play with a lot of heart though and with former Indiana guard Eric Gordon waiting, it's only a matter of time before Mobley does get traded.  Probably next year in the last year of his contract.

This too.

Impact Newcomer: Baron Davis. See Face of the Franchise.

X-Factor: Marcus Camby. He'll be counted on to fill Brand's shoes and that's no easy task.  While Camby is an upgrade defensively, there is no way he will ever match Brand's offensive output.  Teamed with Chris Kaman, the former Defensive Player of the Year gives LA a formidable frontline along with rising star Al Thornton. But it will be imperative for Camby to maintain his status as one of the elite interior defenders and rebounders (and stay healthy) in the NBA in order for these Clippers to make the playoffs.

Forecast: Mid Lottery. The 2008-2009 Los Angeles Clippers actually have a pretty good roster in my eyes.  They have a nice mix of young players and veterans with a decent bench.  Thornton had a superb rookie year but needs to improve his consistency on a game-to-game basis.  DeAndre Jordan is an extremely raw prospect but is an athletic 7-footer with a ton of potential and as they say, you can't teach size.  I am not sure how Eric Gordon will pan out, however.  He was a scoring machine the first half of his only year of college, but his percentages dropped significantly afterwards.  This could have been due to various injuries (though his shot selection is terrible and he has to improve that) he had but that just raises another red flag.  He doesn't look like he is in the best shape and his athleticism is surprising.  Gordon eerily reminds me of Baron Davis, body-wise, and as I mentioned before, he has not had the most healthy career.  I hope for Gordon's sake, that I am wrong.  But health is the main cause for concern I have for this team and I just believe there are too many injury risks on this team for them to make the playoffs.

Williams averaged 11.4 PPG, 2.4 RPG, and 6.3 APG. He signed with the Los Angeles Clippers this past offseason.

Central
Chicago (0-0)
Cleveland (0-0)
Detroit (0-0)
Indiana (0-0)
Milwaukee (0-0)

Southeast
Atlanta (0-0)
Charlotte (0-0)
Miami (0-0)
Orlando (0-0)
Washington (0-0)

Northwest
Denver (0-0)
Minnesota (0-0)
Oklahoma City (0-0)
Portland (0-0)
Utah (0-0)

Pacific
Golden State (0-0)
LA Clippers (0-0)
LA Lakers (0-0)
Phoenix (0-0)
Sacramento (0-0)

Southwest
Dallas (0-0)
Houston (0-0)
Memphis (0-0)
New Orleans (0-0)
San Antonio (0-0)

Oh Jason, it's as if we hardly knew ye. For years, we were collectively slathered in your sweet white chocolate, and then, without notice, you up and leave.

Los Angeles Clippers point guard Jason Williams announced his retirement from the NBA today, ending his 10-year career. Signed by the Clippers as a free agent on August 7, 2008, Williams did not appear in a game for Los Angeles.

He didn't even have a chance to contribute to the inevitably off-kilter chemistry of this new look Clippers team.

At least we have memories, right?

We'll always remember his distinctive look; the peroxide blonde hair and high cheek bones guaranteeing Williams would always be the best early-90s twink porn star the gay porn producers of the world would never have. Noted blue movie woodsman Jeff Stryker was a real Williams fan, once proclaiming 'Jason is the model. He's the guy. That choirboy hair? That innocent-kitten-meets-rough-trade demeanour? Yeah, he has the look we all want.'

And, of course, Williams was one of the league's best ever racists:

According to Ching [a Warriors fan], he told Williams, 'Get used to sitting on the bench.'

Williams responded, 'Are you gay? Are you a fag?'

An angered Williams then pelted Ching with expletives, at one point defaming him as a 'slant-eyed motherfucker.'

Williams then pretended with his hands to shoot a machine gun toward Ching and the others, yelling, 'I will shoot all you Asian motherfuckers,' while imitating machine gun sounds.

What a loss to the league. David Stern must be so upset.

Posted By: Anton

After recently signing with the Clippers in August, Jason Williams, the risky, flashy guard who primarily possessed the nickname, "White Chocolate," has called it quits. The 32-year-old Williams had an entertaining 10 years in the league, from mouth-opening dishes to deadly ball-handling. His streetball style stretched his fundamental game throughout his career, resulting in a wide fan base and a bad assist/turnover ratio.

Williams made his first stamp into the league when he was drafted by the Sacramento Kings. His early companions consisting of a young Chris Webber and Vlade Divac spurned a great highlight reel for followers. After having his best season with Sacramento in 2001, J-Dub was traded to Memphis for Mike Bibby. Williams' pairing with Pau Gasol and other Grizz turned out to mesh well under coach, Hubie Brown's system. Under Brown, Williams' flashy style of playing was toned down a bit. In the 2003-2004 season, Williams and the team secured their first playoff berth for the franchises history.

In 2005, Williams was traded to the Miami Heat. In his first year in Miami, Jason averaged 12.3 points and 4.9 assists per game. Williams' also became an NBA Champion in his first year, alongside players Dwyane Wade and Shaquille O'Neal.

Williams' career will forever be tattooed with his jazzy style and dangerous looks. Though it may only hit a few, his presence will be greatly missed by those who craved the dicey a guard with no concern over the basics. His departure from the league will personally sting, for he was one of the select players in history who I would easily classify as an innovator to the game.

FAT CLIPPERS POINT GUARD BARON DAVIS

This week several sports and gossip websites ran pictures of NBA player Baron Davis frolicking on the beach in Cabo with actress Jessica Alba and her husband.

The pictures showed that Davis has more baby fat than Alba. That's not good considering he's a professional athlete and she's just given birth.

Today People magazine broke the story that Davis has signed a new endorsement deal with weight loss company Jenny Craig. Great! That means Davis is now being PAYED for being a fatass.

I just hope the Jenny Craig deal works out better for him than it did for Kirstie Alley.

CHASING JESSICA ALBA IS TIRING WORK FOR OUT OF SHAPE POINT GUARD BARON DAVIS

      The infraction had to do with the banned substance phentermine, an amphetamine most associated with appetite suppression. His suspension will begin with the first game of the regular season, according to Reuters.

       Miles was selected straight from high school by the Los Angeles Clippers as the third pick in the 2000 NBA Draft. He played for two years with Los Angeles, two years with Cleveland and three years with Portland.      

       The 6-foot-9 (2.05 meter) forward, who has averaged 10.6 points and 5.2 rebounds in his career, has not played for two years due to a knee injury but was signed by the Celtics in August.

Golden State Warriors | Total Salary: $56,133,870

Straight off the bat, $56M doesn't seem like much to pay for a team who knocked the Western Conference champions out of the playoffs two years ago, and only just missed the post-season last year.

These past two seasons have been characterised by the excitement prompted by Golden State's hyper-offensive plays, and their colourful team: Baron Davis' unbelievable consistency, Monta Ellis' breakout season, and Stephen Jackson's fixation with handguns.

But then the off-season happened. Baron packed up bags for a town a few clicks south, Monta did something and now won't start the season, and the Warriors' cap space was gambled on a European (always a mistake) and a talented-but-egocentric swingman. So for now, Golden State are an unknown quantity. Can Monta fulfill his role at the point? Will Maggette fit into a team where he isn't the first option on offence? Will Biedrins justify his obscene contract?

If so, we might see another season of upsets in the West. If not, Golden State will be the new Clippers.

Adonal Foyle | $9,750,000 | 1 year

It's impossible not to like Adonal Foyle. He has a history degree, founded a grassroots organisation called Democracy Matters, and reviews his favourite books on his official site. He's a genuinely fantastic human being.

Regardless, Adonal could cure cancer in the off-season and his bloated salary would still be ridiculous. Especially considering he's not even on the Warriors roster.

Al Harrington | $9,226,250 | 2 years

Harrington has a great contract. Having a young guy who can score and play a bit of defense inside is a great commodity -- particularly one who can stick with the ridiculously high-octane offense Nelly is runs.

The issue with this contract is that Harrington is being stupidly used -- because the Warriors don't do half-court sets, Harrington is constantly forced to the perimeter. So while we've got $9M in contract just oozing potential, who knows if we'll ever get the chance to see if it's worth it. Oh well, that's Don Nelson.

Andris Biedrins | $9,000,000 | 5 years

When you're looking at the $9M over two which Harrington is getting as a bargain, you can then look at this contract and start to think a little closer about Golden State management. They let Baron Davis go - who was only looking for a couple of million more than Biedrins - and instead signed their undersized, soft-as-tissue-paper big man for nearly $50M over five years. Well, that's just silly.

Every time I see the pundits on ESPN or wherever talk about how 'this is a solid signing for the Warriors,' I laugh and cry simultaneously because, as a Knicks fan I know that, somehow, Biedrins will end up in the blue and orange before too long. In fact, this contract makes me want to instigate a new salary cap rule: Europeans are only allowed to be paid $5M or less a season. The league will thank me.

Corey Maggette | $8,600,000 | 5 years

Anyone who has owned Maggette in a fantasy team, or watched one of the two Clippers games ESPN has ever shown, would be aware of his consistently respectable offensive numbers. He is more than competent at the two position; a quality second-tier shooting guard. At Golden State, Maggette looks to benefit from having Monta (unless something drastic happens), Al Harrington and Captain Jack around, as he's unlikely to be guarded by the opposition's best defensive player.

At the same time, you get the feeling that no longer being the stand-out shooting option on the team could be something Corey finds it hard to adjust to. The contract this year is worth the gamble. In five years' time though, he just might be the next Larry Hughes.

(Side note: Interestingly, when you look up the word Maggette in a French dictionary, the literal translation is 'knee-jerk').

Stephen Jackson | $7,140,000 | 2 years

A wonderful contract, because it adheres to 'The Artest Principle,' whereby a hugely talented guy with 'character issues' will always be available cheaply.

Unless Captain Jack starts spraying bullets down by North Beach, he'll deserve every cent he gets.

Ronny Turiaf | $4,000,000 | 4 years

When it comes to guys you want on your bench, Turiaf is in a league of his own, the French energy man constantly swiping and swishing two or three large white towels through the air. If you were paying Ronny only to psyche his teammates up -- like a hulking, bearded, Sarkozy-ruled cheerleader -- his contract would be worth every cent.

The fact he's a rabid rebounder with a surprisingly soft mid-range touch who is paid less than the league average? Well, that's a nice bonus.

Brandan Wright | $2,081,100 | 1 year

Wright will turn into a decent player, injuries notwithstanding. Tough to judge rookie contracts though, as we all know he'll probably bolt for some silly team looking to pay him $40M over five years after he averages eight and six down the stretch in limited minutes. That's the NBA.

Kosta Perovic | $1,944,000 | 2 years

Let's be honest, I've never seen Kosta Perovic play. But I can tell you one thing... with that name, he's certain to be absolutely worthless unless he's unguarded from three-point range.

Anthony Randolph | $1,424,400 | 2 years

Are rookie contracts - with the exception of those offered to white guys - ever that bad? An athletic left-hander who seems to have a bunch of upside to support GSW's sharp-shooting forwards is worth the money. The only question is whether Don Nelly will elect to ignore his inside game as he has done with Al Harrington, and keep him on the perimeter.

Marco Belinelli | $1,205,600 | 1 year

Belinelli came out firing in the 2007 summer league, putting up 37 points in his first game. Don Nelson gushed. 'I think he's been sensational,' said Nellie. 'He's very unpredictable offensively, and that's what I like about him.'

Then Nelson played 'Bench The Eurobust', playing him in just 33 games. Say it with me: 'thank god for rookie contracts.'

Marcus Williams | $1,262,520 | 1 year

Williams posted halfway reasonable numbers in his rookie and sophomore seasons at the Nets, given his bench-heavy minutes. With Monta out, Williams will have the opportunity to demonstrate whether he can find a place at the point. Meanwhile, every player at Golden State will be leaving their laptops at home.

Monta Ellis | Apparently $66m | 6 years

If this contract was the $66M Monta was originally offered, and this was a few weeks ago, when he was healthy, the verdict would've been simple: you've just paid a good player with a load of upside the money that he's worth.

Now, however, we have a situation where you might pay a good player what he's worth. And you're now in a position to justifiably say 'Monta, you're getting less money, because you were a douche. You went and did something we explicitly told you not to. You could do anything you wanted bar about three activities, and you chose one of them.'

Going on his form from last year though, you'd have to say any contract from $66M down is a pretty good contract for Monta.

Posted by: Alex, Anton & James

Previous Rosters Rated: New York Knicks, Boston Celtics.

Note: when expressing the years remaining on a contract, we’ve taken the team’s potential liability into account, meaning we assume a player will accept their player option. A team option is not considered a liability.

Baron Davis, Marcus Camby, Eric Gordon, Ricky Davis, Jason Williams, DeAndre Jordan

Key Losses

Elton Brand, Corey Maggette, Shaun Livingston

Season Outlook

OK, I could have placed about five more players in each of the loss/add sections, but I'm a slow typist and decided against it. Adding "Key" was much easier. The Clippers have a completely revamped roster, with only four returning players from last year's 23-59 squad. That wasn't the plan going into the offseason though, as the Clips expected to keep Elton Brand, and had to steal Marcus Camby from the Nuggets after he bolted to Philadelphia.

Considering Brand and Livingston were injured last year, I expect the Clippers to be a much better team this year. I don't know much about coach Mike Dunleavy's offensive philosophies, but this roster matches up well with the "We Believe" Warriors. Gordon and Ellis, Thornton and Ricky vs. S-Jax and Al. They even have a defensive-minded center, in Camby who can shoot the ball. (I think his shooing is a little underrated and his post defense is a little overrated. Can't argue with the blocks though.) However, I would be a little worried about Davis and Camby getting injured for stretches of the season. I hate making predictions, but because you asked so nicely, I'll start with 40-42, arbitrarily subtract a few games due to injuries and get 37-45. Good enough for the Hawks to make the playoffs next year, but not good enough out West. Fortunately, Clippers fans have become accustomed to their team missing the playoffs and can always look foward to a Davis brothers trio singing something on the big screen during timeouts.

How the Suns Match Up

I don't think the Suns match up all that well, and here's why. Baron Davis is capable of giving Steve Nash problems if he feels like it. Camby and Kaman didn't sound good together when I first heard about the trade, but they'll clog the middle defensively, and offensively Camby's midrange game could complement Kaman's decent post moves. Gordon, Mobley and Thornton should be able to keep up with Barbosa, Hill, Barnes and Bell. I think the teams split the series, assuming no one is injured at the time.

Starters

PG: Steve Nash. Gotta go with the hometown guy. There's been a lot of talk about Chris Paul and Deron Williams surpassing him, but they're in a different divisions, so I won't even go into that. Maybe later.

SG: Kobe Bryant. The consensus best player in the league. Has done a lot to improve his image by playing in the Olympics, with an injury no less.

SF:Stephen Jackson. Now I actually have to start explaining myself a little. He plays good defense and is may have been the MVP of his team even with Baron Davis. His rep has skyrocketed since the bral in the Palace incident. Last year I don't know he makes this list with Artest and Marion in the division.

PF: Amare Stoudemire. One of the best offensive big men in the league. Has improved his shot drastically in the last few years. Hopefully his defense will follow suit with new coach Terry Porter.

C: Andris Biedrins. Toughest choice of the starting 5 and the most controversial. A monster on the boards, runs the floor, and I haven't heard anything horrible about his defense. There's several solid centers in the division, including Andrew Bynum, Brad Miller, Marcus Camby, Chris Kaman, and Pau Gasol, depending on how you classify each player. Biedrins is young and uninjured, which is why he got the spot. Bynum will get this spot in my book if he returns to form this year.

Bench

Baron Davis

Monta Ellis

Kevin Martin

Corey Maggette

Al Thornton

Pau Gasol

Marcus Camby

Andrew Bynum

The plan is to go a little more in depth on the other teams and players in the division in the upcoming weeks. Don't worry though, I'll still be writing about the Suns a lot. Even in the previews of other teams I'll try to discuss how the Suns match up with them. I'll try to get player analysis in the roster section eventually to, so we shall see.

From the Associated Press:

Not since the Dream Team rumbled through Las Ramblas 16 years ago in Barcelona has a team looked this unbeatable. The Americans won their pool games by 32.2 points and averaged 103 points and now move on to a quarterfinal meeting with Australia, the only team they haven’t been able to blow out.

After the game, the team exchanged congratulations with Michael Phelps, now free to enjoy the rest of the games after winning eight gold medals in his record-setting Olympics. Bryant and Carmelo Anthony were among the U.S. players who went out to the pool to watch Phelps.

“He made history as one of the best swimmers ever, so for us to be a part of that and be here with him, we just felt good about it,” said Anthony, like Phelps a Baltimore product.

The Americans (5-0) return to the basketball arena Wednesday against Australia, the team that’s provided them with their toughest test in China.

A gold medal appears to be in the cards for the US, but I won't be handing out the medal just yet. The Americans have had a tough time the past few years winning it all. But this team appears to be the strongest team we have had in quite some time and a gold medal seem inevitable. Thoughts?

How else to explain the dizzying array of transactions this team has engaged in during this NBA off-season?

LA Clippers Recent Transactions

Q1. How good can Clips Nation expect their team to be this season?

A1.  The presence of a multi-purpose PG like Baron Davis … the stability of a solid big like Chris Kaman … the interior shot-blocking of Marcus Camby … and the promising growth of a solid young player like Al Thorton … not to mention all the other small part pieces they now have … is going to make this year’s version of the Clippers a gigantic potpourri, which no one in his right mind SHOULD try and predict an outcome for just yet, cause it would be utter MADNESS.

Who the heck can tell right now what on earth the Clips are actually going to look and play like once the 2008-2009 season starts? … with any type of accuracy.

What is known is this.

It SHOULD be a tonne of fun watching/following the progress (or, the lackthereof) for this team, this season … from a distance. :-)