Week That Was In The NBA

Pro Bball Report Ranks Every NBA Team

Ranking The Top Five NBA Eastern Conference Teams
Bulls, HEAT, Nets, Pacers and Knicks

Ranking The NBA Eastern Conference Playoff Hopefuls

Pistons, Raptors, Hawks, Wizards, Bucks and Cavaliers

Ranking The Top Five NBA Western Conference Teams

Clippers, Thunder, Spurs, Rockets and Warriors.

Ranking The NBA Western Conference Playoff Hopefuls

Grizzlies, Nuggets, Timberwolves, Mavericks, Trail Blazers and Pelicans

Ranking The Worst Teams In The NBA

Celtics, Kings, Lakers, Bobcats, Jazz, Magic, Suns and 76ers

NBA News

Wizards Chris Singleton And Emeka Okafor Injured

Pro Bball Report says, The Washington Wizards reported today that they lost two players to injury heading into training camp in less than two weeks from now.  Chris Singleton will have surgery to repair a Jones fracture to the fifth metatarsal of his left foot and will be out of action for 6 to 8 weeks.  Emeka Okafor was diagnosed with herniated C4 cervical disc in his neck.  The herniated disc was discovered by an MRI after Okafor complained about discomfort in his neck.  He is out indefinitely.


Grizzlies ranked No. 1 sports franchise by ESPN The Magazine

Memphis Commercial Appeal reports, ESPN The Magazine has proclaimed the Grizzlies "the best franchise in sports" on the cover of the issue hitting newsstands on Friday.  The magazine each year ranks franchises in the NBA, NFL, NHL and Major League Baseball using such categories as affordability, ownership, stadium experience, fan relations and "bang for the buck," which factors in wins and revenue directly from fans.

Lakers sign Marcus Landry

NBA news reports, The Los Angeles Lakers have signed forward Marcus Landry.  He is the younger brother of Sacramento forward Carl Landry.

Suns sign Dionte Christmas

NBA news reports, The Phoenix Suns have signed 6-foot-5 guard Dionte Christmas to a multiyear contract.  He played the last four seasons internationally for teams in Israel, the Czech Republic, Turkey, Greece, Russia and Italy.

Warriors' Andrew Bogut says he's 100 percent healthy

NBA news reports, "Last season, I put the ball in the post and it was lumber, lumber, lumber, bounce, bounce, bounce, shoot," Bogut said. "Because I got to be honest, I couldn't make quick moves on my ankle or it'd give out or I'd fall over. So I tried not to do too much. Now I'm back to a point where I can make quick moves and go off the dribble."

"It was hell for me the last 12 months, to be honest," Bogut said. "I'm just happy that that light is getting brighter and brighter for me in the tunnel and it's at the stage now where I feel like I'm driving out of that tunnel."

LeBron James weds girlfriend in San Diego

NBA news reports, LeBron James wanted his wedding day to be perfect and private. It appears he got both.  The Miami Heat star married his longtime partner Savannah Brinson on Saturday night at a posh resort in San Diego. Guests had their phones taken away for the ceremony and reception in an effort to ensure that no photos or details leaked out.

Kobe Bryant is progressing well but likely to miss preseason

Mike Bresnahan Fox Sports reports, Kobe Bryant continues to move forward in his rehabilitation from a torn Achilles tendon, though the Los Angeles Lakers are unwilling to put an updated timetable on his exact return.

"He's progressing well and has met all the targets and milestones of his rehab, and we expect him to make a full recovery," Lakers spokesman John Black told The Times on Monday. "One of the key issues is to make sure he builds up strength and endurance, not only in his Achilles but also in his legs, knees, back and core."

"We're going to avoid giving a target return date until he's doing full weight-bearing running and on-court basketball activities, at the earliest," Black said.

Jared Jeffries reportedly takes front office job with Denver Nuggets

Joel Odom Oregon Live reports, Former Trail Blazers forward Jared Jeffries is trading in his sneakers for an NBA front-office job, accepting a position with the Denver Nuggets

Cavaliers Injury Updates

Terry Pluto, The Plain Dealer on Cleveland.com reports, I hear that Anderson Varejao was been cleared for all basketball activities when the Cavs open training camp in a few weeks.  It's still too early to know [Andrew Bynum] will be ready for the opening of camp.  [Anthony Bennett] appears fully recovered from his shoulder surgery and is expected to be ready for the opening of camp.

Contract Extension Time For The Class Of 2010

Steve Kyler, Hoopsworld reports, The 2010 NBA Draft class has been eligible to sign rookie-scale contract extensions for most of the summer. So far we’ve seen two deals get done: John Wall and the Washington Wizards and Larry Sanders and the Milwaukee Bucks.  Teams have until October 31 to reach an extension.

Eligible players include: 76ers Evan Turner, Jazz Derrick Favors and Gordon Hayward, Kings DeMarcus Cousins and Greivis Vasquez, Bucks Ekpe Udoh, Pistons Greg Monroe, Pacers Paul George, Grizzlies Ed Davis and Quincy Pondexter, Wizards Kevin Seraphin and Trevor Booker, Suns Eric Bledsoe, and the Celtics Avery Bradley and Jordan Crawford.

Brooklyn Nets probed, cleared by NBA in Andrei Kirilenko signing

Fred Kerber NY Post reports, nothing shady was the finding of a “thorough” NBA investigation into the Nets’ summer signing of free-agent forward Andrei Kirilenko.

2013 Afrobasket MVP Carlos Morais To Raptors

Pro Bball Report says, The 2013 Afrobasket MVP Carlos Morais has received a non-guaranteed deal to try out for the Toronto Raptors at training camp.  Morais is a 6’4” 27-year-old shooting guard who plays professionally in Angola and has been the star of the Angolan National team for several years.  He is primarily a three-point shooter and in his 7 games at the 2013 Afrobasket, he averaged 7.3 three-point attempts per game.

Miami Heat Welcome Back Michael Beasley

Pro Bball Report says, Heat President Pat Riley, who had trouble giving Beasley away three years ago, believes the 24-year-old could still help his team.

“Michael had the best years of his career with us,” Riley said. “We feel that he can help us.”


2013 Eurobasket in Slovenia

Croatia Prevails In Greek Double OT Drama

FIBA Europe reports, Croatia edged out Greece 92-88 after double overtime in a clash that featured 18 lead changes and saw the scores tied on 19 occasions, to clinch top spot in Group F and terminate the Hellenic side's EuroBasket 2013 campaign in the process.


Italy Fights Back, Stuns Spain in OT

FIBA Europe reports,  Italy, the smallest team in the tournament in terms of size, out-rebounded Spain 48-38 and made up for their 17 turnovers by shooting 58.5% from two-point range.  They overshadowed Marc Gasol, who picked up an international career-high and tournament-high 32 points and added 10 rebounds.

Belgium Eliminates Latvia At Eurobasket

FIBA Europe reports, Already-eliminated Belgium picked up their first victory in the Second Round of Group E by beating Latvia 60-56 and spoiling Latvia's chances of advancing to the quarter-finals.

EuroBasket 2013 Quarterfinals Preview

Matt Petersen, Suns.com provides a look at the best of each team's talent, and how they used that talent to get this far at the 2013 Eurobasket.

Has Jonas Valanciunas Become Unstoppable This Summer?

Pro Bball Report says, Jonas Valanciunas has played well for Lithuania this summer and he has been virtually unstoppable when Head Coach Jonas Kazlauskas has directed the offense to run through him.  Valanciunas averaged 13.2 points, 8 rebounds and 1.2 blocks in 19.5 minutes in the friendlies.  In the 5 games at Eurobasket where Kazlauskas has run at least some of his half court offense through Valanciunas, his center is averaging 11.8 points on 75 percent shooting, 8.6 rebounds and 1.4 blocks in 21.6 minutes.  In the three games Valanciunas has been made mostly a spectator, he has 1.3 points on 1.7 shots, 1.7 rebounds and 0.3 blocks in 10.3 minutes and Lithuania’s record is 1 win and 2 losses.

It has appeared that the only thing stopping Valanciunas this summer has been his National Team's head coach.


Stephen Brotherston covers the Toronto Raptors and visiting NBA teams at the ACC.  A member of the Professional Basketball Writers Association, Stephen is the editor and publisher of Pro Bball Report.  You can follow Stephen on twitter @stevesraptors