Here is our regular look around the NBA — links to stories worth reading and notes to check out (stuff that did not get its own post here at PBT) — done in bullet point form. Because bloggers love bullet points more than shopaholics love Black Friday...
• Andrew Bogut did not practice with the Warriors on Monday, despite reports he was expected to. This means the report he could be playing by this Saturday is in doubt. Which is not great for the Warriors, they could use him to help stabilize the defense.
• While we’re in the Bay Area, here’s a report discussing why the Warriors’ ownership’s goal of being in a new arena in San Francisco by 2017 is probably overly optimistic.
• Here are pictures people have snapped of Andrew Bynum around Philadelphia, getting gas and at a firing range. So, he does exist.
• Justin Bieber was hanging out, playing some late-night pickup With Amir Johnson and Drake. As you always suspected he did.
• The Kings Omri Casspi, the lone NBA player from Israel, discusses the Israeli/Palestinian conflict.
• Zach Harper doing some good thinking/writing on why the Timberwolves are 0-2 since Kevin Love’s return.
• What is the buzz suggestion in Los Angeles on Monday among fans — moving Pau Gasol to sixth man and starting Antawn Jamison. If I were a Lakers fan I can see the appeal, but I need to make two points. First, Gasol has to buy in fully or it doesn’t work. Second, and more importantly, this does not solve the issue of how to space Dwight Howard and Gasol. And the Lakers need to figure that out. Even if Gasol doesn’t start he should be finishing games for the Lakers — as Manu Ginobili did off the bench for the Spurs, for example — and you’ve still got the same issue. Same in New York with Amare Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony, while we are at it.
• Is Omer Asik the best defensive center in the NBA? (I’d say no but he’s also a lot closer than most fans realize.)
• The Kings have a new starting lineup — Aaron Brooks, Tyreke Evans, John Salmons, Jason Thompson and DeMarcus Cousins — and it is working very well, thank you very much.
• Ronnie Brewer is seeing decreasing minutes for the Knicks because his production isn’t there, which seems to tie back to his surgically-repaired knee.
• Lance Stephenson has signed an endorsement deal with AND 1 (which has not yet signed to sponsor this column).
• The Utah Jazz have assigned rookie guard Kevin Murphy to the Reno Big Horns of the D-League.
• Gary Forbes has signed to play with the Zhejiang Guangsha Lions in China.
