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. Today, we bring you a lot of news and notes out of the various media days across the nation.
• This is huge in the shoe industry — Dwyane Wade is leaving Nike’s Jordan Brand for Chinese shoe manufacturer Li-Ning.
• The Knicks GM said that letting Jeremy Lin go was a financial decision. That certainly was a big part of it. But what else was he going to say?
• Did you know EA Sports cancelled “NBA Live 13" this year? Did you care might be the bigger question.
• Eddy Curry is in the Spurs training camp.
• Elton Brand is willing to be the enforcer for the Mavericks. Stop laughing Sixers fans, he means it.
• Chris Kaman has a sprained lower back and will be taking it slow in camp for Dallas. But at least Elton Brand has his back.
• While we’re talking Mavericks, forward Brandan Wright is day-to-day with a quad strain.
• Kyrie Irving says his hand is 100 percent, so you don’t need to keep asking.
• More Rajon Rondo love in Boston.
• Luc Richard Mbah a Moute is coming off patella tendon surgery and is now targeting a November return.
• Kings swingman John Salmons says he is still dealing with the hip injury that slowed him last season. Not good.
• Carlos Delfino’s arrival at Rockets training camp has been delayed by visa issues.
• Here are some fun, off-the-wall news and notes from Lakers media day, not involving the big stars.
• Ike Diogu played well for Nigeria at the Olympics, and that helped earn him an invite to Suns training camp. He is not expected to make the roster, however.
• A list of the NBA’s best players when they get the ball at the pinch post. Interesting read.
• The Raptors have spoken to DeMar DeRozan’s agent about a contract extension. That is very different than it actually happening, but they talked.
• Along those same lines, Ty Lawson’s agent has had conversations with the Nuggets about an extension.
• Hedo Turkoglu said at media day he hopes to retire with the Magic. You can bet they hope to have him traded by the deadline.
• Jameer Nelson talks about life after Dwight Howard in Orlando.
• Interesting note in this Mark Cuban interview — he says if someone bought a team and wanted to move it to Seattle, he wouldn’t expect to see any opposition.
• Philadelphia signed Xavier Silas to a non-guaranteed camp contract. That’s a good thing, Silas was the guy who suffered a major fall at the Orlando Summer League and needed multiple sinus surgeries.
• Rapper ‘lil B said he was getting a camp invite from the Warriors.
• GQ compiled a list of the worst decisions in sports. I’m sorry, I know some New Yorkers loved Jeremy Lin, but there is no way the Knicks letting him go should make this list.
• Jazz big man Enes Kanter, using twitter to get dinner dates. And a massage. But he’s flexible on hair color.
• For the record, Scottie Pippen is not broke. However he is not going to get richer suing all the outlets that reported he was, as a judge threw out that case.
• Countering earlier reports (including here at PBT), the Kings are saying their key sponsors and advertisers are sticking with them.
• Amare Stoudemire and John McCain, hanging out. Well, they ran into each other, anyway.
• Former NBA player and Kings head coach Reggie Theus is going to coach the D-Fenders, the Lakers affiliate in the D-League.