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 we loved the Breaking Bad finale (and we liked that a lot)....
• Boom Shaka Laka! Saturday Night Live’s Taran Killam has the old NBA Jams arcade in his office at 30 Rock. Seriously. Here is what he told The Verge:
“It was my birthday present to myself last year, and we’re trying to find a place for it. But now it just sorta sits in the middle of our office. Much to the chagrin of my roommates. But it’s also fantastic. I’ve got an NBA Jam arcade machine in my office!”
Killam is my new favorite cast member. He’s on fire.
• Pau Gasol was fine through the entire first day of practice and Steve Nash only sat out the final couple drills, according to reports. In Los Angeles, that counts as good news (rather than just expected news).
• Omer Asik had to leave the first Rockets’ practice early with a strained calf. Not serious, but something to watch.
• In case you missed it, George Karl will be working for ESPN this season (kind of in the Flip Saunders/Kurt Rambis role). I think that could be interesting.
• In Washington, owner Ted Leonsis got a tough question about GM Ernie Grunfeld and backed his man.
• Not that you thought the situation had changed, but Roy Hibbert still really doesn’t like Joakim Noah.
• As expected, the Portland Trail Blazers picked up the 2014-15 options on the contracts of Damian Lillard, Meyers Leonard and Thomas Robinson.
• The Philadelphia 76ers scrimmaged at practice Monday but Spencer Hawes watched it with an ice bag on his left knee.
• Jeff Teague is officially day-to-day with a mildly sprained wrist but is not expected to miss any of the Hawks’ training camp.
• Chicago rookie Tony Snell reportedly has added 18 pounds of muscle since the draft. I saw him at Summer League, 18 pounds would move him up to skinny. He could use a few more lbs.
• Here is Sixers owner Josh Harris talking to CSNPhilly.com about the fact his team is going to suck this year in an effort to get better through the draft:
“I’m not a patient person by nature. I want immediate results and immediate upsides, but I think that the reality of professional sports is things don’t change overnight. There are 29 other owners and everyone is smart and everyone is resourced so it’s all about getting an edge. I think the edge comes from putting the right people in place in management and when we were able to get Sam Hinkie and Scott O’Neill and Brett Brown, these are A-players. I feel very, very excited about those moves.”
• A.J. Price was given an invite to Timberwolves training camp.
• Guard Elliot Williams is at training camp with the Cavaliers,
• We finish with JaVale McGee pranking Anthony Randolph. Just because we can.