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.
• The rumors are true, when he comes back in 2015 Paul George will change his number to 13. Yes, PG-13. Personally not really loving it but there you are.
• If you read one thing today it should be James Herbert’s interview with Patrick Patterson at CBS’ Eye on Basketball. For example he was at the Drake OVO show where Drake tried to recruit Kevin Durant and got fined for it:
“Ha, that was funny. It was cool. I know Drake, the whole OVO crew, Toronto, Canada, they would love to have Kevin Durant there. It’d be a great piece to this culture that we’re trying to create in order to win and be successful. I’d love it if Kevin Durant came, I’m not going to say I wouldn’t. That’d be a great piece, that’d be a great player to have. I thought it was fun, it was entertaining, the fans loved it. Kevin probably loved it as well, I think I saw a tweet about him saying, “Shout out to Drake, I love the 6,” something like that. It was definitely entertaining. It was a smart move on Drake’s part.”
• Also a great read on Josh Howard’s attempted return to the NBA.
• Your non-update update of the day on Ray Allen: He says not to trust sources, when he makes a decision he will make it public.
• Most traditional NBA centers put up better numbers when paired with a stretch four.
• Free agents Malcolm Lee and Chris Singleton worked out in Las Vegas on Monday for a number of teams, trying to get to a training camp, ideally with a team that has a roster spot or two open.
• David Stern was reportedly afraid to ask Bill Russell to Stern’s Hall of Fame induction.
• Stan Van Gundy likes the moves the Pistons made this summer (that he executed, so he better like them) to bring in more shooting and depth. And he says he expects these guys to play hard every possession.
“Yeah, for two reasons,” he said. “The people we added all play very hard and very competitively, but I also think that’s the value of depth and balance. Our guys are going to push each other. There will be competition for playing time.”
• Cleveland has signed undrafted center Alex Kirk to a partially guaranteed contract.
• Lance Stephenson posted this on Instagram saying he thinks he can be a professional model. I’ll leave that call up to you.
• RIP Robin Williams.
• Renaldo Balkman is working to get back to the NBA, says he wants one more shot.
• Khris Middleton milks a cow.
• MarShon Brooks has decided to take the bigger payday overseas and has signed with Olimpia Milano for next season.
• Thunder prospect Tibor Pleiss has signed to play with FC Barcelona next season.
• Finally, if you enjoyed the Charles Barkley/James Harden Foot Locker commercial, here are the outtakes.