Reebok Las Vegas Summer Camp Review

Friday, July 8, 2005


Sacramento Kings Scrimmage


The Trail Blazers had an off day on Thursday at the Reebok Vegas Summer League, but that didn't mean it was time to hit the pool. They, and the other teams that were not playing games today at UNLV, were at the Tarkanian Basketball Academy (just off the Vegas strip, by the way).

The Trail Blazers scrimmaged the Sacramento Kings summer league team, and it was pretty intense for a scrimmage. They did have referees and did keep score, and the Trail Blazers did win. Travis Outlaw made sure I knew that after it was over. Outlaw didn't see much action today. He, Telfair, and Martell Webster mostly spent their time on an adjacent court working individually during the scrimmage.

Jarrett Jack, who isn't taking part in any full-speed action so far, was working on his outside shot with Webster during the last half of the practice. It's nice to see he and Webster spending so much time together, and getting closer. I have also seen Telfair and Jack spending time together. Telfair was helping explain some of the basic offensive sets the team is using during the summer league.

Player personnel director Kevin Pritchard was giving Jack a hard time for being on a "paid vacation." Jack injured his ankle during the last part of last season at Georgia Tech, and then re-injured the ankle during a pre-draft workout. He laughed at Pritchard's comments, but made sure we all heard that he would be playing now if he could get the okay from the doctors and Trail Blazers training staff. He's certainly chomping at the bit to get on the court.

One player who has improved greatly in this summer league, over what he did a year ago in Salt Lake City, is Nedzad Sinanovic. He's a little taller than Seung Jin Ha, if you can imagine that, but isn't as thick. He has gotten more aggressive, and played well against the Kings team today. I'm not sure if you'll see him in the NBA next season, but he's only been playing basketball for about 4 years and is getting there.

Another player who practiced today with the Blazers, but won't be seeing any action during the summer league is Charles Smith. Smith played at New Mexico, and was drafted by Miami back in 1997, and was actually on Portland's roster during the 02-03 season. He's been playing overseas the last two seasons and now is trying to break back into the NBA.

Pritchard is very, very high on Smith and told me today that he could see significant minutes next season for the Trail Blazers. He certainly was very impressive today in the scrimmage against Sacramento, and is an excellent outside shooter and an even better person. A couple of weeks ago I saw him at the practice facility in Tualatin and he came up, remembered who I was (which was surprising) and talked about how badly he wants back in the NBA.

Personally, I'm rooting for him and think fans will love him. Fans aren't probably even aware of a lot of this, because he hasn't officially signed with Portland. He's technically a free agent, and therefore can't sign until July 22nd. That's why he can't play with the team during summer league. But, he's here, and has been practicing with the team.

You've heard us talk so much about how impressive Martell Webster is as a person, and how mature he is. His stock went up again with me today. We were walking back into New York New York today, our home here in Vegas, and I asked him what he had planned for today. He told me he would just probably read and hang out at the hotel, and that he "really didn't even care for Las Vegas." Granted, he's 18 years old and couldn't do much in this town anyway, but it was nice to hear again how focused this kid is.

Webster and I also spent time talking about his new head coach, Nate McMillan. He said he and McMillan's son, Jamel, played on an AAU team together and that he had gotten to know Nate a little bit. He is thrilled now that Nate will be his coach. He gets to stay in familiar territory, the Northwest, and now gets to play for a guy he knows. Things couldn't have worked out better for him, he says.

Lastly, Mike Rice, Brian Wheeler and I will have Courtside Monday Night live from the ESPN Zone here in the hotel on Monday night. McMillan, who will fly to Vegas on Saturday, will be our guest. Telfair and Webster will also be on with us. If you're a Blazer fan, you won't want to miss it. Monday night, 6pm-8 on KXL in the Portland area. I'll have more following Portland's game against Golden State on Friday.

Rookies Guide to Portland

Summer League Central

Day 1 Photo Gallery