Pope of Basketball.

Summary

In the July Long Beach Summer League, Brooks excelled, averaging 21.4 points and 5.4 assists, earning Best Rookie, while Landry struggled with 12 points and 6 rebounds. Yang Rui backed Landry but faced challenges with the team's fast-paced style under assistant coach Scott Brooks. The free agency market saw significant trades: the Trail Blazers sent Zach Randolph to the Warriors for Steve Francis and Ke Te, aiming to stabilize their locker room; the Warriors also traded for Stephen Jackson. The Nets, now in rebuilding mode, acquired injury-prone players. The Pistons signed Nocioni, impacting the Bulls' salary cap, while the Suns made strategic moves, including re-signing Grant Hill and trading for cash. The Magic and SuperSonics executed a sign-and-trade for Richard Jefferson and Rashard Lewis, respectively, enhancing the Magic's roster. The Mavericks signed Stackhouse, and the Clippers brought in Luke Walton. The Lakers faced player losses and a need for signings, rejecting offers from veterans like Fisher and Mason due to performance concerns. The Lakers signed James Posey, Eddie Jones, and Austin Croshere to bolster their roster, completing it with 14 players, including centers Yao Ming and Chuck Hayes, power forwards Odom and Landry, and guards Bryant and Ellis.

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