Today's links:
- Michael Lee is out in Las Vegas to check on John Wall's progress with the Team USA Select Team, and he reports that things are a bit of a struggle for the Wizards' point guard. Wall admitted that he had some trouble with the pressure defense being applied to him during scrimmages, and observers note that Wall "has encountered some initial problems getting the team into sets and still needs to improve his jump shot." But he has improved since the first day and seems to be taking this seriously. [Wizards Insider]
- A quick note of commentary here: while we would all like for Wall to turn heads and surprise everyone with his outstanding play, it might actually be good for his long-term development to struggle. That way, he'd get a first-hand view of just how much he has to work to be great. In fact, this was always what I hoped Wall would gain out of his Team USA experience.
- Larry Coon thinks that it is unlikely that the Wizards use the amnesty clause on Andray Blatche. It's unclear whether Coon has inside information or is only writing this because the salary-cap implications of using the clause on Blatche right now are negligible. [ESPN]
- In case you missed it yesterday, the Wizards hired former Spurs assistant coach Don Newman to assist Randy Wittman. A very good hire. [Us]
- Randy Wittman on Bradley Beal's first Wizards' workout: "He came out there today like he knew what he was doing." I'm not really sure what this means. [Washington Examiner | Washington Post | CSN Washington]
- The Wizards seem to be shedding the knucklehead image they once fostered. [Washington Times]
- Tomas Satoransky is going to Las Vegas to play in the Summer League, and the hope for Wittman is that he figures out just what kind of player he is. [Truth About It]
- Video of Day 1 of minicamp, which is really just a bunch of shots of people shooting. The rest was closed to the media. [Wizards.com]
- CSN Washington will be televising three of the five Wizards Summer League games. All games will be on either NBATV, the NBA.com live stream, which you can purchase for $15, or both.
- A full primer on the summer league. [CSN Washington]
- And a full primer on what to look for with the Wizards at Summer League. [Wiz of Awes]
- Note: I'll be in Vegas for the first three games, but not the last two.
- There's an open house tonight where you can meet Beal and several other Bullets/Wizards alumni. [Wizards.com]
- The bill to put signs outside the Verizon Center is being fast-tracked in order for them to be ready by the start of the 2012-13 Wizards' season. [Washington Examiner]
- BNIE wonders if the Wizards will be contending by 2014. [Us]
- Courtney Lee says there are eight teams interested in his services and that the Rockets have discussed a sign-and-trade to get something back for him. [Boston Globe]
- Danny Green goes back to the Spurs for three years, $12 million. A fair price.
- It sounds like Antawn Jamison will be going to the Bobcats, but he wants to wait a week to make the final call. [Charlotte Observer]
- Your ongoing Dwightmare update.
- Two great pieces that represent both sides of Ray Allen signing with the Heat. [Dan Grunfeld on SB Nation | Celtics Blog]
- Finally, a special good luck to former Wizards' PR man Zack Bolno, who is leaving to head up the sports media relations department at Maryland. Zack has always been good to this site and an advocate for independent voices. I wish him luck with his next endeavor.