Points in the Paint

» July 24, 2009 4:55 PM | By Brandon Hoffman

Derrick Rose on how he’s spending his downtime in Vegas, via Sam Smith at Bulls.com: “I’m too young to do anything here,” Rose said. “If I’m standing by any (gambling) tables they kick me out. I did that (tried to play a slot machine) in high school when we were out here playing AAU and they almost kicked us out of the hotel. You just come out here to play against the great players. I watch movies. That’s the only thing you can do out here. It costs like $14.99 (at the luxury team hotel). It’s a lot, but it’s worth it.”

Seth Deveney of the Sporting News reports that Rose has been hoisting 700-800 shots daily.

Kelly Dwyer: “Not playing Sessions proper minutes last season? Yes, that was a bad move. Awful move. Poorly-studied, wrong move. Letting him waltz away this summer, as an above-average point guard only making the average salary? In Milwaukee’s case, I don’t mind this. Why? Because he just doesn’t seem like a guy who’s worth their time. He’s a good player, right now, and if the team is serious about getting better and starting over and shaking things up, do you really want to concern yourself by playing and paying this guy through your rebuilding process? Match, then trade? You can, but it won’t be easy. It rarely is in this league with these RFA types. Just save a little scratch, work through 2009-10 with the uneasy pairing of Luke Ridnour and Brandon Jennings, and finally give rebuilding a chance. New York? As much as I dig Sessions, I don’t get it either. He’s easily worth the full MLE, but to your organization?”

Frank Isola: “I’m all for David Lee making as much money as he can. But the fact that he can’t get $10 to $12 million out of another team is not the Knicks problem. His comments on Thursday out of Las Vegas illustrate yet again that professional athletes live in a different world than the rest of us. For Lee to suggest the Knicks should pony up the money because he played in “81 out of 82″ games last season I’m sure breaks the hearts of people who work 50 out of 52 weeks a year. Lee damaged his image somewhat by coming across as a spoiled brat because the big bad Knicks won’t give him what he thinks he’s worth. When in reality, should the Knicks really invest $10-plus million a year into any player who doesn’t make an impact in the only statistic category that matters; the won-loss record. The Knicks were a lottery team before Lee arrived and four years later they are still a lottery team. None of the teams Lee played for has won more than 33 games in any one season. Think about it; the Lakers are making Lamar Odom take a pay cut – they want to pay him $10 million a year – and Lee doesn’t belong in the same sentence as Odom.”

Tom Ziller highlights transcipts from a two-day arbitration hearing between Mark Cuban and Don Nelson last summer. Cuban and Nelson spend a good amount of time hurling insults at one another, with Cuban revealing that Nellie once answered his door with “khakis, no shirt and a glass of scotch.” That must have been quite the sight.

Ken Berger of CBSSports.com: “There is a YouTube video I’m sure you’re familiar with, showing Shaun Livingston grotesquely dislocating his left knee in 2007 while driving for an uncontested layup. If you haven’t watched it yet, do yourself a favor. Don’t. Don’t click this. Just watch Livingston now and appreciate how far he’s come. OK, maybe in some ways you have to watch the video to understand what an incredible feat it is for Livingston to be on a basketball court at all. When he crumpled to the floor at Staples Center 2½ years ago — sheering three ligaments and dislocating the patellar tendon from his kneecap when his left leg caved in — the question wasn’t whether Livingston would ever play again. The question was whether he’d ever run again. Or even walk.The word ‘amputation’ was relayed to him as a possible course of treatment. But the surgeons would’ve needed more anesthesia than exists in the world to subdue Livingston for that procedure. There weren’t enough surgical tools or talents in Los Angeles to cut the love of basketball out of Livingston’s heart.”

Chris Sheridan of ESPN.com: “Pencil in Kevin Durant for a spot on the 2010 version of Team USA. Better yet, put it in ink. Team USA coach Mike Krzyzewski singled out Durant and showered him with praise following the first day of a three-day mini-camp for a group of 20 young players trying to make the senior national team. Durant was the most dominant player on the floor in the team’s 12-minute scrimmage after the squad spent the bulk of Thursday’s practice working on drills. Friday’s practice was expected to be more focused on scrimmaging. ‘Everyone who was watching from our group said you could tell that Durant was a little bit on a mission — and that’s good for them to see that, it picks everybody up,’ Krzyzewski said. ‘He’s that versatility guy, and the other thing is he’s a shooter, and with the way we were playing defense for most of the Olympics, with his length, he could be a heck of a defender. So he’s really at the head of the list for me,’ Krzyzewski said.”