Atlanta Hawks: Peachtree Hoops    

Charlotte Bobcats: Rufus on Fire | QueenCityHoops

Miami Heat: Peninsula Is Mightier | SportsAgentBlog.com    

Orlando Magic: Third Quarter Collapse    

Washington Wizards: Bullets Forever | Hoops Addict | Truth About It

Bonus Links: See full schedule here | Also see SBNation preview storystream

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Here's the full list of Atlantic Division Previews.

Boston Celtics

CelticsBlog | LOY's Place | Celtics17 | Red's Army | Hoops Addict | Celtics Central | Celtics Hub | Gino's Jungle

New Jersey Nets

Slippery When Nets | Barkley's Mouth

New York Knicks

Posting and Toasting | Bandwagon Knick

Philadelphia 76ers

Liberty Ballers

Toronto Raptors

RaptorsHQ.com | Hoops Addict

Bonus Links

See full schedule here | Also see SBNation preview storystream

I again apologize for the lack of posts here.  The offseason is rough enough without stories of misadventures and crazy trade proposals to get us through the day.  Please forgive me.

(That said -- blame the economy.  This blog doesn't pay my mortgage.  Even though I wish it did!)

As the South Park song goes... I don't want to be homeless on the street doing unspeakable things for smack.  For that reason, I've been distracted from all things Houston Rockets.  Again, I apologize.  With the regular season starting in a little more than a month, maybe that will spark some creativity?  At the very least, training camp is just about to begin.

James White is headed to the Denver Nuggets, soon to be his fourth NBA team.

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From Jonathan Feigen:

The Rockets reworked their collection of guards to compete for roster spots, sending James White to the Denver Nuggets and signing Will Conroy and Garrett Temple.

With White facing long odds to make the team, the Rockets traded White for the draft rights to Axel Hervelle, a 6-9 power forward from Belgium. Hervelle will likely remain with Real Madrid, where he is a teammate with guard Sergio Llull, a Rockets' second-round acquisition in June. He averaged 8.1 points and 4.5 rebounds in 21 minutes per game last season, and 6.4 points and 5.1 rebounds in 19 Euroleague games.

From Jon L of Ridiculous Upside:

You should know Conroy from the season he had with Albuquerque last year. In case you've forgotten, he led the D-League in scoring last year (unless you count Pops Mensah-Bonsu, who played in only eight games) while also averaging about eight and a half assists per 48 minutes. He also averaged four and a half turnovers pe4 48, which isn't great, but it's as good or better than several other point guards in the league, and Conroy also had the ball in his hands a lot.

Temple went undrafted out of LSU a few months ago, and he's a combo guard with decent size and athleticism and an aptitude for defense. Bringing the two of these guys is an interesting offense-defense combination, and while I'm a little skeptical that either of these guys will make the team given how many players the Rockets already have under contract, they each have something to offer the team if Houston's willing to give them an honest chance.

And there you have it.  The James White Experiment has come to an end, and rightfully so.  Aside from his dunk-tastic athleticism, I was skeptical that White could be of any significance to a team, given his, for lack of a better word, awkwardness when handling or shooting the ball.

If you look back to July's Summer League Recap post, I've been high on Conroy for quite some time now.  He is a quick, athletic point guard with a knack for getting to the rim a-la Kyle Lowry.  Given what he has accomplished throughout his D-League career, he certainly deserves a chance to compete for a roster spot.  And while Jermaine Taylor and Chase Budinger seem to be obvious choices to make the team, you can never be too sure with rookies.  Somehow, at some point, Conroy could become a Houston Rocket.  

Looking back at that same recap, I wasn't quite as thrilled about Garrett Temple:

Temple didn't look comfortable as a point guard.  He only had two assists in the 62 minutes that he played this week, to go along with nine turnovers.  He won't be playing for the Rockets this season - his game, at least at the point guard position, isn't ready yet.  However, I do think he will eventually find a way into The Association.  Just not sure when that's going to be.

For defensive purposes, Temple is worth a look.  The only problem with that is that our current point guards are quite good at defending as well.  Again, I don't see a place for Temple, at least not on this roster.

I don't know anything about Axel Harvelle, though he does have a badass first name.  Apparently Daryl Morey likes Real Madrid, because we've now got the rights to two of their players in Sergio Llull and Harvelle.

If anything, Morey has given the Rockets more options in the backcourt, which can't be comforting to Taylor or Budinger.  They'll have to work to prove to the Rockets that their talent can carry over to the NBA.

More photos » by LM Otero - AP

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From Mark Berman of FOX Houston:

HOUSTON - NBA sources told FOX 26 Sports Thursday guard Brent Barry will not be back with the Houston Rockets for the upcoming season.

Barry will either be traded or he will retire with the Rockets expected in that case to buy out his contract which had one year remaining.

We sort of knew this already.  However, the report hints to a specific development.  We'll keep you updated.

More photos » by Eric Gay - AP

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I was perusing a few Houston sites like I always do, especially on Mondays and was overcome with jealousy.  While I'm holding on to TMac (great, see what he has left, work a trade or decide he's back) and Yao (NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, sit out big man, get COMPLETELY healed) may/may not come back earlier than expected, they get opening of a season and September call ups. 

Just for a few tastes of our other Houston guys: 

Battle Red Blog -

Travis Johnson's waste of space is traded to the Chargers

Amobi Okoye - To love, not to love, is he too young to love, will he ever get love?

Who is going to make the roster?  Is anyone stepping up and taking a spot?

The Crawfish Boxes -

The MLB has real live actual games going on

Did Tejada tip pitches?  I for one say hell no

This is uncool Nolan.  I have two of my kids named after you (middle names) I NEED you to at least be somewhat associated with the Astros

And just for kicks, since I'm a University of Texas grad and freak of fandom for the Horns
The Depth Chart is awesome.  FIVE MORE DAYS!!

Finally - something to discuss other than Yao's injury, Tracy's return to "drills", how short the Rockets are or the brutal early season schedule.  Today it's an interview!

HoopsAddict procured an interview with Clyde Drexler.

You may know him as "Clyde the Glyde"...
You may know him as part of Phi Slamma Jamma (and an eventual NBA Champion)...
You may know him as Bill Worrell's sidekick and/or Matt Bullard's punching bag...
You may even know him as a dancin' fool on that TV show I refuse to watch.

Either way, it's always good to hear/read what Clyde has to say.