All-Star point guard Chris Paul should reconsider his trade demands and try to bring a championship to New Orleans. (GETTY IMAGES)

There are now several published reports that point guard Chris Paul wants out of New Orleans and lists the Orlando Magic as his No. destination.

This has LeBron James’ fingerprints all over this sudden trade demand from the NBA’s best point guard. James and Paul are very good friends. In fact, the week of LeBron’s “Decision” Paul was at his basketball camp in Akron, Ohio. James probably told Paul what his intentions were and planted the seed on this whole “super team” idea.

Paul dropped hints last month during Carmelo Anthony’s wedding that he would love to play with other superstars. He mentioned playing in New York with Amare Stoudemire and possibly Anthony (if he decides to leave Denver), and he also mentioned Dallas, Portland and Orlando. 

Forming super teams are becoming the latest trend in the NBA, much like the headbands and arm sleeves. What every happened to being an original instead of a copycat? Michael Jordan certainly disagreed with LeBron’s decision to leave Cleveland to be with two other All-Stars in South Beach. Magic Johnson and Charles Barkley couldn’t understand why a reigning MVP would smudge his star like that and hop on someone else’s bandwagon. That was complete foreign to super studs in the 1980s.

With James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh joining forces in Miami, Paul looked at his own situation in New Orleans and got star envy. I guess David West and Emeka Okafor won’t suffice at this point.

That’s where the Orlando Magic comes in. Paul sees Dwight Howard and his mouth begins to salivate just thinking about all those alley-oop passes he can serve up to Blankman. But Orlando already has a point guard, Jameer Nelson, and he just happens to be Blankman’s best friend. Would Blankman toss his good friend under the bus so he could team up with a better PG? Not likely to happen.

The second team on Paul’s wish list is the New York Knicks. Again, Paul would love to run pick-and-rolls all day with Stoudemire, but at some point you have to play defense which is something head coach Mike D’Antoni doesn’t have in his playbook. If D’Antoni, hypothetically, had 100 pages on his playbook, 99 of them would be devoted to offense.

Even if the Knicks somehow convince Paul and Anthony to come to the Big Apple it still wouldn’t guarantee the Knicks a spot in the NBA Finals. Championships are not built overnight (unless you’re the Boston Celtics in 2008, which is somewhat of an anomaly).

Which leads us back to New Orleans.

Paul, who has two years left on his Hornets deal, has been the face of the New Orleans Hornets the day he was drafted into the league. He’s more than just a starting point guard to the people of New Orleans. He’s the ray of hope that lifts spirits of a ravaged community that is still recovering from a devastating hurricane. Losing CP3 would be like losing the Superdome or the French Quarters on Bourbon Street. It would pretty much signal the end of basketball in New Orleans.

The Hornets brass, which includes GM Dell Demps and head head coach Monty Williams, are scheduled to meet with Paul and convince their superstar that the team is doing everything they can to piece together a contender. If the talk goes well, Paul will likely stay in New Orleans. If not, the Hornets better have a Plan B.

I’m hoping CP3 would come to his senses and think better of leaving the franchise that worships him. Bringing a championship to New Orleans would easily trump three or four titles with the Magic.

Paul should call Drew Brees and ask him how great it feels to lift a downtrodden football team all the way to the Super Bowl. Brees won’t have to win another championship in his lifetime. Bringing ONE championship to New Orleans is worth a thousand mardi gras.

Memo to CP3: Stop listening to LBJ.

Kevin Durant should be cinch to make the U.S. team that will compete in the FIBA World Championships in August. (GETTY IMAGES)

While Kobe Bryant rested his ailing knee and finger in L.A., Carmelo Anthony said “I do” to Lala Vazquez in New York, and LeBron James and Dwyane Wade hosted parties down in South Beach to celebrate their union, Kevin Durant worked up a good sweat with the U.S. men’s national team in the sweltering heat of Las Vegas while preparing for the 2010 FIBA World Championship in Turkey.

When the core of the U.S. team that captured the gold medal at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing all declined to join Team USA this summer, the torch was officially passed to Durant as the leader and the face of the USA Basketball program.

The 21-year-old Oklahoma City Thunder All-Star, who nearly made the U.S. Olympic team two years ago, may not have a whole lot of international experience, but he is confident he can be the “go-to” guy and the No. 1 option on a very young squad that averages around 24 years old.

“I’m just working on my game here and trying to get better this week with these guys and the coaches are going to help me out as well. I also want to be a better leader while I’m here,” the 6-foot-10 forward said on NBATV. Durant is one of 20 NBA players vying for 12 spots on the U.S. team headed by Duke’s Mike Krzyzewski.

“I’m a natural leader, I think, ever since I was young. I was kinda always one of the main guys,” Durant said. “There’s no different here. I just want to come out and lead by example, be one of the early guys to the bus, in the meetings, be the first guy and the last guy off the floor. Just let them know my input. I’ve been through a lot in this league so I have a little bit of information.”

The three-year pro is the reigning NBA scoring champion and the youngest scoring champ in league history, so he’s a natural fit to be Team USA’s best scoring option. Shooting is such an asset during international competitions because European teams shoot the ball extremely well and defend the paint extremely well, so you have to have some snipers on the roster to pull teams out of their zones.

One of the reasons why the 2004 U.S. Olympic team failed in Greece was because the team lacked pure shooters to support the inside game of Tim Duncan. Allen Iverson, Stephon Marbury and Richard Jefferson all struggled to make 3-point shots during the ‘04 Olympics despite the line being closer.

In 2006, a U.S. team coached by Krzyzewski and led on the court by James, Wade, Dwight Howard, Carmelo Anthony and Chris Paul finished a disappointing third at the World Championship. Why? Because they couldn’t figure out how to attack Greece’s zone defense. It’s the only blemish on Team USA’s record since Jerry Colangelo took over the program five years ago.

Durant’s game is suited for international competition. He doesn’t need to have the basketball in his hands all the time to be effective. He can spot up and shoot threes, and when you run at him he can put the ball on the deck and score on the move. Durant also has developed a nice rip move where he swings his arms to create contact and forces defenders to commit a foul. But don’t expect international referees to call this every time because European players don’t utilize this move as often as American players.

With Durant as the catalyst, the 2010 U.S. team is armed with one of the best scorers in the world and teams will be reluctant to play zone the whole game. But the young superstar believes his game extends beyond just shooting the basketball.

“I’m gonna try to bring more of a defensive effort than an offensive effort,” he said. “I know they need me to score points, but I’m gonna go out there and play my hardest on the defensive end and try to be a lock-down defender.”

That’s good, Kevin, but I think Team USA needs your scoring more so than your defense.

It would be a complete shocker if Durant doesn’t make the U.S. roster. He’s the next-in-line superstar to handle the enormous burden of leading USA Basketball to a gold medal. The last time the United States took home the gold at the World Championship was in 1994. That ‘94 squad, coached by Don Nelson, is probably the second-greatest team in basketball history behind only the 1992 Dream Team.

“It feels good to represent your country,” Durant said. “I just want to play as hard as I can, try to sacrifice and be as much of a team guy as I can.”

Durant said Coach K is already using the ‘08 U.S. Olympic Team, with the emphasis on TEAM, as the example on how to win gold.

“They showed us a video of the Olympic team on what they went through. They let us know that it’s all about team. No one guy is higher than the other guy on a totem pole. Everybody is equal,” Durant said. “It’s just basketball. I like to have fun. We have great players here, so we’re gonna take a lot of pressure off of each other.”

Although it’s nice to have 11 other studs on a basketball team, the pressure will be squarely on Durant – the star of stars on this U.S. squad – to deliver USA Basketball a gold medal-winning performance in Turkey.

David Lee, who was traded from New York to Golden State during the offseason, injured his finger during Team USA's practice. (UPI)

This year’s U.S. men’s national team looks younger, faster and more athletic, but not necessarily better than the “Redeem Team” two years ago.

For one, the team that will represent the United States in the 2010 FIBA World Championship in Turkey have a glutton of talented guards but lack quality big men. And that was before New York Knicks forward/center Amare Stoudemire decided to drop out of the program a day before training camp started in Las Vegas and Phoenix Suns center Robin Lopez opted not to play because the knee injury he suffered during the regular season is not 100 percent.

Then, during Tuesday’s workouts, Golden State Warriors forward David Lee may have dislocated the middle finger on his non-shooting hand. According to reports, Lee injured the finger when he went up to block a shot and jammed it against the bottom of the backboard.

That’s three big guys out and Team USA hasn’t even completed a full week of practice.

Team USA’s frontcourt was getting so depleted that JaVale McGee, the young center of the Washington Wizards, has been asked to take part in team activities as a backup plan. McGee is coming off a very impressive outing at Vegas Summer League, but there’s a slim chance he’ll make the final cut.

“With those guys missing, we’re gonna have to play much better as a team. We have great guard play, but we’re a little short on bigs,” Lee said during Tuesday’s workout.

“We have guys who can play multiple positions. Rebounding is going to be huge for us,” said Lee, who may be asked to play some center if he makes the squad. “It’s pretty obvious that our advantage is going to be our quickness, our length and our explosiveness. That’s something we’re gonna have to utilize and spread the floor like the past Olympic team did before to create driving lanes and defensively really pack it in and find a way to rebound the basketball.”

The world championships begin on Aug. 28 so USA Basketball president Jerry Colangelo and head coach Mike Krzyzewski have a month to figure out who should make the 12-man roster out of the 21 players invited to camp. None of the 21 players invited were on the U.S. squad that brought home the gold medal at the 2008 Olympic Games in China.

“The interesting part for me will be the bigs, to see how it plays out,” said Colangelo.

Among those who are competing for roster spots are reigning NBA scoring champion Kevin Durant, 2004 NBA Finals MVP Chauncey Billups, 2010 NBA Rookie of the Year Tyreke Evans, and 2009 NBA Rookie of the Year Derrick Rose.

Durant is an absolute lock to make the team, and there’s a good chance Billups will join him having been a part of the program back in 2008 when Coach K and Co. prepared for the Beijing Olympics. But after those two, it is anyone’s guess. Here are the names of the players invited to the USA Basketball training camp in Las Vegas:

– POINT GUARDS: Billups (Denver Nuggets), Rajon Rondo (Boston Celtics), Rose (Chicago Bulls), Russell Westbrook (Oklahoma City Thunder), Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors).

– SHOOTING GUARDS: Evans (Sacramento Kings), O.J. Mayo (Memphis Grizzlies), Eric Gordon (L.A. Clippers).

– SMALL FORWARDS: Durant (Oklahoma City Thunder), Gerald Wallace (Charlotte Bobcats), Rudy Gay (Memphis Grizzlies), Danny Granger (Indiana Pacers), Andre Iguodala (Philadelphia 76ers).

– CENTERS: Brook Lopez (New Jersey Nets), Tyson Chandler (Dallas Mavericks), JaVale McGee (Washington Wizards).

Michael Jordan says he wanted to beat Magic Johnson and Larry Bird, not join them. (AFP)

Michael Jordan understood why LeBron James decided to leave Cleveland and team up with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in Miami. However, in hindsight, Jordan likely would not have done the same if given the same choice.

Call it an old-school mentality, call it ego, call it what you want. Jordan didn’t take shortcuts. What made him such a great player was his incredible drive and extremely competitive nature. He wanted to be the best and refused to play second fiddle to anyone. Sure, he got cozy with lot of his peers during his playing days, but when it came time to compete on the basketball court MJ wanted to destroy all of them.

So, when Jordan, who retired in 2003, was asked what he thought about James’ decision to join forces with his All-Star friends in Miami, the six-time NBA champion who built his entire legacy with the Chicago Bulls said he simply couldn’t see himself teaming with Magic Johnson and Larry Bird just so he could win a championship. He wanted to do it on his own, as the No. 1 alpha dog.

“I would have never called up Larry and called up Magic and say ‘Hey, let’s get together and play on one team.’ But things are different. I can’t say that’s a bad thing. That’s an opportunity those kids have today,” Jordan recently told NBC Sports in between rounds at the 2010 American Century Championship golf tournament in Lake Tahoe.

“In all honesty, I was trying to beat those guys [Larry and Magic],” Jordan continued. “I don’t know if they would have been on my team, if we would have been on one team.”

The idea of “if you can’t beat them, join them” approach was never an option for Jordan. Magic and Bird would never subscribe to that either. All three MVPs had too much pride to hitch on someone else’s championship wagon. It would have been real easy for Jordan to join either Magic’s team in L.A. or Bird’s team in Boston while he was chasing his first NBA title. But he didn’t.

Jordan suffered through miserable playoff defeats to the Celtics and the Detroit Pistons during the first six seasons of his career before finally getting over the hump in his seventh year when his Bulls defeated Magic’s Lakers in 1991.

The only exception to the rule was the 1992 Olympics when Jordan, Magic and Bird wore the same uniform for Team USA, and they were joined by fellow All-Stars Charles Barkley, Patrick Ewing, David Robinson, Karl Malone, John Stockton, Chris Mullin, Scottie Pippen and Clyde Drexler.

“When you look at the Dream Team, obviously, we were all on that team,” Jordan said. “But it wasn’t too much of a competitive thing.”

LeBron James says he keeps tabs of all the nay-sayers and will probably post some of them in his Heat locker for motivation. Though James holds Jordan in high regard, MJ’s latest comment could be bulletin-board material and the Charlotte Bobcats (Jordan’s team) could be in a heap of trouble.

Lance Stephenson played well for the Indiana Pacers in the Orlando Summer League.

Occasionally, NBA general managers and professional scouts get it wrong and allow a first-round talent to slip into the second round. Monta Ellis, Manu Ginobili, Carlos Boozer, Dennis Rodman, Michael Redd and Gilbert Arenas were all taken in the second round the year they were drafted into the Association and they’ve all had decent pro careers.

OneManFastBreak.net Publisher and Editor Joel Huerto examines the five best second-round picks from the 2010 NBA Draft:

– Derrick Caracter, forward (6-8, 260), L.A. Lakers (58th pick): Caracter has been more impressive than Devin Ebanks, who was taken 15 spots before him. Caracter averaged 15.4 points on 59.2% shooting and 8.6 rebounds in five summer league games. The Lakers have been impressed with the way the forward from UTEP has handled himself in ballgames and during practices. When matched up against DeMarcus Cousins (No. 5 overall pick, Kings), Caracter held his own and played hard every minute he was on the court. Caracter is very smart and doesn’t mind physical contact. He’s comfortable scoring around the basket and has a nice short jump hook to go with his face-up game. The Lakers run a very complex triangle offense, so you have to possess a high basketball IQ to wear the purple and gold. Caracter fits that mold and it would be a stunner if he’s not on their opening day roster. (Caracter video courtesy of NBA.com)

– Hassan Whiteside, center (6-11, 225), Sacramento Kings (33rd pick): All the pre-draft reports said that Whiteside was a project and needed to get physically stronger if he’s going to make an impact in the NBA. But, while playing on the Kings’ summer league team in Las Vegas – a team that boasted Omri Casspi and DeMarcus Cousins – Whiteside was able to hold his own and wasn’t overmatched against bigger and stronger competition. Sure, he needs to add a few more pounds to his frame, but you could see why Kings general manager Geoff Petrie liked him so much on draft night. He’s long and he could potentially be an excellent shot-blocker.

– Lance Stephenson, guard (6-5, 200), Indiana Pacers (40th pick): Played point guard for the Pacers in the Orlando Summer League and displayed very good ball-handling skills and a nice burst to the basket. At times he still dribbled too much and stalled the offense, but when he kept the ball moving he was able to find open teammates for easy baskets. Stephenson was a highly regarded prospect coming out of Lincoln High School in Brooklyn, N.Y., the same school that produced Stephon Marbury and Sebastian Telfair. But his stock went down after a subpar season at the University of Cincinnati. Some scouts went as far as saying he may have peaked in high school. Stephenson redeemed himself with strong workouts at the pre-draft combine, and he could inject some much-needed attitude and flair to an otherwise very bland Pacers franchise.

– Gani Lawal, forward (6-9, 229), Phoenix Suns (46th pick): Georgia Tech Derrick Favors garnered much of the attention leading up to the draft and on draft night, but Lawal is the one who has adjusted to the NBA pace better than Favors. Lawal brings a physical presence for a Suns team that just lost All-Star forward/center Amare Stoudemire to the New York Knicks. Although Lawal will never be a 20-point scorer in the NBA, he can add a lot of toughness to an otherwise soft frontcourt in Phoenix.

– Luke Harangody, forward (6-7, 240), Boston Celtics (52nd pick): Showed a very dependable 3-point shot during the Orlando Summer League. He’s a shorter version of Brian Scalabrine, but a much better rebounder. Harangody is kind of a tweener, too slow to play small forward and too short to be a full-time power forward. But what he lacks in size and quickness, Harangody makes up for it with his hustle and skill. At 240 pounds, Harangody adds plenty of beef to an already beefy frontcourt in Boston with Kendrick Perkins and Glen “Big Baby” Davis.

Spurs' 2007 draft pick Tiago Splitter will make his NBA debut in 2010.

The Spurs’ signing of Euroleague center Tiago Splitter earlier in the week had very little fanfare. There were no ESPN one-hour specials, no Jim Gray playing emcee and the news was absent from all the 24-hour news networks.

It was your typical Spurs offseason transaction. Very low key and very business-like.

The move may not look significant now but when the season begins in October teams will realize that the Spurs just got bigger and better by adding the best big man in Europe.

“We’re very fortunate to be adding one of the best players not playing in the NBA,” Spurs general manager R.C. Buford said of the heralded 6-foot-11 Brazilian star who was drafted by the Spurs in 2007 with the 28th pick, but played in Europe the past three seasons. Now, he will play alongside his idol, Tim Duncan, in the San Antonio frontcourt.

In the Euroleague, Splitter wore No. 21 because of Duncan. In the NBA, he will wear No. 22.

“I really decided that I wanted to come here,” Splitter told the Associated Press. “I stayed more time in Europe to improve my game a lot. It was the right time at the right moment.”

The 25-year-old was MVP of both the Spanish League regular season and finals while leading Caja Laboral Vitoria to a second championship, averaging 15.4 points and 7.1 rebounds in 38 games. He shot 59% from the field and 76% from the line.

The 235-pound Splitter still has room to grow physically, but he easily becomes the most talented big man to play with Duncan since David Robinson retired in 2003.

The Spurs are a franchise built on dominant big men. There was Artis Gilmore in the 1980s, followed by Robinson in the 1990s and then Duncan in the 2000s. But Duncan prefers to play power forward and he’s had to endure a slew of low-level, journeyman-type centers the past seven years.

Remember Rasho Nesterovic? Or, how about Nazr Mohammed? And who could forget the very bland Fabricio Oberto era?

Splitter is expected to contribute right away and it would be a huge disappointment if he’s not in the starting lineup on opening night. He’s certainly upgrade from Matt Bonner and Antonio McDyess.

Bringing Splitter aboard was an offseason target for the Spurs after being swept by Phoenix in the Western Conference semifinals. San Antonio hasn’t drastically changed its roster since, apart from swingman Richard Jefferson opting out of his deal for free agency.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but Splitter didn’t appear lured by an immediate NBA payday. The most the Spurs could offer Splitter this season was their midlevel exception, around $5.8 million, whereas his Spanish club could have offered him more.

“If I stayed in Spain I could have made more money,” Splitter said. “But this is my moment.”

Splitter has played for Caja Laboral Vitoria in the ACB League since the 2003-04 season. In his seven seasons with Caja Laboral, he has established himself as one of the dominate big men in Europe. He has led Caja Laboral to four Spanish League regular season titles (2003-04, 2004-05, 2006-07 and 2008-09) and two Spanish League championships (2007-08 and 2009-10).

In addition the team has advanced to at least the quarterfinals of the Euroleague Championship six straight seasons (including four straight semifinal appearances from 2004-08).

During the 2009-10 Euroleague action, Splitter averaged 13.0 points and 5.4 rebounds in 26.1 minutes in 16 games. He shot 54% from the field and 63% from the line. He earned All-Euroleague honors for the third straight season.

Originally signed by Caja Laboral in April of 2000, at the age of 15, Splitter played, on loan, with Araba Gorago Alava in 2000-01 and Basket Bilbao Berri in 2001-02 and 2002-03 before joining Caja Laboral for the 2003-04 season.

Born and raised in Brazil, Splitter has played for the Brazilian National Team since 2002 and is a teammate of Leandro Barbosa and Nene. Splitter’s Brazilian teams have captured gold medals at the 2003 South American Championship, the 2003 Pan American Games, the 2005 Americas Championship and the 2009 Americas Championship.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Kentucky center DeMarcus Cousins will be a force to be reckoned with the Sacramento Kings. (GETTY IMAGES)

When it comes to evaluating basketball talent, there are few in the NBA who are better than Geoff Petrie. The Sacramento Kings’ president of basketball operations was responsible for drafting Peja Stojakovic, Hedo Turkoglu, Gerald Wallace, Jason Williams, Kevin Martin and 2010 NBA Rookie of the Year Tyreke Evans.

Petrie may have picked up another gem in this year’s draft in No. 5 overall pick DeMarcus Cousins, who could be the next Moses Malone – a bigger and more tattooed version. For those who don’t know Moses Malone, shame on you. He was one of the original basketball beasts, a three-time NBA MVP and named one of the 50 Greatest Players.

Malone wore an intimidating scowl when he stepped on the court and played with a brick on his shoulder. Cousins is cut from the same mold. He walks into the arena as if his someone had just stolen his bike. Cousins possesses a little nasty streak and, just like Malone, almost relishes physical contact.

The 6-foot-11 center out of the University of Kentucky has been beastly so far in the 2010 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, and his supposed attitude problem has been nonexistent so far. In fact, the Kings’ summer league coaches have been raving about Cousins’ work ethic and has showed some outstanding leadership skills, something that was a big question mark during pre-day workouts and a big reason why Cousins dropped to No. 5 in the draft. Otherwise, if you base it on talent alone, Cousins was arguably the second-best player in the draft behind John Wall, his teammate at Kentucky.

The 19-year-old from Mobile, Ala., attacks the boards like Malone. He’s not a quick leaper but knows how to use his body and rebounds extremely well in traffic. And just like Moses, Cousins has a great knack for getting to the free-throw line.

“He’s a very intelligent player,” Kings coach Paul Westphal said about his young big man. “He’s very agile, he’s got quick feet and he knows where the players are around him. And he’s a great rebounder. He’s going to be an outstanding player.”

Moses Malone was the MVP of the 1983 NBA Finals against the L.A. Lakers. (NBAE/GETTY IMAGES)

There are two things you can’t teach: Speed and size.

Wall has the speed and Cousins has the size.

You can’t criticize Washington for taking Wall, who is an absolute blur on the court, but the three teams who passed on Cousins – Philadelphia, New Jersey and Minnesota – will ultimately regret their decisions. While Evan Turner, Derrick Favors and Greg Monroe struggle to adjust to the NBA game, Cousins has assimilated very well.

“Oh, we’re real happy with him,” Westphal said. “Nothing about his stats or anything else, what impresses me is he really knows how to play. He really has a great feel for a 19-year-old, usually that’s one of the last things big guys learn is the feel for the game.

Can you say 2010-11 NBA Rookie of the Year? It’s very possible, giving the Kings back-to-back top rookies.

Westphal says the arrival of Cousins expands Sacramento’s options in the frontcourt. If Cousins plays center he could play alongside up-and-coming power forward Jason Thompson, and if slides to the power forward spot he could pair up with 7-footer Samuel Dalembert, Sacramento’s newest acquisition.

Add 7-foot rookie Hassan Whiteside and 6-9 Carl Landry and all of a sudden the Kings are now equipped to handle division rival L.A. Lakers, who boasts 7-footers Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum in their starting lineup and 6-10 Lamar Odom off the bench.

“Now we’ll be able to protect the paint a lot better,” Westphal said.

In Cousins’ debut in the Las Vegas NBA summer league on Monday, he finished with 14 points and 10 rebounds in just over 26 minutes of work in the Kings’ 97-68 blowout of the Detroit Pistons at Cox Pavilion. He thoroughly outplayed fellow rookie Greg Monroe, who simply couldn’t handle Cousins in the low block.

Cousins followed that solid performance with another double-double, scoring 19 points and grabbing 12 rebounds against the Lakers on Tuesday at Thomas & Mack Center. Matched up against Lakers second-round pick Derrick Caracter, who has played well this summer, for much of the game Cousins displayed an array of low-post moves, a soft touch near the basket, and a face-up game knocking down mid-range jump shots. He only shot 8-for-20 from the field, but skill set was obvious.

And he also squashed any reports that he was overweight. He was listed at 292 pounds during the draft, but he might already shed a few pounds and looked fit enough to dominate. He showed his athletic ability when he blocked Caracter’s shot with his left hand, hustled down the court, bowled over two Lakers and flipped a one-handed shot for a basket.

Cousins is already ahead of the curve when it comes to drawing double teams and kicking the ball out to teammates. Early in the first quarter against the Lakers, Cousins drew a double team and dropped off a nice no-look pass to a cutting Omri Casspi, who finished the play with a dunk.

It probably won’t be the last time Cousins and Casspi will be hooking up for a dunk.

Last year, Petrie and the Kings landed two gems in the draft in Evans and Casspi. With Evans, Casspi and Cousins, Sacramento now has its own version of The Three Kings and could be serious challengers to the Lakers in the Western Conference. Just like old times.

And just like Moses, the Kings are hoping Cousins can lead them to the Promised Land.

After a weekend blanketed with news of free-agent superstars ditching their old teams for greener pastures, it was somewhat refreshing to see that there’s still some loyalty left in sports, and Fisher and Haslem proved there is no place like home.

L.A. has been Fisher’s home for 11 of his 14 seasons in the NBA. He was drafted by the Lakers in 1996, and after a brief three-year hiatus, he rejoined the club in 2007 and the Lakers have made three consecutive trips to the NBA Finals since his return. Life without Fisher would have been extremely difficult for the Lakers, especially for Kobe Bryant, who calls the 36-year-old guard the “emotional and vocal leader” of the Lakers.

Derek Fisher will return to the L.A. Lakers and make a run at a sixth championship ring. (GETTY IMAGES)

On the other hand, Haslem typifies what a Miami Heat player is all about: tough, aggressive, tireless and selfless. The undersized power forward has played his entire career with the Heat and is a close friend of Dwyane Wade. “UD is here to stay. Sacrifices all ard. I’m couldn’t b happier for any1 more then Mr Miami himself. My brother 4 life,” Wade wrote on his Twitter account.

Haslem’s deal is reportedly for five years at around $20 million.

Fisher has earned a reputation for making clutch shots throughout his playoff career, and is a huge influence in the locker room. During the 2010 NBA Finals against the Celtics, Fisher was the guiding force behind the Lakers’ huge victory in Game 3 and his tough defense on Celtics shooting guard Ray Allen, who is five inches taller than Fisher, was not to be ignored.

“Derek is very, very tough mentally and physically. He doesn’t back down from anyone,” Bryant said of his backcourt mate. “There’s not enough words or praise that I can use to describe him and how I feel about him.”

According to published reports, Fisher’s contract is a three-year deal, with the third year a player option. The negotiations got off to a slow start, with the Lakers not willing to match the $5 million per year Fisher was paid under his previous contract.

“I have decided to continue with Kobe [Bryant], continue with our teammates and the fans of Los Angeles,” Fisher said in a statement. “While this may not be the most lucrative contract I’ve been offered this off-season, it is the most valuable. I am confident I will continue to lead this team on and off the court. Let the hunt for six begin…”

Haslem opted to remain with the Heat, according to published reports, turning down bigger offers for the full mid-level exception from the Mavericks and Nuggets. Terms of Haslem’s new deal with the Heat were not available.

The Heat have stated throughout the offseason that bringing back Haslem was one of the team’s top priorities. It became an ever greater necessity when the team acquired All-Stars LeBron James and Chris Bosh to play with Wade in South Beach because Haslem is the type of player who doesn’t need to have the ball to be effective and does all the little things on the court that ultimately lead to winning ballgames.

Udonis Haslem was a key member of the Heat's 2006 championship team. (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

“He’s the ultimate Miami Heat warrior,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said about the 6-foot-8 seven-year veteran. “Everything we try to have in a Miami Heat player, embodies all the characteristics, that’s Udonis Haslem.  He brings the toughness, he brings the character and he brings the leadership. And he’s true. There’s purity about who he is. He’s a Miami native and he’s special to all of us.”

Haslem, 30, averaged 12.7 points and 10.4 rebounds last season for Miami. In an e-mail to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel Monday, Haslem said, “Turned down full mid level from Dallas and Denver. See u next season.”

Miami is slowing building up its roster to surround Wade, James and Bosh. Joining Haslem on this year’s squad are third-year guard Mario Chalmers, rookies Jarvis Varnardo, Dexter Pittman and Da’Sean Butler and forward Mike Miller, who was acquired this week. The 6-8 guard/forward Miller reportedly inked a five-year deal. Haslem and Miller were former teammates at the University of Florida.

Last year, Haslem lost his starting job to second-year man Michael Beasley, who was recently traded to Minnesota to clear some cap space. Haslem is expected to come off the bench and back up Bosh this season and could play some center.

The No. 1 overall selection in this year’s NBA Draft shook off some early jitters and entertained the sold-out crowd who came to see him play in the 2010 NBA Las Vegas Summer League. The 6-foot-4, 195-pound guard out of Kentucky showcased his blazing end-to-end speed and surprised some with his improved mid-range jump shot in leading the Washington Wizards to a 84-79 victory over Golden State Sunday.

Wall, wearing jersey No. 2, led the Wizards with 24 points on 7-for-15 shooting from the field, was 10-for-11 from the free throw line and had a game-high eight assists. There were some glitches in his first NBA game, but those were to be expected. The 19-year-old led all players with eight turnovers, including three in the first quarter, and appeared a little tight in the first half, missing five of his first seven shots.

“I was just too hyped to play and I was playing too fast,” said Wall, who hasn’t played in an organized game since Kentucky lost in the regional final at NCAA Tournament. He was also nursing a minor groin injury, which forced him to miss one practice last week.

“I was trying to throw lobs and find my teammates, and a little jitters there in the beginning so I had a little bit of turnovers,” Wall added. “But I think I did good running the team and getting to the basket and helping my team to a tough win.”

Wall admitted he got careless with the ball because he was too anxious. But once he slowed down and cut down on the “hot dog” plays, he began to show the skills that made him a first-team All-American as a freshman.

His first shot was so off he clanked it off the backboard, but settled himself quickly and finally made his first basket three minutes into the game when he buried a pull-up jump shot near the free-throw line from about 16 feet. His first assist came at the 6:30 mark of the first quarter when he came around a screen and served a perfect lob pass to JaVale McGee, who slammed it home.

It would be the first of three alley-oop dunks Wall and McGee orchestrated during the game.

“When he comes off the screens and I get enough angle when I get in the paint, I could pull up or I can find him, and I did a great job of finding him today,” Wall said of McGee, the Wizards’ first-round pick in 2008. The 7-foot center scored 21 points on 8-for-12 shooting and grabbed 13 rebounds.

Even though Wall turned the ball too much in his debut, he was still able to make plays for his teammates and showed a great ability to get inside the teeth of the defense and create offense. Twice he drove to the basket, took the bump and finished at the rim for three-point plays. When he didn’t get all the way to the basket, he was able to pull up near the free-throw line and convert mid-range shots, something most NBA scouts thought he didn’t possess during the pre-draft evaluation process.

“What we liked about him as much as anything is his ability to make other people better,” Wizards coach Flip Saunders, who was a spectator in the stands, told the Associated Press. “He doesn’t have to score a lot of points. He’s got the potential to be one of the top point guards in this league. Maybe, [Wall is] the best all-around point guard at both ends, both offensively and defensively.”

One thing that is also noticeable about Wall is he is a quick study. In the third quarter, Wall didn’t bother putting a hand up when Warriors point guard Brian Chase launched a 3-pointer from the top of the key. On the Warriors’ next possession, Chase tried another 3-pointer but this time Wall was there to block the shot.

Later in the quarter, Wall came off a high pick-and-roll and dropped a nice assist to a cutting Raymar Morgan (from Michigan State) near the baseline for a dunk. Moments later, Wall set up Lester Hudson for an open jumper to give the Wizards a 54-44 lead.

Wall’s overall performance was certainly better than his 2010 draft classmates Evan Turner, Derrick Favors, Greg Monroe and Gordon Hayward, who are all struggling to adapt to the pro game. Wall already has a pro game. He just needs to clean up his turnovers and make the simple plays instead of going for the spectacular plays.

“When you consider everything … the atmosphere, the first game,” said Saunders, “to come out and play as he did, he’s got unbelievable intelligence and he’s unbelievably competitive. He’s one of the most coachable guys I’ve been around. He makes a mistake and he wants to know what it is.”

Video courtesy of NBA.com

The Miami Heat unveil their 'Three Kings' at American Airlines Arena: Chris Bosh (1), Dwyane Wade (3) and LeBron James (6). (GETTY IMAGES)

They danced, pranced, giggled and screamed on stage like a bunch of schoolgirls during a screening of “The Twilight Saga.”

Team LeBron. Team Wade. Team Bosh.

Miami’s American Airlines Arena was officially christened Friday, July 9, 2010, as D-Wade’s House, LeBron’s Kingdom and Bosh’s Pit.

There was LeBron James, wearing No. 6 in a Miami Heat uniform and strutting on stage, smiling from ear to ear. Yes, Cleveland. Your worst nightmare has been realized. The former pride and joy of Akron seems to have already assimilated to the splendor and spectacle of South Beach less than 48 hours after he dumped on the Cavaliers on national TV.

There was Chris Bosh, wearing No. 1 in a Miami Heat uniform, wiping his brow with his fingers and posing for the cameras. Of all the free-agent studs this offseason, Bosh is the one who has clearly enjoyed all the attention. Can you blame him? He has been incarcerated in Toronto for seven years! Now, he looks like a guy who just won the lottery and can’t wait to spend his money.

There was Dwyane Wade, wearing his familiar No. 3 Heat jersey, laughing, joking and absolutely giddy like a 10-year-old who just received a brand new Wii console on Christmas. Did anyone really thought Wade was going to leave South Beach? He probably went through with the whole free-agent process just so that he could spy for Pat Riley. The end result was he brought along his super friends with him to Miami – as promised.

Heat play-by-play announcer Eric Reid introduced the trio as “The Three Kings” of Miami. More than 10,000 fans flooded American Airlines Arena flooded the stadium – also known as D-Wade’s House – and couldn’t contain their joy, holding up “Yes. We. Did.” signs and flashing their cameras, hoping to get a picture of the newest rock stars of South Beach.

Wade proclaimed The Three Kings as “arguably, the best trio to ever play the game of basketball.” James followed that bodacious statement by saying the Heat are more than capable of winning “NOT ONE, NOT TWO, NOT THREE … NOT FOUR … NOT FIVE … NOT SIX … NOT SEVEN” NBA championships.

“And when I say that I really believe it. I’m not just blowing smoke at these fans because that’s not what I’m about. I’m about business,” James boasted. “We believe we can win multiple championships if we take care of business and do it the right way.”

LeBron says it doesn’t matter how the rest of the roster will shape up because as long as The Three Kings are on the court, the heat will be on the opponents. “When me and D-Wade are running the wing, I mean, Pat [Riley] can come back and play like was back in his Kentucky days. Just throw it up there and we’re gonna go get it.”

Wade is confident egos and individual accolades won’t get in the way of the 2.0 version of the Miami Heat because the team will be built around one word: sacrifice. “That’s not just from a money standpoint, that’s not just from a shot standpoint. It’s everything. When we step on the court, it’s going to be business. Whoever is going to be a part of this organization is gonna have to make that sacrifice.”

He continued: “Oh, we’re going to have fun. It’s going to be Hollywood down here.”

Wade knows a thing about winning a title. He experienced it 2006 with the help of Shaquille O’Neal and a roster surrounded by veterans such as Gary Payton, James Posey, Antoine Walker and Alonzo Mourning. But this time it’s different. Wade, James and Bosh are all in the primes and none of them are older than 28.

James is the reigning NBA most valuable player and, at 25 years old, he’s barely entering the height of his basketball career. Bosh is 26 and hungry for attention, so he’ll be motivated to soak in some of the spotlight in Miami.

“That’s the only reason why I’m here,” James said of his decision to sign with the Heat because, in his mind, it affords him the best opportunity to win a title. “I’m here to bring another championship, to bring that feeling that you all had a few years ago when y’all was able to win that championship. Me and CB, we’re here to make that feeling come back.”

Bosh gave a glimpse of what to expect when the regular season starts in October. “When I get a rebound, I got LeBron on my left I can outlet to. And I have D-Wade on my right. I’m lucky.”

Somewhere out in L.A., where the Larry O’Brien Trophy sits, Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol are in the gym working on their shots and dying to get a shot at The Three Kings. The Celtics’ Big Four of Rajon Rondo, Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen are probably watching tape right now and formulating game plans on how to defend The Three Kings. Ssomewhere out in Orlando, Dwight Howard is doing extra reps on the shoulder-press machine, physically prepping for his upcoming battles with The Three Kings in the Southeast Division. And Joakim Noah, the Chicago Bulls’ outspoken and highly emotional forward/center, recently branded the Miami Heat as “Team Hollywood.”

Without a doubt, Miami’s Three Kings will have huge targets on their backs this season, but they seem to be up for the challenge.

“We’re competitors. We accept it with open arms. Bring it on!” said Wade.

“That’s why we play this game. We play this game to have those competitive juices,” Wade continued. “We expect those teams to say that. We don’t expect them to say ‘OK, Miami has won it.’ No, we don’t want that. We don’t play so people can just lay down. We want to come out here and give this Miami crowd a show every night, and even on the road because every place will be a sell-out when we come to town. So, they can thank us now.”