Wow…the Washington Post is reporting that the Portland Trailblazers will $30 of the $33.6 million left on Steve Francis’ contract in a buyout that will release the unwanted PG as an unrestricted free agent…look for Francis to sign with the Clippers, where his best friend Cuttino Mobley is the main drawing card…

Forgotten PG Marcus Banks had 42 points in the Suns summer league loss (93-89) to Cleveland on Monday…it’s worth noting that this performance come in the Thomas and Mack centre in Las Vegas, where Banks played as a collegian at UNLV…it’s a very positive step for Banks who fell out of the rotation, if not off the face of the earth, for the Suns last year after signing a 5 year $21 million contract to be Steve Nash’s backup…a positive step for the Suns too, who are aggressively shopping him…

The Raptors have signed Jamario Moon Early to a 2 year deal…the 6’8” SF was an entry candidate for the 2001 NBA Draft out of Meridian Community College (20.8 PPG and 8.7 RPG but was kicked out of school after 12 games), but was not selected. He originally signed out of high school with Mississippi State, but was academically ineligible…he’s bounced around a number of minor leagues (CBA, WBA, USBL and NBDL) without showing too much…

The Magic have withdrawn their qualifying offer (1 yr. @ $6.8 million) to C Darko Milicic, which effectively renounces thri rights to him and makes him an unrestricted free agent…Magic GM Otis Smith’s quote: He’s moved on and we’ve moved on.”

Good report here from the other summer pro-league in Orlando where JJ Redick seems to have re-discovered his game:

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?page=orlandosummerleaguesday2&lpos=spotlight&lid=tab2pos2

Fantastic article here from Tom Friend of ESPN.com about basketball in Northern Ireland:

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/news/story?page=espnmag_peaceplayers&lpos=spotlight&lid=tab5pos2

Look out…one of my favourite players last year was Pistons PF Jason Maxiel, a 6’7” 265 lb. jumping jack with Mr. Extendo arms who tries to dunk EVERYTHING…well, Maxiel has come into summer league down 25 lbs. (!!!) and is quicker off the floor, which seems impossible given his play last season…expect several nasty dunks from Maxiel this year, and several other missed dunks that will be just as exciting…

Very touching story out of Portland where SF Darius Miles has reached out to pay for the funeral expenses of 5-year-old Ethan Hansen who died after a tree limb fell on his tent while he was camping…apparently Miles was reading the paper (which is news in itself, but I digress) and after reading the story, he and his wife, who is expecting, were so touched by it they contacted the family with the offer…