Day one mostly revolved around catching up with the various members of the basketball industry, all of which seem to be out in full force. As Angelico Biella’s General Manager Daniele Baiesi told us in our Eurocamp preview on NBA.com, this is a perfect setting to mix watching players in with business, and indeed we’re hearing plenty of chatter coming from the direction of the bleachers with agents peddling their players, teams looking for prospects to sign, and old friends catching up on their experiences from the past season.
Some of the names that jump off the page of the NBA credential list include Danny Ainge (Boston Celtics), Calvin Booth (NBA player), Mike D’Antoni (New York Knicks), Maurizio Gherardini (Toronto Raptors), Dave Griffin (Phoenix Suns), Fred Hoiberg (Minnesota Timberwolves), Steve Kerr (Phoenix Suns), Ronnie Lester (LA Lakers), Dennis Lindsey (San Antonio Spurs), Daryl Morey (Houston Rockets), David Morway (Indiana Pacers), Donnie Nelson (Dallas Mavericks), Milton Newton (Washington Wizards), Kevin O’Connor (Utah Jazz), Kevin Pritchard (Portland Trailblazers), Pat Riley (Miami Heat), Tommy Sheppard (Washington Wizards), Jim Stack (Minnesota Timberwolves), Rick Sund (Atlanta Hawks), Jay Triano (Toronto Raptors), Masai Ujiri (Toronto Raptors), Donnie Walsh (New York Knicks), and many many others that we probably missed. Pretty much every major basketball agency and all of the top European teams are represented here as well.
The 2.05-meter small forward is currently in talks with various teams including the Sacramento Kings, Minnesota Timberwolves, Chicago Bulls and Portland Trailblazers, but none have promised him a place on their roster next season, the Minneapolis Star-Tribune reported yesterday
“I wouldn’t say nervous,” he replied when asked about the coaching state of affairs. “As players we still have to go and improve ourselves. We still have to work on those things the coaches told us to work on in the offseason.”
Gomes has been back and forth from Minnesota to his home in Connecticut. He comes here to concentrate on basketball. In the evenings, he’s been watching the NBA playoffs, trying to learn something. Anything. And he finds himself imagining what it would be like to participate in those playoffs.
“My first team in Boston, we didn’t get there,” he said. “Now I’ve been here two years. We know not too many of our players have had playoff exposure.
“It’s difficult if you don’t get the chance to play under him in training camp,” Miller said in reference to the mid-season coaching change. “But we made the most of it. (McHale) is a great coach and he’s easy to play for.”
Miller also made no speculations as to whether he would still be in Minnesota after the June 25 draft. He did say that the organization needs to “address our point guard situation,” but nothing else. Miller was rumored to be on the trade block before the February deadline, but the deadline came and went without any moves.
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