IC Cold Links: Summer League and Free Agency Week Lie Ahead

Tomorrow starts the AirTran Airways Orlando Pro Summer League, a magical place in the city where magic is born, a place where free agents just hoping for a shot play with draft picks and young veterans hoping to make the right impression, all under the mockery of two commentators who’d rather do anything else. It is truly magical.

For the 2009 Orlando Summer League World Champion Indiana Pacers, this will be a great opportunity to see rookies Paul George and Magnum Rolle, probably rookie Lance Stephenson, and not so much a rookie Josh McRoberts team up with a lot of guys who may impress, but have a very slim chance of actually making the team. It’ll be hard to improve on last year’s 5-0 record, but don’t count these guys out, as the Pacers tip off tomorrow at 3:00 p.m. EST against Daniel Orton and the Orlando Magic. All games will be aired on NBA TV, so by all means, tune in if you can!

In other league news, the free agency cup is expected to flow over this week, as you can expect many of the big names in the pool to find new homes or old homes. LeBron James seems set to wait to see how the landscape shakes out before coming to a decision this week, Dwyane Wade likes all of his options, and Chris Bosh just wants to open his Christmas present already.

Given that this bravado is unlike anything the league has ever seen before, I can’t help but wonder if anything will be put in place to prevent this circus act from happening again. It seems campy from an outsider’s perspective, but maybe the attention is positive for the league even if the actual happenings are a bit tabloid. It seems like you should be visiting your local newsstand and seeing NBA Today sitting next to People and National Enquirer. Regardless of your feelings, this week should cap the frenzy, since as reported by The Onion, we should start to have a pretty good idea where LeBron will be playing once he signs his deal.

After the jump, some summer league links, free agency chatter, and the juicy contract the Pacers are offering any available PG.

• Sending a Message - JJ's Audibles
  As the only veteran playing in the Summer League (partially due to injury), Jeremiah Johnson poises the question: Is Jim O'Brien sending a message to Josh McRoberts?
• McRoberts stays patient with Pacers - IndySports
  If O'Brien is sending a message, McRoberts seems to be taking the news in stride in discussing playing in the summer league, the rookies, and a valuable lesson on patience.
• Williams continues to pursue his NBA Dream - IndySports
  Summer Leaguer and former Pacer almost call-up Marcus Williams looks forward to his hard work paying off in becoming a valuable part of an NBA team.
• PACERS: A Day in the Life with Paul George, Part 3
  The latest episode of A Day in the Life with Paul George is available, as George meets up with Roy Hibbert. Roy praises the Indianapolis downtown and gets straight to talk about getting to work.
• Rolle stands out at Pacers' camp
  Mike Wells discusses Jim O'Brien's new favorite player, Magnum Rolle, and his game.
• Kramer working to prove he belongs
  Caught in the Web: Few players have as much incentive to do well in this summer league as does former Boilermaker Chris Kramer.
• Orlando Magic's NBA summer league is a no-frills affair
  Unlike the Las Vegas league, the Orlando Summer League is closed to the public, and offers none of the amenities of any basketball game you've ever seen. And you know, maybe that's all right.
• Amar'e Stoudemire says Carmelo Anthony, Tony Parker are 'ready to join him' if he signs with Knicks
  In one of the more perplexing free agency stories, the New York Daily News reporting that maybe the Knicks aren't looking at 2010, but really they're looking at maybe 2011 when Carmelo Anthony and Tony Parker become free agents.
• Lakers get Steve Blake as guard insurance
  The Lakers help set the standard for mid-level point guards by giving Steve Blake a 4 yr. $16 million deal. Blake was a possible solution for the Pacers at PG, but this deal only makes the Pacers proposed offer all that more enticing...
• Pacers offering one year deals to maintain flexibility
  LukeNukem from the Fan Shots gives us the deal of a lifetime for a number of potential free agent point guards, a one year, $3.5 million deal. Not sure how you take this after looking at the deal the Lakers gave Blake. Myself on the other hand, I'm available and ready to suit up. I'm a natural point, and I won't put up a stink about playing time or contract length. Feel free to get a hold of me, Indiana.