This is the best year for a D-League fan. You get about three weeks to entertain the notion that your favorite guy can actually stick with a club, before the inevitable crushing blow as he's released and goes overseas. 

But there's no time for such disappointment now! Now is the time for possibilities! Weee! Training camp!

• We knew it would only be a matter of time, and sure enough, previously interviewed Elton Brown landed himself on a roster. Brown could be a great complement to the Bulls. He's not the hyper-athletic rail-thin type, nor is he in the Drew Gooden model. He's just big, brawny, and mean. Ten bucks says him and Noah or Noc get into it at some point. Brown's not going to be able to run like Vinny D wants, though. He's neither quick enough, nor does he have the weight control. He's the size of a house though, even though he's relatively shorter than most power forwards. You can take Drew Gooden and Elton Brown and have them both shoot the pivot step to the paint fadeaway jumpers and they will look identical, but Brown will make more of them. His baseline J is not as hot, though. But if you want a guy who will give you 100% on the floor and as opposed to Noc, will not look absolutely ridiculous doing it, and will do it for a million a year? Elton Brown's your guy. It's a huge gamble on his part, going into a camp with established big men prospects AND Noc AND Drew Gooden, but who knows.
  
• Nice article from the D about Brian Hamilton's road to the NBA, which has it's latest stop in New Jersey. 
• Blake Ahearn is in Minny as expected. If you're looking for something to watch out for, a Blake Ahearn versus Mike Miller H-O-R-S-E contest would be epic. Ahearn's big problems are turnovers and penetrating. But you can put him at any spot on the floor and he'll drain it. If the Wolves use Ahearn as a shooter and not as a point, he could end up sticking and he could be valuable. He's got killer work ethic and high basketball IQ. But he's got an uphill battle with the athleto-guards on roster.
  
• Aw, the Grizzlies invited Brent Petway! That's really nice of them! Would have been nice if they were inviting D-League players to camp LAST YEAR. I love Brent. He's a really nice guy, and he's got killer athleticism. But there's no way he sticks. Defensively, he just makes too many mistakes. He drifts too far from his man looking for the block. He doesn't defend the pick and roll well. He doesn't have a reliable jumper. He has no touch around the basket. He will be good for at least one high profile dunk in a scrimmage though. He's going to posterize someone. Book it. 
• And another Ridiculous Upside favorite, Marcus Williams (the other Marcus Williams, this one out of Arizona), is in with the Bobcats. Hmm... young, immature player + Larry Brown + 17 players on roster = FAIL.
• Here's the complete list of D-Leaguers in camp. 

We'll have the interview with Mad Ants owner Jeff Potter tonight, and a review from Toros tryouts this weekend. There were unsuccesful attempts to get me to actually tryout by the D-League PR Office. Thanks, but if I wanted to be ridiculed and embarrassed I'd go see family.