In the lane
INTERNATIONAL PERSECTIVE: Should he carve an NBA career out of his partially-guaranteed contract with the Heat, undrafted Hawaii forward Stefan
Jankovic could have an interesting international decision, as he was born in Serbia and raised in Canada. On one hand, Serbia is coming off a silver-medal finish in the Olympics. On the other, Canada could emerge as a power should Andrew Wiggins, Tristan Thompson and Kelly Olynyk take more active roles. “I’ve been in contact with both,” Jankovic said of the Serbian and Canadian federations. “Obviously, there was some interest this summer; but, due to summer league, for both Canada and for Serbia, I wasn’t able to do any of the training camps and tryout and the exhibition stuff. So that kind of limited what I was able to do. But in the future, I haven’t really made a decision.” Jankovic said he found the Serbia-United States Olympic championship game compelling simply for Serbia’s presence, even with the 99-66 loss. “I want to play for them or Canada in the future,” he said. “And watching them in the Olympics was huge. It’s a big thing going against the U.S. And the last couple of tournaments we were in the finals against them. It motivates you.”
STABILITY SOUGHT: A one-year contract with a team option for the second hardly is a guarantee of stability in the NBA. But for Heat free-agent addition Wayne
Ellington, any opportunity to establish roots has to be embraced. The Heat will be Ellington’s sixth team in the past five seasons, with seven stops over his eight seasons. “I’m the type of person to always make the positive out of it,” the 3-point-shooting guard said. “When I was younger, it wasn’t something that I thought about, my movement and switching teams. But as I begin to get a little older and going into my eighth year in the NBA, that’s something you look for. Winning is at the top of the list, and a home — a stable home that you don’t have to move around — is more on my mind, obviously, than ever. But it’s part of the business. It’s what I love to do and if that’s what comes with it, I don’t mind that at all.” Ellington’s previous NBA stops have been with Minnesota Timberwolves, Memphis Grizzlies, Cleveland Cavaliers, Dallas Mavericks, Los Angeles Lakers and Brooklyn Nets. His first three years with the Timberwolves marked the only time he has been with the same team for more than one season.
NO GUARANTEES: With a four-year, $72 million free-agent contract, former Heat forward Luol Deng exited free agency as the overwhelming favorite to start at small forward for the Los Angeles Lakers. Of course, the Lakers also are in the midst of their post- Kobe Bryant rebuilding mode and selected Duke Brandon Ingram with the No. 2 pick in June’s draft. So what next? “We brought in some good vets that we really feel are going to lead in Kobe’s absence,” new Lakers coach
Luke Walton told reporters at the unveiling of plans for the team’s new practice facility. Asked if that had Deng penciled into the starting lineup at small forward, Walton followed up with, “You can pencil in whoever you want. I don’t have anyone penciled in right now.” Deng was particularly effective over the second half of last season at power forward for the Heat, which could potentially otherwise mean displacing Julius Randle in that role.