By Sam Amico

SI's CAVS CAPER

It took about 10 seconds of reading Sports Illustrated's article on the Cleveland Cavaliers for my blood to boil.

Let me start by staying that it's pretty difficult to make me mad. Let me add that I hate sounding like a jerk -- but I am afraid I'm about to.

And let me say that I believe, for the most part, the Cavs should be applauded. I mean, not many teams would allow a national magazine total access to their drafting plans -- especially Cavs general manager Jim Paxson, who's been hiding under a rock for the last two years.

So the Cavs aren't to blame, even if Paxson did say some things that had him sounding like a lame brain.

Of course, Paxson was clearly second to SI in that category.

SI's article began this way: "Your best player is Zydrunas Ilguaskas, a 7-foot-3 giant with Bill Walton's feet."

Say WHAT? If Ilguaskas is the Cavs' best player, then I'm John Steinbeck.

It gets worse, as SI went on to refer to Andre Miller as the Cavs' second best player. It wrote that Miller "has never made an All-Star team, never made the playoffs, never had a winning season, and says he deserves the maximum salary of $10.6-million."

Now, I'm not going to take a lot of time with this, because there are more fun things to talk about. But it's clear someone who works for the Cavs knows the reporter at SI who wrote this story -- and knows him well. And it's clear that this story was not Sports Illustrated's idea.

In other words, the magazine sold its soul on this one. Give us total access, SI said, and we'll write the story exactly as you wish.

That's called biased reporting -- not to mention just plain pathetic.

How else do you explain SI's ludicrous comments about Ilguaskas and Miller? How else do you stomach the magazine trying to make Miller look like a whiny brat? And how else are you expected to take Paxson's quote of, "Nobody's coming to our building to see Andre Miller play."

Let's get something straight -- without Andre Miller, that team would have won five games last season. Period.

Granted, Miller's defense will never ring up any memories of Sidney Moncrief, but Miller is an outstanding point guard and an upstanding citizen. And, hey Mr. General Manager, if people don't come to your building to watch Andre Miller, they sure as heck ain't gonna fill The Gund to witness the likes of Lamar Odom or Caron Butler (who the Cavs were trying to get in a trade).

That's it. I'm done. If you really want to get a good idea of what I'm talking about, you'll have to read the story yourself. I'll conclude by saying it makes you really wonder about SI's ethics -- and it makes you feel very sorry for the Cavs.

I mean, I love the Cavs and I think they have a bright future. Really. But I also believe that because of SI's story, Cleveland has no choice but to give Andre Miller the maximum, and the Cavs need to do it yesterday. Either that, or trade their best player -- and I mean BY FAR their best -- for practically nothing.

All of it is enough to make your blood boil.

LOTS OF SUMMERTIME FUN

Now that I've cooled off, let's take a trip around NBA summer camps:

-- Some familiar names on Dallas' summer roster include Lynn Greer (Temple), John Celestand (Villanova), and Alex Jensen (Utah). Greer scored 18 points in his first game, but shot just 5-of-16 from the floor. Tariq Abdul-Wahad is also fighting for his basketball life with the Mavericks.

-- It's nice to see ex-West Virginia forward Marcus Goree back in an NBA camp. It could be argued that Goree had the best summer of anybody not to make a roster last season. Goree played for Memphis then, and is currently with Milwaukee. Speaking of good summer play in 2001, does anybody know where Khalid El-Amin is? I mean, why isn't this guy in the NBA?

-- Brian Brown, an undrafted guard from Ohio State, is in camp with Detroit and has an outside shot at making the team. Brown is a big guard (6-4, 190), and should he show an ability to play the point, the Pistons will probably keep him.

-- A lot of names from the past who were expected to have decent NBA careers are floating around the summer circuit. Charlie Bell (Michigan State) and Tim James (Miami, Fla.) are two guys who fit that description, and they're both on Indiana's roster. Also, former Sacramento forward Anthony Bonner (St. Louis, '90) has resurfaced with the Pacers.

-- Keep an eye out for David Webber, a shooting guard who just completed a magnificent career at Central Michigan. Webber is a bit undersized at 6-2, but he plays with a lot of heart and has good genes. Webber, who is currently with the Pacers, is the younger brother of Sacramento forward Chris Webber.

-- The surprise out of New Orleans' camp is Dennis Mims, a 6-9 forward out of Indiana. Actually, Mims comes from Indiana of Pennsylvania, a Division II program. One scout told me that Mims has "Division I talent, but a Division II head on his shoulders." Either way, you'd think the Hornets are looking for NBA talent. Right? Ex-Washington guard Mike Smith is also playing with New Orleans.

-- Longtime readers of the newsletter may remember the "Vonteego Watch" segment last fall, which followed point guard Vonteego Cummings' every move. Well, we may be following poor Vonteego right out of the league, as he apparently won't be back with Philadelphia. Cummings is currently clinging to the game with Orlando's summer team.

-- Speaking of guys on the edge of the NBA, how about this lineup in the LA Summer Pro League -- Corey Benjamin, Billy Owens, Toby Bailey, Mike Penberthy, and Darrick Martin. Each plays for a team called the Young Guns, and each may be making his final audition.

-- A team of players from the latest version of the ABA is also competing in the LA summer league. It includes Gerald Paddio, Tyson Wheeler, Chris Morris and Richie Frahm.

-- Lee Benson and Kris Lang are expected to play for the Wizards in July. Both are undrafted free agent forwards who are thought highly of by scouts and GMs. Will Solomon, who I pulled for all of last season while he was with the Grizzlies, is also on the Wizards' roster. Mark my words, Solomon may be the point guard Washington needs.

-- What does "mark my words" really mean, anyway?

-- Los Angeles Lakers guard Kareem Rush scored 23 points on 10-of-18 shooting in an LA summer game. Can you say, See ya, Kobe? Just kidding. In another impressive performance, Miami second-round pick Rasual Butler scored 24 points on 10-of-13 shooting. I still say Rasual will be the better of the Heat's two Butlers (the other being first-rounder Caron).

SAM'S SUMMER SLAMS

Dean Oliver, who was with Golden State as a rookie out of Iowa last season, is in camp with Milwaukee. ... So is Scoonie Penn, the little point guard from Ohio State who I always thought could play in the NBA. Of course, Scoonie didn't even get off the bench in the Bucks' opening summer game. So what do I know? (Don't answer that). ... William Avery, Luke Recker and Nate Green are some of the more familiar names playing for the Heat. ... Also, Kimani Ffriend is hoping to make Miami's roster, perhaps so he could play for GM Randy Pfund. And wouldn't that be lots of pffun? Sorry, I can't control myself. ... Fred House, another player who I really like, is currently playing for the Grizzlies. House is a good guy, a strong defender, and someone who played in the NBDL last season. There may not be any room for him in the NBA, though. ... And in case I haven't mentioned your favorite player, fear not. There is now something called the Xtreme Basketball Association in North Carolina, and it's full of guys you've heard of. In fact, remember Richard Dumas of Phoenix Suns fame? Well, he's now a player/coach for something called the Wilmington Wave. Other teams include the Columbia Rage and Hickory Nutz. You can decide what to make of all this on your own.

NYC POINT GUARDS

Junior from Brooklyn e-mailed to ask why I always say all those nice things about former St. John's point guard Omar Cook, who hails from New York City and is now playing for Boston.

Well, as I told Junior, I am a big fan of all NYC point guards, simply because they display a certain confidence, a toughness that I admire. As I also told Junior, "and I'm from the country!"

I used to say that the Oakland Raiders played football the way it was meant to be played (this, of course, was back when they actually did, and their rugged attitude was more than just a marketing ploy). Anyway, I think NYC guards like Cook, Stephon Marbury, Mark Jackson, etc., play the point the way it was meant to be played. In Junior's words, they play with a "flair and cockiness that cannot be taught."

Of course, Junior wouldn't be a true New Yorker if he hadn't followed up his comments with something negative about the Knicks. But as I told him, Knicks fans should be happy. Landing Antonio McDyess on draft day was the best move of the offseason so far -- and should get the team back into the playoffs.

Too bad they can't get Stephon Marbury.

ON YAO, FROM TAIWAIN

Chingliang Lin of Taiwan e-mailed to set me straight on Yao Ming, who I recently wrote about and said won't be anything special.

"But I have watched Yao and the Shanghai Sharks for three years," Lin wrote. "He has improved each season, and he isn't like most of those other giants who failed, such as Manute Bol, Shawn Bradley, or Gheorge Muresan. Yao can run the floor, he can shoot, he can pass. He has a great attitude and has made playing in the NBA his goal from day one."

Lin added, "I think you may have a bad taste in your mouth from all those big men who shipwrecked in the past -- but try to forget about them. Yao will give you a shock in November."

I hope you're right, Lin. It would be good for Houston, good for the NBA, and most of all, good for Yao and all of his fans.

ON COUNTRY GUARDS

Mike Filomena and a few others e-mailed to ask about Trevor Huffman, the little guard who led Kent State to the NCAA Elite Eight last season. I have a special interest in Trevor, as I also attended Kent State.

"Do you think Trevor will be picked up by an NBA team or is he off to Europe?" Mike asked.

Well, Mike, I think Trevor may be headed for the Xtreme Basketball Association. In all seriousness, he probably will have to play in Europe, simply because he gave such a poor showing at the pre-draft camp in Virginia. Still, I thought the Cavs would stick him on their summer roster to generate some interest.

Huffman reminds me a lot of a player I mentioned earlier, Khalid El-Amin, in that neither is overly quick or very tall -- but they're both good leaders who find ways to win.

PLEASE, PLEASE BUY MY BOOK

My book, "A Basketball Summer," is now available on Barnes & Noble's Web site (www.barnesandnoble.com). To find it, simply perform a search for my name on the site. As I've explained probably way too much, the book is about how NBA general managers spend their offseason -- told mostly in the words of the GMs themselves.

AND FINALLY ...

I'll have some announcements regarding more Amico Report stuff as early as next week, and I know die-hard readers will be excited. Casual readers, however, will probably be as bored with me as ever. But no matter how much you read or e-mail ... thanks. And I really mean that. Few things bring as much joy to my life as interacting with people who share my passion for the NBA.

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