Five Out: Can Basketball Come Back Please?

1.) HURRY UP ALL READY! There's something like 69 days until opening tip off of the regular season. Silly to think about, really. We have football, mid-term elections, and all these other things coming down the pipe. I'm ready for hoops to be back as I'm tired of seeing the internet (twitter, mainly), eat itself in pointless arguments about anything. I want analysis, I want over reactions, I want Monta Ellis to make me yell at my TV again. Let's get this party STARTED already.

2.) TEAM USA PLAYS DOMINICAN REPUBLIC TONIGHT. Will Chandler Parsons play? Will he look like he's participated in the Buffet of Buffet's in Vegas? All these questions AND MORE will be answered tonight on NBA TV at 6pm central!

3.) PARSONS SHOULD MAKE THE ROSTER. If you don't have ESPN Insider, that's the gist. I find this very interesting, because I keep thinking Parsons is on the outside looking in. Then again, no one seems to understand Coach K's selections for end of bench guys.

4.) IF GREG MONROE DOESN'T STAY IN DETROIT DOES HE FIT IN DALLAS? The name comes to mind and you think, "hey! He's a productive player! He could be a good fit!" In today's NBA, big men who can't defend the rim or hit jumpers are not super valuable. Zach Lowe covered it a while back here. The Washington Post thinks Dallas could be a place for Greg. Do. Not. Want.

5.) DALLAS WILL MISS THE VETERAN PRESENCE OF SHAWN MARION. Well, yeah. Thanks for that guys. I wasn't aware of that.