The WNBA champs smoked cigars and partied with Prince

Good morning. Let’s basketball.

AMEN: Lee Jenkins on the ghosts and gifts of Lamar Odom. Bethlehem Shoals on why L.O. is already being mourned.

PREVIEW CITY: The Pacers are one big ol’ mystery to Professor Flannery and I, though I’m less skeptical than he. Here’s what Indy Cornrows has to say. We know what the Blazers are, though, and that’s a rebuilding team expected to be bad in the West. Here’s Blazer’s Edge’s take.

YUP: My man Danny Leroux notes that first-round picks are about to become even bigger bargains.

ALL HAIL THE LYNX: After winning their third WNBA championship in five years, the Minnesota Lynx celebrated hard. And then apparently enjoyed a private three-hour Prince concert?!

KENTUCKY WEST: Cuonzo Martin’s Cal team is the closest thing college has to a pro squad this season, writes Ricky O’Donnell. That Ivan Rabb-Jaylen Brown battery is going to be fierce.

SAD QUESTION, TO BE HONEST: “How do the Pelicans avoid Anthony Davis becoming Chris Paul?” by Ken Berger.

OH NO: J.R. Smith crossed up Paul George so bad P.G. fell down. Best check his shoelaces just to be safe.

LAMAR ODOM IS NOT A KARDASHIAN REALITY STAR: Scott Van Pelt lashed out righteously at the celebrity media’s failure to acknowledge that Lamar Odom is not simply an extra in the orbit of the Kardashians.

WATCH DIRK HIT A GOLF BALL: Yelling “Boom!” when you drive it is a weird quirk but we’ll allow it.

OH OK: The Thunder are talking extension with Dion Waiters.

THE RIP HAMILTON PLAN: Derrick Rose hates people touching his face (is this a frequent issue?) so if he plays well in it he says he’ll keep the mask on forever.

ALL HAIL NEW ORLEANS: I didn’t think I could love the Pelicans more after they hired Alvin Gentry and kept the roster together, but they signed Nate Robinson and Bo McCalebb on Thursday. So many buckets. Here’s what you need to know about McCalebb from a Flinder Boyd feature from a few years back.

QUITE AN UNDERTAKING: The always impressive Hardwood Paroxysm season preview is out. I haven’t read this year’s edition, but it’s always been a treat.

Happy Friday. Our final two team previews hit shortly, and next week our big, bad season preview featuring Flanns, myself, Zito Madu and more comes trucking down the turnpike. Have a good weekend. Basketball is nearly here.