Here’s a quick look at how current and former Erie BayHawks have fared so far in the 2012 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas.

Donald Sloan is averaging double figures for the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas/Erie Times-News staff photo.

New York Knicks (Erie’s NBA hybrid affiliate) – SF Mychel Thompson (two games, 7.0 ppg., 20 3-PT%, 3.5 rpg., 0.5 assists per game); PF Kyle Goldcamp (two games, 4.0 ppg., 60 FG%, 4.0 rpg.)

Next game for Knicks – Today 4 p.m. vs. Denver Nuggets

Cleveland Cavaliers (Was Erie’s NBA affiliate) – PG Donald Sloan (two games, 13.5 ppg. 53.3 FG% 1.0 assists per game, 3.5 TOs a game); SG D.J. Kennedy (two games, 3 ppg., 33.3 FG%, 4.0 rpg., 0 assists); SG Garrett Temple (two games, 1.5 ppg., 12.5 FG%, 3 rpg., 0.5 apg)

Next game for Cavs – Today 8:30 p.m. vs. Phoenix Suns

D-League Select Team – C Chris Daniels (two games, 7 ppg., 54.5 FG, 4 rpg. 1 block a game)

Next game for D-League Select Team – 10 p.m. vs. Milwaukee Bucks

Charlotte Bobcats – SG Cory Higgins (two games, 9.0 ppg., 16.7 3-PT FG, 83.3 FT%., 2.5 rpg. 1.5 apg.)

Next game for Bobcats – Thursday 10:30 p.m. vs. Denver Nuggets

Hard to imagine an undrafted player who has spent time in the D-League in his first two NBA seasons being the answer at point guard for the New York Knicks.

Then again, who would have thought they’d have a losing record at 10-15 with Carmelo Anthony, Amare Stoudemire and new addition Tyson Chandler.

So it shouldn’t be a surprise that Jeremy Lin has been a spark for the Knicks.

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Anthony Mason says the NBA today is "way softer" than it was when he played./AP Photo.

When he was in the NBA, Anthony Mason was a tough guy.

He played for one of the toughest teams of his era – the New York Knicks – when Patrick Ewing, Charles Oakley and himself protected the painted area with size, force and intimidation.

Those days are long gone in his opinion.

“Now you get the rite of passage,” Mason said. “Now it’s a rite of passage. You get a layup. I get a layup. That’s how they do.”

In Erie, Pa., to watch his son, Anthony Mason Jr. play for the Sioux Falls Skyforce, Mason said the NBA has changed dramatically from when he was out there bumping and bruising up folks.

“It’s a big difference,” said Mason, who averaged 10.9 points in his 13-year NBA career. Mason, whose final season was in 2002-03 with the Milwaukee Bucks, was an NBA All-Star with the Miami Heat in 2001 and the league’s Sixth Man of the Year while with the Knicks in 1994-95.

“Way softer. It’s not as exciting. I don’t think the teams are as balanced as they used to be. It’s kind of boring.”

Mason, who lives in New Rochelle, N.Y., drove seven hours to see his son, but Mason Jr. didn’t play tonight due to an injury.

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The Erie BayHawks have a temporary replacement for 7-footer Chris Daniels.

Earlier today, the D-League announced the New York Knicks have sent down 7-footer Jerome Jordan to play for the BayHawks. Jordan, who is in his rookie season with the Knicks after being taken in the second round (44th overall) of the 2010 NBA Draft by the Milwaukee Bucks.

The Knicks got Jordan in a trade with the Bucks for cash considerations. Out of Tulsa, Jordan is averaging 1.3 points and 1.3 rebounds in six games with the Knicks. He’s expected to practice with the BayHawks on Wednesday before they play at Maine on Friday and Sunday.

As a senior in college, Jordan averaged 15.4 points, 9.1 rebounds and 2.34 blocks in 35 games. Now if he can get close to those numbers in the D-League, that would be around Daniels provided the BayHawks.

Daniels averaged 16.8 points, 8.6 rebounds and 2.14 blocks in 14 games for Erie before leaving the team Monday to go play in South Korea.

Tasheed Carr headed overseas.

After being waived by the Erie BayHawks two weeks ago, Tasheed Carr will play overseas in Germany for Saar-Pfalz Braves, eurobasket.com reported Tuesday. The Braves have nine games left.

The 6-foot, 3-inch, 205-pound guard out of St. Joseph’s started in Erie’s first five games of the season, but saw his playing time drop considerably after that. In 25 games (6 starts), Carr averaged five points and two rebounds.

Carr, 25, who has played in China and Israel, started his college career at Iowa State. The Philadelphia native ended his college career in 2009 with St. Joe’s.

Looking back at it now, Carr was let go in part to make room for Erie to reacquire Garrett Temple, who rejoined the day after Carr was waived after his second 10-day contract with the Milwaukee Bucks expired.

The BayHawks released Carr when they added big man Alton Ford. Erie coach Jay Larranaga said they needed size, but having Temple back made it easier for him to cut Carr.

Thought Carr was a solid offensive player, but it just seemed there was a division between him and Larranaga.

Carr said he didn’t understand why he wasn’t getting playing time and Larranaga never really gave a clear cut reason as to why Carr wasn’t playing.

If D-League All-Star forward Ivan Johnson gets an NBA call-up, what will happen to the Erie BayHawks?

The question is will they end the regular season that way?

With a 23-9 record, the BayHawks have won their last eight games, have a superstar in Ivan Johnson and are playing with great chemistry under a first-year head coach in Jay Larranaga, who just turned 36 last month.

Will the winning continue?

As the BayHawks come out of the D-League All-Star break, here are five things to watch for as they resume play Thursday night at Tulsa (24-10), which leads the West Conference.

1. Ivan Johnson – If he gets an NBA call-up within say the next three weeks, Erie will have to play at least four to five games without him. That could be a turning point in the season.

2. Tulsa and Iowa – The BayHawks have to play the 66ers (24-10) three times and the Energy five times. Erie is 1-1 against Iowa (25-10), which is just .05 percentage points lower than them in terms of record. Big games for Erie.

3. Home cooking – With a 12-1 record at Tullio Arena, Erie will play 11 of its last 18 games at home. The BayHawks, who have won 11 consecutive home games, close out the regular season with five home games. Can they stay hot at home?

4. Making more changes – Adding PF Alton Ford gives Erie more size, but the team is rolling. Larranaga says they’re more talented with Ford and Garrett Temple returning from the Milwaukee Bucks, but will they all mesh?

5. Defensive-minded? – Erie prides itself on being a defensive team, but it has allowed at least 100 points in six of its last seven games. Erie had only given up 100 points 10 times in its previous 16 games. Can it get defensive again?

Garrett Temple (41) has been with Milwaukee since late last month.

In what may be his last game with the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday, Garrett Temple didn’t score, but that may not matter in terms of him sticking with them.

Temple, 24, remembered last year when he didn’t play as well as he thought and still stuck with an NBA team.

“Sometimes you play well and they just don’t need you,” Temple said. ” They just try to save money or sometimes you play as well as you think you could have, but they still want you.”

This season, Temple went from the Erie BayHawks to the Milwaukee Bucks and has signed two 10-day contracts. In nine games with the Bucks, Temple averaged just 1.8 points.

If Milwaukee wants to keep him, it must sign him for the remainder of the season.

Before Monday’s game against the Los Angeles Clippers, I talked with Temple about his time in Milwaukee, his experience with 10-day contracts and how the Erie BayHawks have fared without him.

How has your experience been with Milwaukee? “It’s been a great experience. Anytime you get a chance live your dream to be in the NBA, it’s always much appreciated. I just feel very blessed to have this opportunity. I got a lot of great veteran guys here that I’ve actually gotten close to.  Keyon Dooling. Corey Maggette. Earl Boykins. They got a good mix of young guys and old guys. Brandon (Jennings). CDR (Chris Douglas-Roberts), Larry Sanders, (Andrew) Bogut, guys that I can really relate to. I like the group. I like the coaching staff. Wish we could get some more wins and hopefully turn this thing around.”

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Loren Stokes

Loren Stokes, 27, has played three games for the Erie BayHawks since they acquired him out of the D-League player pool, but each game has been on the road. He’s averaging five points, four assists and shooting 75 percent (6-of-8) from the field.

So the 6-foot, 3-inch combo guard out of Hofstra will make his home debut for the BayHawks (20-9) on Thursday when Erie takes on the New Mexico Thunderbirds (14-18) at Tullio Arena.

Here are some highlights of Stokes playing overseas.

Along with Stokes, Reggie Holmes will make his Erie debut Thursday. Erie snagged the 6-4 guard from Morgan State out of the D-League player pool. Averaging 21.8 points as a senior, Holmes was the 2010 MEAC Player of the Year.

Erie now has full roster of 10 players so if Garrett Temple returns to the team, Erie the BayHawks must cut a player. Temple is in his second 10-day contract with the Milwaukee Bucks.

If Milwaukee wants to keep Temple after the second 10-day contract expires, it must sign him for the rest of the season. He’s played in seven games for the Bucks and is averaging 2.1 points a game.

Kyle Goldcamp will throw his body around for the BayHawks for a second straight season starting Friday night.

Been pretty busy as of late.

Trying to do two beats at once (college football/Erie BayHawks) isn’t easy so I need to catch my breath.

So while I’m doing that, you can catch up on the latest BayHawks news heading into Friday’s home opener against Springfield right here, right now.

Cavaliers to send former 1st-round pick Eyenga to BayHawks.

BayHawks whittle down roster 10 for for Friday’s opener.

Raptors rookie to gain experience with Erie BayHawks.

BayHawks hold off Mad Ants (preseason game).

On Friday, look for stories on the Cleveland Cavaliers rookie Christian Eyenga, who is in Erie to play for the BayHawks, a season preview of the BayHawks and a feature on second-year BayHawks forward Kyle Goldcamp.

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Life without two-time NBA MVP LeBron James begins today for the Cleveland Cavaliers.

With the Cleveland Cavaliers media day ending at Cleveland Clinic Courts in Independence, Ohio a few hours ago, I’m sitting her wondering what to make of it all. 

As Mo Williams said, there are no TNT trailers or ESPN trailers here, but George Smith of ESPN was there.  Got to recognize George. He does work. 

Anyway, the buzz was about the obvious. Life without LeBron James. 

“There is no LeBron in this building,” Williams said. “Whether we believe it or not, he’s not coming back, you know. This is what we got.” 

Cleveland coach Byron Scott said he’s moving on and is excited about running the players into the ground in training camp. He said he’s putting trash cans around the court for those who need to lose their lunch. 

He also said the players should be “pissed” about people saying they’re not going to win without James, the two-time NBA MVP from Akron who left Cleveland this summer to join forces with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in Miami. 

Heard the Heat had a press conference at 2 p.m., which was the same time the Cavs got started. The thing the players and Scott are asking the fans is to be patient. 

Hard for fans to do that when the owner, Dan Gilbert, got them all stirred up by saying the Cavaliers will win a title without James before Miami does with James and the Heat are favored to win it all this season, but that’s another story to tell later. 

But let’s get back to Mo Williams. It was classic Mo today.

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