Eastern Notes: Irving, Knicks, Thompson, Zeller

 It'll be another year before Cavs star Kyrie Irving is eligible for an extension to his rookie-scale contract, and he shied away from the topic when asked about it Saturday at his basketball camp in suburban Cleveland, according to Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal. He did offer a brief hint, telling campers, "I’ll be here awhile, so everybody get used to my face."

Bob Finnan of the News-Herald (link also includes video) also found time to chat with Irving at his summer camp. While discussing his impending eligibility for an extension next summer, Finnan asked Kyrie about John Wall's recent five-year maximum-salary extension. Irving was excited for Wall:

"We grew up together coming up the ranks. We were both guys who weren't rated at the top coming out of high school. We both burst onto the scene. He's the first guy to get a max deal out of all of us who came through the AAU scene. It was surreal for him."

After again impressing during Team USA tryouts in Vegas last month, Irving told Lloyd back in July that "Right now I'm a Cleveland Cavalier, and I'm happy to be here." The quote was in response to the rumor he was looking to head elsewhere once his rookie-scale contract concluded.

More from the Cavs and others around the Eastern Conference: 

  • Cavs fans may also have to get used to a much less familiar sight. Tristan Thompson has always shot left-handed, but he unveiled his new right-handed stroke Thursday with Team Canada, as SportsNet's Michael Grange details. He might be the first NBA player to make such a mid-career switch, and Grantland's Zach Lowe tweets that it has Cavs officials excited.
  • The Knicks have locked up players to fill 14 of their 15 available roster spots, after signing Beno Udrih to act as a third guard with Raymond Felton and Pablo PrigioniJared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com looks at some of the available free agents and D-Leaguers the Knicks might target for that final roster spot, focusing on front-court players who could spell 31-year-old Tyson Chandler
  • No. 4 overall pick Cody Zeller spoke with the Charlotte Observer about the importance of going through the NBA's Rookie Transition Program before he suits up for the Bobcats next season. Zeller said the highlight of the four-day affair was the talk former Celtics and Nuggets guardChris Herren gave about his battle to overcome a long-standing drug addiction.
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