For Cheeks, it was the reports surrounding center Samuel Dalembert's dismissal from the Canadian national team at the FIBA Olympic qualifying tournament in Greece last week.
"Without going into too much detail, it's a situation that we decided to move forward with the players who have the passion and desire to play for Canada," Canadian coach Leo Rautins told the Los Angeles Times at the time. "It's disappointing for sure, but I think you have to have players who are 100 percent committed to it."
Comments like that that prompted Cheeks to make a few phone calls on behalf of Dalembert on Tuesday afternoon.
"I just want to say (after) some of the things I heard and some of the things I've read, that Sam's been great for me," Cheeks said. "The times he's been around, he's been good. All the things I've asked him to do -- practicing, getting to meetings, being on time -- he's done. Different coaches have different ways and I'm not knocking Leo because I don't know what went on there. I'm talking about Sam and the 76ers, and for us to be successful we have to have Sam be in tune to the things we're trying to do, and he has been."
Cheeks has yet to talk to Dalembert, but has left him a phone message asking him to call. He's sure he will.
Before heading to San Diego, Cheeks spent time in Las Vegas watching the Sixers' entry in the Summer League. He came away impressed by three players - Thaddeus Young, Jason Smith and rookie Marreese Speights.
"Thad looked good," Cheeks said. "I wanted to see him at the three. I wanted him to put the ball on the floor, play a more open game and he did that.
"Marreese Speights has a chance to be pretty good. He can be a low-post player and step outside. He still has to learn the nuances of the game, but he could be good.
"And Jason was good. I wanted to see him be more physical and he was. All three tried to do the things I asked them to do and build on it as training camp comes along."
Camp doesn't open until the first week of October and the Sixers will be back at Penn State after two years at Duke University in Durham, N.C.
That's a little more than two months away. And while the Sixers made a big splash early in the free agency period by successfully wooing Duke product Elton Brand, they have yet to re-sign their own restricted free agents, Andre Iguodala and Lou Williams.
The Sixers have had talks with the agents for both, and though there has been a rumor that Golden State might make a play for Williams, Sixers G.M. Ed Stefanski has maintained all along that the Sixers intend to match any offer Williams or Iguodala might receive.
Calls to Rob Pelinka, Iguodala's agent, and Merle Scott, Williams' agent, were not returned.
Cheeks wants both back. "It's important to get both of them," he said. "Both were integral parts of our team. We'd like to have our group back. Andre has a chance to be very good and so does Lou."
They aren't the only ones seeking contracts. Last season, as the Sixers improved in the last half of the season, Cheeks was given a one-year contract extension through the coming year. Before long, time could be added to that deal.
"We're working on it," Cheeks said.
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