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Friday, October 2

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Whatever differences the Jazz have with Boozer, league sources say it’s become increasingly clear that team officials don’t want to part with him unless they receive decent value in return – even if Boozer will likely leave as a free agent next summer. One Jazz source said the Miller family also is willing to endure a hefty luxury-tax bill for one season if it improves the team’s chances to contend. Yahoo! Sports

Sloan, however, also stopped short of saying he expected Boozer to stay with the Jazz the whole season. No one knows what the future holds. As for any lingering bitterness felt by some Jazz fans, Sloan is quick to note that Karl Malone, too, had his squabbles with the franchise. Nearly everyone forgave him as long as the Jazz were winning. “The business of basketball is tricky,” Boozer said. “I’m going to go out there and bust my tail for my fans, bust my tail for my teammates. … If I have to win over some fans, I will win them over.” Yahoo! Sports

Only less than a week before training camp opened did Boozer become certain he’d start the preseason in Salt Lake City. “I wasn’t stressed out, man,” Boozer said. “I knew what was going on. They brought me back, so I’m here and happy to be here.” Yahoo! Sports

“We are starting all over,” Sloan told Yahoo! Sports.”Boozer has one year on his contract; Millsap is probably going to be here [in the future]. We just have to try to make the best decision to give us a chance to win, that’s all. That’s all I’m looking for.” Yahoo! Sports

Dwyane Wade on the summer of 2010: “Well it’s been three years now that we’ve been talking about the summer of 2010. You think about what people are going to have to write about after the summer of 2010. It comes up all the time and I think as one of the players in that summer, if we get to that summer, its exciting for the world, it’s exciting for everyone to talk about, but at the end of the day, nothing might not happen. (Editor’s note: Grammar isn’t Dwayne Wade’s strong suit) It’s the unknown which is exciting for everyone. Just to be a part of that, we try to have fun with it every so often.” Sports Radio Interviews

Ginobili also insists that the uncertainty about his future will not affect his game or heap even more pressure on as he attempts to come back from his ankle woes. "It's hard to just forget about it, because you know your free-agent season is important," he said. "But what I always say is that it's not going to be an influence on the way I play the game. The way I play the game is only one way." ESPN.com

The Big Fundamental is "just trying to do something better for my body" because he has a very full and realistic grasp of what all the math means. Just as you would imagine. "I've only got a couple years left in me," Duncan said the other day, stopping for a brief chat after the Spurs' opening practice of the season. "The history of basketball says that more than anything else. "The window for me is closing," Duncan continued. "It's towards the end of my career, I have slowed down, all that stuff is true." ESPN.com

Duncan, at 33, will concur on every level as long as you give him this, too. "In the same respect," Duncan quickly adds, "I still think I can play pretty well. "I still think I can help a team win." ESPN.com

Teammate Tim Duncan was only half-kidding when he described Ginobili as "a basket case for at least a year with his health [being] so up and down." Ginobili himself admits that last season was the "toughest of my career by far" and describes himself as feeling "like an alien" watching the Spurs' first-round exit versus Dallas in street clothes. ESPN.com

So they elected not to wait. A few days before scoring DeJuan Blair with the 37th overall pick in what immediately was trumpeted as the steal of the draft, San Antonio traded three expiring contracts to Milwaukee -- Fabricio Oberto, Kurt Thomas and defensive mainstay Bruce Bowen -- for the right to inherit the final two years and nearly $30 million left on Richard Jefferson's contract. The Spurs then extended two guaranteed years at $9.4 million and a partially guaranteed third year to free-agent forward Antonio McDyess, who just turned 35. "Guys like me, Timmy and Manu," Parker said on media day, owe Holt a hearty "thank you." ESPN.com

Asked whether he thinks that overhaul has restored the Spurs to the same ZIP code as the defending champions from Los Angeles, Duncan said: "I hope so, I hope so. It remains to be seen, obviously, how the pieces fit. It's all on paper now. You can put all these pieces together. Unless they fit, it doesn't matter. But if we can put all those things together and we can be healthy at the right time, I see no reason why we shouldn't be excited about it." ESPN.com

Asked about Stephen Jackson’s request to be traded from the Warriors: Don Nelson: “The guy has asked to be traded, this is not the first time that this has happened, it happens almost every year by somebody. Normally it’s done the right way behind closed doors, you try to accommodate the guy. If you can get a decent guy for him you do it, if not he’s got to bare with you. When it becomes public, by then you’re open to a lot of criticism. I don’t think Jack did it the right way by going to New York and announcing it, because I didn’t know anything about it until he did that. It’s behind us now so we have to deal with it. He is going to have a rough time for a while too.” Sports Radio Interviews

Real Madrid reached a short-term agreement with center Cheikh Samb, who inked a one-month deal with the club, with a team option to extend it for an extra month. Samb (215, 24) arrives from the New York Knicks, where he played a couple of NBA games last season. The Hoop

Real Madrid expressed interest in Marko Jaric during the summer, but the Serbian guard is no longer an option for the team. TuBasket.com

Millsap calls Boozer his “big brother,” and he visited Boozer in Miami in the offseason. But Millsap also sees an opportunity to increase his minutes. With Boozer limited to 37 games last season because of a knee injury, Millsap took advantage of the chance to show his potential. “I realize that I can really start at this position and make some noise at my position, at my size,” Millsap said. “…I’m not just saying it. I can go out there and really do it.” Yahoo! Sports

When Miller died later in February, team sources say Boozer again raised the eyebrows of some in the organization by not attending either the funeral or the wake. Center Mehmet Okur was the only other player absent at the funeral – he didn’t attend because of his Muslim faith, but did go to the wake. Boozer said he also had a reason. “Funerals are a tough thing to go through,” Boozer said. “After I saw [Miller] in the hospital, I wanted to remember him how I just saw him last. Confident. Happy. Not happy-happy, but happy enough to give us some words of wisdom for the rest of our season. “That’s how I want to remember him. I didn’t want to go to his wake and see his body lying there. I didn’t want to go to his funeral, where it would be sad. I wanted to remember Larry as Larry, as a fiery competitor – happy, emotional, a leader.” Yahoo! Sports

According to our account in the Tribune, 11 of the Jazz's 15 players last season attended Miller's funeral. Boozer wasn't one of them, but neither was Andrei Kirilenko, Paul Millsap or Okur, if memory is correct. Some of them attended a wake the day before, some didn't. The Jazz also paid Miller a hospital visit in the weeks before his death. Thinking back on that time, I remember Deron Williams saying that he didn't plan on going to Miller's wake simply because he doesn't like them. He didn't even attend one for his grandfather. Williams did go to Miller's funeral. Salt Lake Tribune

Asked about the comments made by Ellis at media day: Don Nelson: “I talked to Monta about the statement that he made, and it sounded a lot worse than it was of course. He didn’t really mean anything malicious by it, but it came out that way. He said he would never do anything like that on purpose to hurt a teammate. I understand where he was coming from. When the question was asked its how he interpreted it I guess. If your thinking about those guys playing together all the time, of course that’s not going to work. There are some outstanding two guards in the league that you can’t play small against.” Sports Radio Interviews

Asked about what the personality of the team is going to be this season: Don Nelson: “We don’t have that yet, it’s got to develop. Baron Davis gave us his swagger, he just beamed confidence. But isn’t it strange that he had a terrible year after he signed his big contract with the Clippers. I think he is going to bounce back this year and have a good year, but he didn’t have that great of year either. This team has to develop; it’s hard to have a swagger before you start kicking some butt. Our young guys have to whether through it and become who they are going to become and as far as they take us is as far as we go.” Sports Radio Interviews

Dwyane Wade on what the team is capable of in 2009: “This team is capable of anything. We don’t know yet. That’s the good thing about it because we don’t know the growth yet. We don’t know what Jermaine O’Neal has planned in his mind and in his heart. We don’t know what Quentin Richardson is thinking and now has been written off so many times. What Dorrell Wright is thinking. We just don’t know personally what a lot of guys mentally are thinking until they got on the court, until we get into training camp and see how guys really respond to being doubted the way we are. There’s going to be some people that are going to project us to maybe not even make the playoffs because of certain teams’ offseason moves, but you just don’t know.” Sports Radio Interviews

Nobody seems to be shooting the ball better in live action than Jason Richardson. He has been on fire the past couple nights. Arizona Republic

From what we’ve seen, Williams doesn’t carry himself like a rookie. He seems confident on both ends of the floor. So we asked him if he feels like the young guy. “I only feel like the young guy when I have to do the Gatorades and stuff during break and they’re all probably waiting for me to get towels,” Williams said. “That’s the only time I feel like a rookie. Bergen Record

Miller doesn't do drama. He doesn't do off-the-court politics. Rumors, whispers and new-media questions hold no weight in his world. "I don't have time at this stage in my career to be making a fuss over all the extra stuff," Miller said. Columbian

Alan Hahn: Team now in the pool for a workout. Funny seeing 17 guys standing with water up to their navels and Nate's head barely above the surface. Twitter.com

Gilbert Arenas sat on a scorers' table, flanked by JaVale McGee and Vincent Grier, with a protective sleeve hanging loose below his left knee. Arenas was a spectator for the second consecutive day on Thursday, getting his left hand examined as his Washington Wizards teammates engaged in some heated scrimmages. Washington Post

Antawn Jamison said this week that Arenas has a "bounce in his step" and explained the importance of a healthy Arenas for the success of the Wizards. "Let's be honest, he's the best player on this team. If we're talking about contending for a championship, he's the guy that's going to put us over the edge and take us to the next level," said Jamison, who has teamed with Arenas for seven of Arenas's eight seasons in the league. "We have so many expectations the last couple seasons, but we didn't have him. It's like having the Lakers without Kobe, or Cleveland without LeBron. He's one of those guys. And I expect that to happen from Day One. I don't expect him to gradually get into his role 15, 20 games into the season. Knowing Gilbert, he's going to be out there proving to everybody he hasn't lost a step at all." Washington Post

Arenas has accepted Saunders's challenge to be a leader this season. He has been the first player to arrive for each practice, often several hours before they begin. "It's too early to say he looks like the same Gilbert Arenas, but I'm happy with what he's done," Brendan Haywood said. "He's being a leader on and off the court and that's something we need more than his 30 points a game. That leadership is key." Washington Post

Sam Amick: Westphal says Nocioni will likely return to a reserve role this season at SF and PF. Twitter.com

George Thomas: Varejao thrilled with Rio getting the Olympics. Twitter.com

Deron Williams on how his ankle is feeling as the season approaches: “Yeah, I mean there’s still a little discomfort, but it’s good to go. I don’t think it’s ever going to be great, ever again. It feels good though.” Sports Radio Interviews

Gilbert Arenas took part in five-on-five halfcourt drills at Washington Wizards practice on Friday after sitting out scrimmages the previous two days. ESPN.com

Boston Celtics forward Bill Walker underwent successful right knee arthroscopic surgery. Boston Globe

Doctors examined the second-round draft pick’s recovering right foot Thursday and discovered that he was progressing well, but stopped short of allowing him to remove his protective boot. However, doctors said the Blazers could wean Mills off of the boot over the next two weeks. There is still no timetable for his return. Oregonian

Which is your least favorite NBA city to visit? Leo Rautins: Salt Lake City. But Sacramento…Milwaukee…and Indianapolis too! The Fan 590 Toronto

The NBA Board of Governors is meeting Oct. 21-22 in New York. It’s doubtful the NBA would have done all its background checks by then to put the Mikhail Prokhorov purchase of the Nets to a vote, but it is possible the Russian billionaire will be there. I have heard Prokhorov could be here toward the end of the month. It would make sense that he would be for the meeting so he can meet the other NBA owners. Bergen Record

Sources close to the team said that Abdul-Jabbar will be playing a lesser role with both the Lakers and Bynum this season. With his round-the-clock tutoring of Bynum not needed as much, sources said Abdul-Jabbar would likely spend less time with the team and more time back in his hometown of New York City. Los Angeles Daily News

All of which seems to be a considerable letdown for the former Lakers captain, who has worked closely with Bynum since the Lakers drafted him out of high school in 2005. Abdul-Jabbar expressed disappointment in Bynum and the situation, saying that ``I think there are things that have to do with basketball that he could learn but he's getting on in years.'' Los Angeles Daily News

Bynum said he understood his mentor's feelings, but that it's not personal and just a natural evolution for him in his career. ``I understand where he's coming from,'' Bynum said. ``It's definitely tough (for him). As of right now, I have my direction and he's still helping me. As long as he doesn't stop helping me everything is going to be fine.'' Los Angeles Daily News

While Abdul-Jabbar expressed disappointment that Bynum was away from basketball for so long, Bynum said it was needed break both personally and professionally. He also skipped the USA Basketball senior national camp in late July. Though he did not seem upset, Lakers coach Phil Jackson acknowledged Thursday that the team had encouraged Bynum to participate in the camp so he could get more experience on the court. Bynum said that doctors had advised him to rest his knees, which he has injured in two consecutive seasons. ``I had to take the time off for my knee,'' Bynum said. ``I feel different, the rest definitely helped me out because it allowed everything to calm down.'' Los Angeles Daily News

Nenad Krstic on Thursday called Serbian media reports over the summer claiming that Orlando's Marcin Gortat would be traded to Oklahoma City before the end of the season erroneous. Oklahoman

While playing in Poland for their respective national teams this summer, Krstic and Gortat began what Krstic described as a friendly conversation in the presence of journalists. Gortat, Krstic said, mentioned that he could see himself playing with the Thunder. “He just said he wants to be here because he thinks he can fit here,” Krstic said. “He actually said he can fit with my game because he can play inside and I can shoot outside. We just talked and they put in the papers that he wants to be here and he's coming here. It was a mistake.” Oklahoman

Brian T. Smith: Blazers' Przybilla said he would love to stay with the team after this season, but will wait to make a decision. Twitter.com

Though he said there is “of course” no decision to be made, Rockets general manager Daryl Morey said he would stick with his policy to wait until the deadline before the start of the regular-season to pick up his option on the fourth season of starting point guard Aaron Brooks' contract. “It is a no-brainer, of course,” Morey said. “Aaron is an emerging point guard who has a bright future. “He showed great poise and production when he became the starter last year. “We of course expect him to be a Rocket for a long time.” Houston Chronicle

Kahn has to extend qualifying offers to Brewer, Kevin Love and Oleksiy Pecherov by Oct. 31 or they’ll become unrestricted free agents next summer. He, of course, called the Love decision a “no brainer” and said this about Brewer, who will be paid $3.7 million in 2010-11 if the team exercises his option by Halloween: “I think I need to visit with the coach and I think we need to watch Corey play this year,” he said. “It’d be hard for me to fathom as we speak today that we don’t pick Corey up as well (as Love). But we’ve got all month to think about it.” Minneapolis Star Tribune

He’s meeting with his staff this afternoon to discuss a number of personnel issues, including Nikolai Pekovic, the big, bruising European center they selected with the second round’s first pick in the 2008 draft. He’ll be available to sign next summer. The question is will Kahn add Pekovic, who plays very close to the basket in Europe, to a frontcourt that already isn’t the most athletic, or will use his rights as a trade piece to acquire other assets. “We need to look at that carefully,” Kahn said of Pekovic. “Absolutely, we have to start factoring him in as well.” Minneapolis Star Tribune

You’ve got Randolph there, your contract option is up in the air… Do you feel like you’re in an certain spot with this team? Brandan Wright: I mean… who cares, really. I’m going to go out there and play. That’s up to the front office, if I’m here, if I’m not here. I’m going to continue to play hard. That’s my whole aspect on things, just continue to work and we’ll just go from there. San Jose Mercury News

Have they said anything to you about picking up or not picking up the fourth-year option? Brandan Wright: They haven’t talked to me at all. -Q: Do you want them to? Brandan Wright: Of course you want them to. But it’s their decision. We’ll see what happens. San Jose Mercury News

James is in the final year of his contract. That's strong motivation, but it's not all that drives him. He was part of the Detroit Pistons team that won the NBA title in 2004 but played only sparingly. With the Wizards entering the season publicly discussing championship aspirations, he would like to win another ring - this time as a key participant. "This being the last year of my deal, I feel like I still have a few years that I can still play not OK basketball but good basketball. I also believe I can help a good team," James said with a grin. "Plus, we have a chance to do something special, and it's more fun being part of the rotation than standing on the sideline waving the towel. Washington Times

The Chicago Bulls announced today the team has waived center Steven Hill. Hill (7-0, 245) signed with Chicago on September 26. Bulls.com

Allen Iverson calls his one season in Detroit the "worst year of my career" and claims team officials and coach Michael Curry "lied" to him about coming off the bench instead of starting. "They told me, straight up, 'Allen we would never disrespect you or your career like that,' by making me come off the bench," Iverson said in an interview with ESPN.com Page 2 columnist Scoop Jackson. "That's what they told me to my face. And after that, I never thought about it again. I just went back to playing. Then, they came to me saying that they felt it would be in the 'best interest of the team' if I came off of the bench behind Rip [Richard Hamilton]. ESPN.com

"... After that, they told me that if I didn't come off the bench -- the team was going to lie down on [not play with] me. ... When he told me that, that's when I felt that this was the worst career move I'd ever made and it was the worst year of my career." ESPN.com

It deteriorated when Iverson said he heard whispers the team wanted him to come off the bench. He had started 824 of 829 career games before last season. "If you are a head coach and you feel strongly about this, what would make you think that I want to be around these guys?" Iverson told Jackson. "Especially if you are telling me that they don't want to be around me like that?" Iverson continued: "I'd never been on a team where a coach told me the guys gave up on me. You know what I mean? And I kept this under wraps the whole time ... because I didn't want to bad-mouth any of those guys. ESPN.com

"... I don't have [anything] bad to say about the organization, especially Joe [Dumars]. I never had a problem with Joe. He's a stand-up person that I have love for and respect. He was not part of any of the problems I had in Detroit. "But for [the coach] to tell me these things and for him to go back on his word like that, it was the hardest and the roughest season I've ever had." ESPN.com

In the interview, Iverson told Jackson that he's in a "lose-lose" situation in Memphis if the Grizzlies don't win, but that he's not going to "allow that to happen." "I gotta win games," he said. "Because if we lose games and I score a lot, they going to say I'm scorin' too much. If we lose games and I don't score a lot, they gonna say I'm not scoring enough. It's a lose-lose, unless we win. So all I can do is huddle up with these guys and try to win basketball games." ESPN.com

Iverson said he expects Memphis, which won 24 games last season and had the league's fifth-worst record, to be a playoff contender. "I'm not going to be content and happy with [just making the playoffs]," he said. "And I want them to know that. Yeah, we [can] get into the playoffs -- God forbid somebody knocks us out -- then yeah it'll be a successful season for them , but not for me. "I'm going to let guys know that I'm not here to just go to the playoffs. I believe in these dudes here. All I want them to do is trust me and trust that I'll do everything the right way and lead them to where we need to be." ESPN.com

"Man, again, I'm 34 years old, I don't want to be going to do what I love to do and it's hurting me. Like every time I show up to games I got an attitude all the time. I don't want that. So when I said 'it's personal,' I mean as far as me wanting to have fun again and have that love for the game all over again." ESPN.com

While Ellis said he didn't care if they voided his contract or not, one source close to Ellis requesting anonymity said Ellis has been truly able to move past the incident since the Warriors put it in writing. With five years and $55 million left on his contract guaranteed once again, the source said Ellis is truly prepared to invest in the Warriors. Ellis still has not talked about how he hurt his ankle, as he said he would last training camp. That is because Ellis said the incident is "out of his mind." "October 28th, 2009, it's a fresh start," Ellis said during media day Monday. "So last season, you can wipe that out. I'm not looking in the past. Only thing I'm worried about is this season. I feel good, my body's healthy and I like the situation we're in." Contra Costa Times

Ellis would say the most significant change was the arrival of Monta Jr. this summer. For Ellis, whose father wasn't around, being a dad was a life-changing event. "He's grown a lot," said swingman Stephen Jackson, Ellis' best friend on the team. "Having a child has definitely made him more mature. He's more focused this year." Contra Costa Times

Ellis confirmed his purpose and goals were altered by fatherhood. With marriage next in line, he said he realizes his decisions no longer affect him alone. He said he's become a homebody, replacing hanging out with buddies with family time. Warriors general manager Larry Riley revealed another significant change in Ellis. "(Monta) said, 'I think I need to start working out some more.' He brought it up," Riley said, recalling the conversation. "He said, 'Can you send Rico (Hines) down here?' I said, 'Heaven's yes.' I didn't have to tell him." Contra Costa Times

Three days after Black Monday, the issue no longer is whether or not Monta Ellis and Stephen Curry are going to play together. That's going to happen. Heck, it's happening already. The real question is, how much? "We had a scrimmage (Wednesday night), the last 20 or so minutes we were on the same team," Curry said of Ellis and himself. "He was running the point and I was running the two. Defensively, we played against Kelenna (Azubuike) and Corey (Maggette). It was fun because offensively we got into the open court and we had (Anthony) Morrow on the other side. "And that's kind of a deadly attack, I think, the way Monta can penetrate and really attack and then have two shooters on each side ... a lot of different threats. That was fun last night." FanHouse.com

Nelson said he has settled on four of the Warriors' five starters: Ellis, Stephen Jackson, Anthony Randolph and Andris Biedrins. "There's only one spot that's up for grabs and that's the two spot," Nelson said. "We'll see how that works itself out. I haven't decided, really. I'm going to take my time with that one." FanHouse.com

Cavaliers guards Delonte West, who missed the first two days of practice, and Mo Williams were sitting and talking at the base of a basket as practice drew to a close Thursday afternoon. In past seasons, all the Cavs guards, along with LeBron James, have gathered at this hoop after practice to goof around and talk trash while trying to throw the ball as high as possible before having it drop through the net. The last player to accomplish this feat has to do pushups equal to his number of misses. Cleveland Plain Dealer

As assistant coach Mike Malone worked nearby with Anderson Varejao, J.J. Hickson and free agent Andre Barrett, West and Williams engaged in what looked to be a serious conversation before leaving the floor. Neither spoke to reporters afterward. While the Cavs were pleased -- and no doubt relieved -- about West's return, no one shed much light on the personal problems that kept West away through the first four sessions. The Cavs have said the absences were unexcused, which likely means West will be fined. Cleveland Plain Dealer

Cavs coach Mike Brown said West went through the entire practice with no restrictions, adding that he thought West would be available to play in Saturday's Wine and Gold Scrimmage at the University of Akron. Cavs General Manager Danny Ferry will address the situation then, according to a Cavs spokesman. Meanwhile, some of West's newest teammates were looking forward to getting to know him and seeing how he -- and they -- fit into the scheme of things. "Delonte came in and had a great practice today," said shooting guard Anthony Parker, who has been playing with the first team in West's absence. "He's definitely a big part of this team." Cleveland Plain Dealer

Once Mike Brown learned that Shaquille O'Neal was wearing a Speedo on national television, he wasn't concerned about his new star's physical conditioning. The Cleveland Cavaliers center spent the offseason filming his reality show "Shaq Vs.," in which he competed against various top athletes in their sports. He traded punches with Oscar De La Hoya, intercepted Ben Roethlisberger passes and, yes, even swam against Olympic gold medalist Michael Phelps. It was fun for O'Neal, but it also helped keep him in shape. "I kind of liked it because when he was with Michael Phelps," Brown said, "I knew he wasn't going to walk out in a Speedo looking like me." ESPN.com

O'Neal said he'll write a book in a few years and will call it "The Myth of the Elite Athlete." "My formula has always been something that has worked for me," he said. "There are a lot of so-called experts that say what you're supposed to do. I usually take a big beating during the season, so the summertime is a time for me to get some rest." ESPN.com

Miller was unfazed that he was the only player with a guaranteed contract who didn't pass the team's conditioning test, which requires players to complete a series of sprints in an allotted time. "That don't mean nothing to me," Miller said. "That conditioning stuff don't mean nothing to me. It's a long season. It's something to see where guys are. My goal is to stay healthy, and my conditioning has never been a problem in this league. I mean, if you are going to put me out there with a whole bunch of young guys and (want me to) finish in 60 seconds, it's probably not going to happen at this point in my career. But when you step on the court, it's entirely different kind of conditioning. Running sprints is totally different than dribbling the ball up and down the court." Oregonian

In a move that somewhat resembles what McMillan did two seasons ago with star Brandon Roy, the Blazers this season plan to have Fernandez handle the ball more in order to initiate plays for himself and teammates. The Blazers still plan to have the 6-foot-6 guard run all over the court, utilizing screens to get open for his specialty – the three-pointer – but this season they also want Fernandez to run pick-and-rolls to take advantage of his passing and driving ability. Oregonian

Fernandez said no one has told him there will be a change, but he can tell something is in the works by the types of plays that are being called by McMillan when he gets the ball in practice. Always a showman with a flair for the dramatic, the change has made Fernandez smile. "That's a good deal for me, huh?" he said grinning. "(McMillan) hasn't said anything to me, but the plays, I can see it. I receive the ball more than I did last year." Oregonian

The move is designed to utilize all of Fernandez' talents. Everyone knows he is a great shooter, but his teammates and McMillan also rave about his passing, court vision, savvy and imagination. Roy, for one, calls Fernandez the second best passer on the team, behind Andre Miller. McMillan doesn't disagree. "I think he is more of a passer than a shooter," McMillan said. "His strength is to have him moving, and we will do the same thing as we did last year with him coming off screens. But instead of just letting him come off and fire up a shot, a couple times we will have him run a pick-and-roll and make some decisions. Pretty much like we do with Brandon." Oregonian

I asked Miller about his different looks Wednesday and he said it’s something he’s done throughout his career. “This is a routine every training camp,” he said. “I’ve been doing this ever since I was little; letting my hair grow. Some guys wear five or six shirts. Some guys where three pair of socks. Some guys wear three pairs of shorts. I just wear stuff with my hair every now and then. Like I said, it’s been a routine since I’ve been playing basketball. I don’t really care what people think.” Miller said he usually sticks with the hairstyle through the first week of camp but trims it short for the season to “try and keep it more professional.” What do his new teammates think about Miller’s hairdo? “I’m sure they look at me kind of weird,” he said, grinning. Oregonian

Pau Gasol is only participating in one of the two practice sessions during training camp two-a-days, but Lakers coach Phil Jackson doesn't seem especially concerned about overextending the big man despite his busy summer. In fact, never one to miss a chance to needle his players, Jackson called Gasol "the worst practice player I have," suggesting the big man "has kind of a bougie attitude about it." Riverside Press-Enterprise

Those comments drew a wry grin and a roll of the eyes from Gasol, who has heard similar prodding from Jackson since he joined the Lakers. "Exciting news," he deadpanned. "I don't know why that doesn't surprise me." Riverside Press-Enterprise

Derek Fisher's relentless pursuit of the perfect level of fitness led him to enlist the services of strength and conditioning coach Peter Park during the offseason. Park has worked with cyclist Lance Armstrong in the past. Fisher appears to be in peak condition, but he only laughed when asked today about his cycling skills. More seriously, he said of working out with Park, ""I love to work with personal trainers during the offseason, just for a different look, a different technique. The way Peter works is different from anything I've ever done. I feel the difference." Fisher turned 35 in August and shows no signs of slowing down. Los Angeles Daily News

My spies who watch the closed practices say that in the last two days, Matt Carroll has been spectacular as a perimeter shooter. Maybe it’s the Lasik surgery (and the goofy protective eyewear that goes with it). Or maybe it’s just a comfort level he never found a year ago. “He came in last year (after being acquired from Charlotte in the Diop trade) and was never allowed to find his bearings,’’ Carlisle said. “It was unfair. Now he’s got a full training camp. We know he’s a good player, a terrific shooter, and a weapon for us.’’ DallasBasketball.com

Well after the morning practice, the two guys who stayed on the floor were James Singleton and Drew Gooden. Singleton was mostly having fun, practicing dunks (this is getting to be a regular exercise for him). Gooden, however, was undergoing some intense tutelage from guest coach Kevin McHale and assistant Dwane Casey. Gooden worked extensively on baseline jumpers and on positioning himself to receive in-the-lane entry passes. DallasBasketball.com

“It's always difficult not to play,” Cook said. “This last year-and-a-half has been real tough for me. It was the first time in my life I haven't played and didn't have a role on the team, where I wasn't even coming in and shooting the basketball or rebounding, playing D and contributing to the team. “I kind of got into a dark place where I didn't know what was happening. As the NBA goes, I'm getting older (28) and there are younger guys coming in. But I still want to be competitive. There's a lot of things I could have done differently, been more mature, not blown up, losing my mind.” Houston Chronicle

Cook, a 6-9 forward, said he had not lost his temper around the Rockets, but did let his frustration get the better of him. “Everybody sometimes just snaps and does things the wrong way,” he said. Cook's frustration only grew in each of the past two postseasons when each of the past two teams that traded him — the Lakers in 2008 and the Magic last season — went to the NBA Finals a few months later, eventually meeting one another last season. Houston Chronicle

Stojakovic is the team's highest-paid player this season with a salary of $14.2 million, but said he's willing to come off the bench if it helps the Hornets win more games. "I don't have a problem with that," said Stojakovic, who started the past three years for the Hornets. "It's definitely going to be a challenge for me. I'm looking forward to it. If I can be productive off the bench and help the team, I'm good with it." The Advertiser

“It’s normal to feel a little bit of pressure, but I like it,” Gallinari said. “That’s a good feeling. That’s the feeling that a player wants to get, because if a player doesn’t have the pressure or the anticipation from other people, then that’s a problem.” Knicks.com

Canadians can take it as a compliment or an insult, but, while talking about Utah's upcoming European trip, Paul Millsap sorta, kinda forgot that the Raptors don't play in the U.S. "I've never been out of this country, so I'm really looking forward to it," he said. "It's going to be a fun trip, but also we're going to get out there and take care of business." Millsap laughed at himself when reminded that Toronto is not located in the States. "I have been to Canada," he said, chuckling. "That is another country." Deseret News

Rejoice, frustrated Nets fans. Yi Jianlian is back. THE Yi Jianlian, that is. Okay, so maybe it's a bit early to put Yi up there in Jersey lore with Bruce Springsteen just yet - and after last night, don't get me started on that guy - but early indications are that the 7-footer could be on the verge of becoming the player you were expecting to get when the Nets traded Richard Jefferson two summers ago. Am I getting too excited? Maybe. Maybe not. Even Lawrence Frank is impressed. "Yeah, I think he’s had two very good practices back to back, which is very encouraging," said Frank. "His last two practices, you have to be impressed with his performance." New York Daily News

Ross Siler: Deron Williams could be seen laughing during one timeout at two fans in fake Boozer/Tyrus Thomas jerseys and "Trade Us" sign. Twitter.com

Allen on why he got involved with Twitter: “I first got on for a foundation (the Joslin Diabetes Center) and having the events and trying to get the publicity of events out. As I started to understand it, there were so many things — over the summertime I always have a lot of time on my hands — and you see things that go on in the world. With me and the people I know, we always talk about certain things that go on. It’s always like a roundtable issue. There’s no right or wrong answer, but you’re curious to hear people’s opinions. I’m always interested to hear what people think. For me, it’s never really about basketball. I won’t go on Twitter and talk about basketball — what we did in practice or talk about a game. That’s who I am as a basketball player.” Boston Herald

O'Neal, a Twitter fan, said he had no problem with NBA Commissioner David Stern ruling that players cannot tweet during games or halftime, or for a certain amount of time before and after games. "I think that rule is for those who used the service irresponsibly," he said Thursday. Cleveland Plain Dealer

Deron Williams isn't going to have any problem complying with the league's new Twitter policy, but he did admit Thursday that he might have texted from the bench when he was out last season with a sprained ankle. You could see Williams, in fact, send messages a couple of times from the back of the Jazz's huddle during timeouts. In his own defense, Williams noted that he was never caught on camera doing so, as Carlos Boozer was last season. Salt Lake Tribune

Brian T. Smith: Przybilla's response to a 'Do you Twitter?' question: An absolutely, no way face. 'I don't go on the Internet, hardly ever,' he said. Twitter.com

Manu Ginobili: Please don't expect TD to tweet! Lol. Not gonna happen! That simple. I'll make him type 1 or 2 letters in mine, tho! Twitter.com

Jazz general manager Kevin O'Connor said "common sense" should prevail. Jerry Sloan isn't a fan of players goofing off during games or revealing team info via texts or tweets, either. "I think it's an embarrassing situation to have a player that would do something like that while the game's going on or before the game," said the old-school coach, who, not surprisingly, doesn't have a Twitter account. "What's their motive for doing that?" Deseret News

Tim Frank, NBA VP of Basketball Communications: "[The Boston Herald's] story [about H1N1 anti-handshake rule] is not true." Twitter.com

Gilbert Arenas was held out of the Wizards' scrimmages for the second consecutive day. Arenas appeared to be favoring his left leg when he joined his teammates for sprints after practice, but Coach Flip Saunders said that Arenas's left middle finger, not his surgically repaired left knee, forced the team to keep him out of the action. Arenas originally dislocated his finger playing pickup basketball prior to training camp. "Gil got his finger hit again on yesterday," Saunders said. "It swelled up a little bit, but we taped it up and he went through a lot of stuff. We held him out of the scrimmage, but he did all the drills and everything else." Washington Post

It might not be a big deal, and his finger might really be messed up. But given his history of knee troubles, any hint of a problem surrounding Arenas is usually a cause for concern. Saunders was adamant that everything was okay. "You saw that he was running. Ran sprints at the end," Saunders said. "He's got no problems at all. If we had a game today, he'd be playing." I asked Saunders if he was concerned about evaluating who best complements Arenas with him sitting out of the past two days of scrimmages. "No," he said. "We did a controlled type scrimmage and we did up and down. He was playing with those guys. He's had repetitions with those guys on a daily basis." Washington Post

"There's no need to force the issue," Saunders said, when talking about Arenas's finger, which apparently began to swell after it was struck on Wednesday. But it did seem odd that Arenas was jogging with a slight limp while his teammates were doing full out sprints. It wasn't a normal stride. Was it the result of being stiff after sitting still for almost half and hour? Possibly. Now, Arenas appeared to be moving around fine while engaging in a shooting contest with Randy Foye after practice. So, it really could be no big deal. His personal trainer, Tim Grover, wasn't around him monitoring his leg or anything. Arenas has toyed with the media before, so he could've just been playing around with us to get some attention. Mike Jones of the Washington Times, Mike Prada of Bullets Forever and I noticed how Arenas glanced in our direction every time he completed running up and down the court. Washington Post

Dave McMenamin: Source said today Arenas iced his knees and then decided to run extra with young players to "show leadership" but was stiff after the icing. Twitter.com

Dave McMenamin: No knee issues and source says Arenas not pleased with media insinuating knee problems "baiting him to talk". Twitter.com

Arenas wasn't willing to offer an explanation. He hasn't spoken to reporters since his 30-minute Q&A on media day. When approached after practice, Arenas said, "I'm not talking. I'll see you guys media day next year." Washington Post

“It’s crazy,” Garnett said after his second practice of training camp yesterday. “I was over there talking to Tony Allen and he was telling me about his knee, and he told me, ‘Kevin, don’t think about your leg,’ and I try to keep that in the back of my mind. I just try to play, man.” Allen, who has repeatedly struggled with post-surgical confidence issues, knows of what he advises. And it didn’t take long for Garnett to absorb his first test. “Today I got kicked in the leg, hobbled over, worked it out and two seconds later I was back on the court,” he said. “Those are all the signs of good basketball. There’s going to be contact, and you just have to work through it. Boston Herald

Curry returned to camp after going to Manhattan to have blood drained from his right calf muscle. Curry, who is doing conditioning work in the pool, wore a boot for precautionary reasons. He said he expects to be back next week. Newsday

The Charlotte Bobcats' options at power forward got that much thinner Thursday when Vlade Radmanovic sat out practice with a sprained right ankle. The Bobcats were already short-handed at the position, with Boris Diaw nursing an ankle sprain he suffered with the French national team. Radmanovic's injury isn't considered serious. With Diaw, Radmanovic and center Tyson Chandler (recovering from ankle surgery) out, Alexis Ajinca, Gana Diop and Nazr Mohammed are getting the bulk of practice reps this preseason. Charlotte Observer

Trail Blazers second-round draft pick Patty Mills was limping around the practice facility Thursday, sporting a protective boot on his injured right foot, as he watched the team undergo its third day of workouts this season. Mills arrived in Portland Wednesday and was scheduled to have his broken foot examined by doctors Thursday afternoon in Vancouver. He expressed hope that doctors would give him the go ahead to ditch the protective boot and move on to the next phase of his rehabilitation. “(Things are) basically on track,” Mills said. “It’s been 12, 13 weeks now since my surgery. There’s healing that’s being showed. So hopefully today there’s better news. Getting the boot off (would be) the best situation now, and then it’ll be a matter of getting the development of the muscle back … and the tendons working again.” Oregonian

Mills’ next phase of rehabilitation and recovery timeline was to be discovered after his visit with doctors. Mills’ injury is similar to the one that forced Martell Webster to miss all but five minutes last season. “We’ll see what he says,” Mills said, when asked when he might be able to resume basketball activities. “Hopefully not too long. It’s almost been three months already, so the sooner the better. But at the same (time), we have to look after it and make sure it doesn’t happen again. Oregonian

Pau Gasol (broken finger) and Sasha Vujacic (sore knee) emerged with injuries after taking part in practices leading up to the European championships this summer. Gasol was with the Spanish national team, Vujacic with Slovenia. Both players are cleared to take part in the Lakers' training camp. "We have always been reluctant about our players playing" internationally, Lakers Coach Phil Jackson said. "We know that it's a necessary part of the game. Some of these players are $100-million properties and they are going into a situation that only has diminishing returns. Los Angeles Times

Celtics forward Bill Walker is expected to miss 6-8 weeks after surgery on his right knee. Boston Globe

Chris Mannix: Eddie Jordan didn't look to happy when I asked him about Gilbert bashing him. Told me "take it for what it's worth." Twitter.com

Lucas arrived recently from Houston where he runs a care program that helps current and former players deal with life's many challenges including alcohol and drug dependency. One recent client was Michael Beasley of the Miami HEAT, needing to work through some personal issues. "I do a lot with a lot of people - anyone who needs help like T.J. Ford who was coming back from [a neck] injury," said Lucas. Whether they're having off court or on court issues, I'm just there to be of service to the game I love." HoopsWorld

"I've been the number one pick in the draft," said John. "I've been the first guy - the middle guy - the last guy. I've been an assistant coach. I've been a general manager [Philadelphia]. I've been a head coach a couple of times. I think I have a good perspective on all phases of it. I think what bring to the table is that I understand what people do. I think that with our team we have a lot of different personalities and I think if we can bring our personalities together, we can be very successful." HoopsWorld

Mark Cuban on an owner being too hands on: “From my end, when I get to the point that I trust you, I can take a step away. So with the Mavericks, with Donnie Nelson and Rick Carlisle, my role is kind of the long-term fund manager or asset manager. They’re job is to try and get me a winner now. My job is balance the short-term versus the long-term and the money. They’re not looking to see what the sales are and all that kind of stuff going through. But once you trust somebody, you can turn over the reigns. That’s the hard part. Daniel (Snyder) hasn’t had that success yet. He’s been knocking on the door, he’s been trying to get there and he hasn’t had that person where he can say ‘you’re right, you’ve got it down, I’m just going to turn it over.’ If you haven’t gotten to that point you’re inclination is to say ‘ok I’ve got to dig in more’ because if you’re a successful business person and that’s how you get to own a team, all your competitive juices are saying I’ve got to dive in because I can’t stand losing.” Sports Radio Interviews

On whether or not he has a problem with one of his player’s twittering: “If I see someone twittering, I’m just going to look them in their eye. I don’t have to say a word because it’s like where is your attention going? I don’t mind if guys twitter. They want to build their brand and I like that they can connect with the fans. I think that’s a good thing. My two things that I’ll tell the guys is team business is team business. What happens in the locker room stays in the locker room and if you violate that I’m going to fine your butt. Number two is never vent. That’s where you get in trouble. The guys who have gotten in trouble so far have tried to get things of their chest. The reality is saying it on twitter is just like saying it on ESPN Radio. It’s no different. It lives forever.” Sports Radio Interviews

Terry Semel, the former boss at Warner Bros. and Yahoo!, was the secret runner-up in the battle to buy the Nets. Brooklyn-born Semel was beaten at the buzzer by Russian playboy billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov, who offered to pay for the arena being built in Brooklyn as well as the team in a deal worth hundreds of millions of dollars. But sources say Semel, who divides his time between New York and Los Angeles, had hoped to be at most of the games as the new owner. New York Post

"He spent some time looking into the deal and was working out how he could change his schedule to be at the games. But he never got to make a formal offer because the prices were so high. Prokhorov had already offered to buy both the arena and the team. "Terry, who only wanted the team, had to stand aside. He was disappointed but he's pleased that Prokhorov is committed to basketball. Hopefully he'll be at the games." New York Post

"One hundred thousand, five hundred and six, he was good,'' joked Boozer after the game when asked about an official he thought did well. Actually, Boozer liked how all three performed. "I was impressed by the refs,'' Boozer said. "They called a fair game. They weren't intimidated by us. I thought they had their composure. They made their calls, and they were confident. ... The good thing about it also is we can talk to them. You could ask them, 'What did I do wrong.' They'll tell you what you did wrong and you move forward.'' FanHouse

"They got a lot of pressure on them,'' Anthony said of the replacement officials. "But what they did was ref the game. They did what they were supposed to do. They're getting a lot of attention, a lot of pressure is on them. They don't need us to grade them. They already got that.'' FanHouse

"I thought the officials did a really good job (Thursday),'' said Nissalke, who was Cleveland's head coach when replacements were used in 1983-84 and a Denver assistant when they called upon in 1995-96. "I liked their mechanics. It's a lot easier when they're working as a three-man team (compared to 1995-96, when two-man crews were used for the great majority of the approximately 40 regular-season days regular officials were out). FanHouse

Lakers guard Jordan Farmar will appear on the CBS drama NUMB3RS on Friday night at 10 p.m. in an episode titled "Friendly Fire." This is Farmar's second appearance on NUMB3RS. He starred as himself in an episode from last season. Riverside Press-Enterprise

By now, you've probably seen the YouTube clip of Wade murdering the Boyz II Men hit, End of the Road, during his Wade's World Foundation celebrity weekend bowling event last month in Chicago. Even worse, you may have actually turned up the volume and heard his karaoke version of the song. In short, Wade probably owes Boyz II Men an apology. Wade improved his defense to an All-World level last season. But he may have been at his defensive best after Thursday's practice, when he tried to explain his performance on the mic. Boston Herald

His publicist and friend, Lisa Joseph, re-posted the less-than-grammy-worthy performance on the Internet earlier this week to give Wade's friends another round of laughs after the initial wave wore off. Wade took it all in stride and said the video probably got 20,000 more hits in one night. "Everybody was scared to get up there, and I decided to get up there and be a leader," Wade said of his decision to take the stage and flex his vocals. "Unfortunately, it was a camera around. It (sounded) a lot different in my head. When they put the music on and the words, it turned out a little differently." Boston Herald

Kardashian said the couple first met at a party she hosted, with the first overture being Odom staring at her eyes from afar: “I’m not a mushy person; I didn’t even like him at first. I was just like, ‘Ugh, another athlete.’ But the second day I hung out with Lamar, he was so sweet. He was genuine. I love how attentive he is. He makes me feel like I’m the only person that matters. No man has ever treated me that way.” Orange County Register

Kardashian’s mother, Kris, offered this strong observation about the new couple: “To be honest with you, I haven’t seen a smile on Khloe’s face like this since before her dad died. Meeting Lamar was the best thing that ever happened to her.” Orange County Register

Things are going to get a little hairy for National Post beat writer Eric Koreen tomorrow. At a dinner Wednesday night that included the media and team brass, Koreen somehow allowed himself to be talked into getting a faux-hawk (shaved on the sides, high on the top) haircut like the one Amir Johnston is sporting. Reluctant initially, Koreen had no choice once GM Bryan Colangelo collected $1,000 in pledges from the dinner guests that will go to the Canadian Make-A-Wish Foundation in Koreen's name. The haircut will take place on court during halftime of tomorrow's scrimmage at Carleton University. Toronto Sun

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