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Friday, October 9

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Although there are no active discussions toward an extension with Stoudemire's new agent, Happy Walters, one source with knowledge of the Suns' thinking said this week that there is more support within the organization for extending the 26-year-old than not, even after Stoudemire was openly shopped at the trading deadline in February and after the Suns' trade discussions with the Golden State Warriors in June. ESPN.com

A couple notes of clarification on the prospect of Golden State dealing Stephen Jackson to Cleveland in a swap featuring Zydrunas Ilgauskas, as introduced earlier Friday in this piece from the Contra Costa Times and brought to our attention, as always, by the boys at HoopsHype: Multiple plugged-in sources insist that these are not active discussions. It's no secret that the Warriors did make several calls before the season to gauge Captain Jack's value after Jackson's bombshell about wanting to be dealt to the Cavs, Knicks or one of the three Texas teams. But Golden State's talks with Cleveland were "nothing substantive," according to one source. ESPN.com

A theoretical Cavs-Warriors deal headlined by Jackson and Ilgauskas -- who's in the final year of his contract at $11.5 million -- would only provide Golden State with payroll relief. That's a big deal, but the Warriors would ideally like to bring back at least one player for the future (with a reasonable contract) if they're going to part with someone as important as Jackson, whereas I get the feeling that Cleveland is likely only willing to part with the likes of Daniel Gibson or Delonte West in addition to Ilgauskas. ESPN.com

Brian Windhorst: Z says he's ignoring Warriors trade rumor. As he should, Cavs won't trade big for small unless for a star. Stephen Jackson doesn't qualify. Twitter.com

Brian Windhorst: When trade rumors come remember Cavs will take on salary but they want bigs back. They added size for LAL, Orl, Bos. Not giving it up now. Twitter.com

Aris are waiting to find out the final verdict on the cases of Aaron Miles(1.85-PG) and Jeremiah Massey(2.02-PF). The Hoop

Those who thought Artest would somehow go mainstream, just because he's now on the defending champions and the stakes are raised, don't really know the man. But that's OK, because nobody can figure out the man. Which is just the way the man likes it. "I'm always like a distraction," he said the other day, when the Lakers opened their preseason schedule against the Warriors. "I do so much. I'm always going to be 'out there.' That part won't change. Being in L.A. won't change that." NBA.com

You get a short tour of the new place, where there's a ladder in the living room (don't ask), observe some memorabilia on the walls, see his taste in fine dining (soy milk, granola) and mainly watch him ramble on about ... whatever. "I'm talking to myself in my own house," he says at one point in the video. "This is ridiculous." NBA.com

Until then, they'd rather he confine everything else to a homemade YouTube video. The only alarm the Lakers want to hear is the one Artest tripped by accident during a video tour of his new home. "That's just my life in general, you know?" he said. NBA.com

Stoudemire says that it's sufficiently invigorating for him to be back at work with another chance to remind the NBA that no one in this league recovers from major injuries like he does. "I really enjoy the game of basketball now," Stoudemire said this week after playing in game conditions for the first time in nearly eight months. "I did [before], but now I definitely appreciate it." ESPN.com

"Extremely brutal" is how Stoudemire describes the rehab. "Hard to deal with, hard to get over, still think about it," he said. "A lot of folks probably wouldn't be able to do it. "But it makes you enjoy the moment. I'm just ready to play ball. We don't even talk about the [contract] stuff. I'm just trying to focus on getting myself reacclimated to this team and this system. As far as the season and me being here, I don't think about it. I'm here now, that's how I look at it." ESPN.com

"I think we've got a good relationship," Gentry said. "The thing that you have to do is you've got to make sure that Amare understands exactly what is expected of him. We try to make sure that we're communicating with him every day. And the other thing is [that] I made him captain. It's time for him to step forward and have some leadership responsibilities on this team. "I think he's embraced the situation. He's done everything that we've asked him to do. He's been working his butt off. And I think the big thing for me that's been a big plus is that he's been really engaged defensively, trying to do the right thing, trying to be in the right place, knowing his teammates expect it from him." ESPN.com

"I'm not just frustrated at the 19-win season," Jamison said. "You could definitely say I'm done with the one-and-done playoff appearances too. We have a nice window of opportunity here that we need to take advantage of." SI.com

Young, who studied tapes of Pistons guard Richard Hamilton in the offseason, says Saunders' offense is tailor-made for him. "I don't have to work as hard for my shot," said Young, who was lost in Jordan's complex Princeton offense in his first two seasons. "The only thing I'm thinking about now is making it when the ball comes my way." SI.com

The secret to Butler's weight loss? Eating breakfast. "I'm not a big breakfast guy," he said. "But I started eating bananas and oatmeal in the morning. It filled me up." Working with a trainer for the first time, Butler ran drills on a football field throughout the offseason. In the weight room, Butler focused on core workouts and spent extra time strengthening the muscles in his hips and ankles. The result is a healthy and rejuvenated Butler in training camp. "I don't have any nagging injuries," Butler said. "I'm able to jump right back into it." SI.com

Forward Shawn Marion, the centerpiece of a blockbuster trade, might be the league's most versatile defender. Carlisle believes the long-limbed, high-leaping Marion can defend any position on the floor. Free-agent signee Quinton Ross, the Dallas Kimball and SMU product, would have been the Mavs' best wing defender last season. Forward/center Kris Humphries is a smart, physical defender. Drew Gooden gives the Mavs a center who can guard the modern speedy, skilled big men who give Erick Dampier fits. Mavs insiders point to Tim Thomas' efforts against San Antonio star Tim Duncan as proof that the 3-point specialist is an underrated post defender. "By adding those pieces, we should already be better," said Dirk Nowitzki, who has developed into a decent team defender after being a liability on that end of the court early in his career. "But we all know that defense is about effort first and then being on the same page. All the hustle is not good if there's no direction out there. ESPN.com

When Jason Williams stepped away from the NBA a year ago he did it with a heavy heart. He still loved the game, he just didn't love the process. After reaching the pinnacle of his career by winning a championship in Miami, he wound up signing a contract with the Los Angeles Clippers . . .and then shortly announced his retirement. Williams recently talked to HOOPSWORLD about his decision to walk away, and why he came back. "I just love the game. It has been a part of my life for eleven years now and it is like second nature to me. From day one - long before the playoffs - I missed the game and I missed being out there. I always wanted to be with Orlando since I got in the league and with the team we have now, this is a blessing." HoopsWorld

As a member of the Magic, Williams has an opportunity to play with one of the best young point guards in the NBA. Some players in Williams' situation might aspire to start, but his respect for Nelson is such that chemistry is not an issue at all. "He is an all-star, this is his team. I just want to come in here and learn and contribute however I can. From 1-15 there is a ton of talent here; this is the most talented team I have been on. We have a real chance to win a championship if we can play hard and play together. ... They've really welcomed me in. There are no shy people around here. If you're shy you won't fit in. As soon as I came in, from day one, they've welcomed me with open arms." HoopsWorld

Many of the players believe the experience of falling two wins short of the NBA Finals will help them mentally more than anything they could have done physically. Do you agree? Rex Chapman: No question. Last year, we made a great run and made it to the Western Conference Finals, but I think our lack of experience definitely showed at times in that (Lakers) series. We tried to put up a valiant effort, but eventually that kind of caught up with us. We tried to take two or three steps all at once. It would have been nice to advance and get to the Finals and win a championship, but I don’t know how realistic that is, given we’d only had two roster players that had ever been that far. Nuggets.com

You mentioned the young players who haven’t reached their prime. How would you evaluate Nene, Carmelo and J.R.? Rex Chapman: I’ve seen a real maturation in Nene over the last year and a half, just in his approach to being a real pro - coming in this summer and putting time in the weight room and in practices on the days he doesn’t feel great. Melo’s always been a guy who likes to play, but now, he’s doing extra stuff. He’s in the best shape I’ve seen him in the last four years. That’s saying a lot coming off a summer where he didn’t have Team USA. He had to do it on his own. J.R., we continually want J.R. to improve and mature. He’s had a terrific camp thus far. I know J.R. has his sights set on starting. You could tell this summer he really put the time in. He spent a lot of time in Las Vegas working out with a personal trainer. We hope he can take another step. Nuggets.com

I don't think Blake will be starting on opening night. Long term, Griffin will be the team's franchise power forward but, coming into camp, Coach Mike Dunleavy has opted to stick with the incumbents (Baron Davis, Eric Gordon, Al Thornton, Marcus Camby and Chris Kaman). David, I see it as similar to what Gordon went through last year. He came off the bench behind Cuttino Mobley until he had about a dozen games under his belt. Once the Clippers made the Zach Randolph trade, Gordon suddenly was the full time starter. Clippers.com

Grunfeld received plenty of phone calls about the Wizards' coaching job after he fired Jordan in November and replaced him with interim coach Ed Tapscott. But as the process played out, Grunfeld found himself gravitating more and more toward Saunders, eventually pulling the trigger on the hire mere days after the end of the regular season. "I followed his career for a long time," Grunfeld said. "He has credibility. He's very knowledgeable and he's good with people. He has all the qualities that I felt like we needed. We wanted a combination of [an offensive and defensive coach]. We don't want to take away our strength. But I think it has been well documented that we all felt like we needed to improve on the defensive end." SI.com

One rumor I’ve heard lately is that the Warriors have talked with Cleveland about acquiring Zydrunas Ilgauskas from the Cavaliers. This seems like a move the Warriors would love to make, which leads me to believe Cleveland either isn’t that interested in Jackson (they did sign Anthony Parker and they have Delonte West at shooting guard already) or they want more in exchange for Ilgauskas’ $11.5 million expiring contract. Contra Costa Times

As Jackson has already said, he would love to go to Cleveland. And a starting perimeter of Mo Williams, Stephen Jackson and LeBron James sounds pretty formidable, especially with the likes of Parker, West and Bobbie Gibson coming off the bench. The Warriors couldn’t ask for a better return for moving their disgruntled star. Sure, they’d pay more this year. But they’d get Jax’s money off the books and go into the trade deadline with $22.8 million in expiring contracts (Z, Speedy, Acie Law, Devean George, Mikki Moore, C.J. Watson) or have that much come off the cap next offseason. Contra Costa Times

It will be interesting to see how Frank handles his backcourt, which has become crowded with the additions of Alston and Lee, two starters on Orlando's NBA Finals team last year. Lee is almost assured of a starter's spot. Alston, however, is not only competing with Harris but also Keyon Dooling, who averaged 9.7 points in 26.9 minutes last season. Alston, a starter since the '04-05 season, is in the final year of his contract and it's hard to envision a scenario in which he is happy spending a contract year as a backup. Team sources say it's likely that either Alston or Dooling will be traded during the season. SI.com

Alston may say that he is comfortably ensconced in East Rutherford — a short drive from his family and friends in Queens — but the pending free agent is not likely to finish the year where he starts it. Everyone knows this, because Alston has an agent who does not sit still if a client’s earning potential is not maximized. In this particular case, Dan Fegan isn’t going to twiddle his thumbs while teams from Sacramento to Philadelphia are in need of a starting-quality point who would otherwise be wasted as a third-stringer on a second-rate team. Newark Star-Ledger

And after 10 years in the league, he has a heightened understanding of chemistry that most players can only pretend to have. "I’m a team guy," Alston said after yesterday’s practice. "I’m going to keep working hard, keep leading. I play team ball. We have an All-Star point guard here, and whatever minutes Keyon and I are given, we’ll play the best we can with those minutes. I’m pretty sure Coach will handle it best he can. It won’t be easy. But we’re veterans, we understand the team comes before the individual." Newark Star-Ledger

Josh Boone didn’t want to look back when the most important season of his NBA career is right in front of him. The Nets’ fourth-year big man prepared for this season, a contract year, by spending more time working out than any other summer. It helped that he was healthy for a change. Boone is down about 15 pounds from the 270 he was last season, and he is vying for minutes at backup power forward and center. He hopes his versatility keeps him on the floor longer than last season and gets him a big payday after this one. "This is definitely the most important year," Boone said after practice Wednesday. "This is the year that I definitely have to prove to myself and everybody else that I’m worthy of another contract and I’m worthy of an extension." Bergen Record

Still, questions surfaced about Boone’s desire, but he hopes to answer them this season. "It’s not like I really lost confidence in myself," said Boone, who averaged 4.2 points and 4.2 rebounds last season. "I don’t think I need to prove to myself that I belong here. I need to prove to everybody else that I’m someone they can spend some money on and they’re going to get what they think they’re going to get out of me." Bergen Record

Walsh won’t say so, but it’s clear he’d deal either for someone whose contract expires this season — and the 6-foot-11 Jeffries knows that, even though he insists he’s not thinking about it. "I think you always have a chance to be traded," he said following practice Wednesday. "All I really want to do is play. Whatever I can do to get on the court is what I want to do. I’ve waited a long time for my body to feel as good as it does, to have the confidence level that I do." Bergen Record

Marcus Landry paid his own way to New York just for a tryout. As if answering a want-ad in the newspaper, he arrived without a place to stay and without much of a shot of making the Knicks. "I don't like to think of myself as a longshot," Landry says. "I'll let the coaches decide that." Undrafted, undersized but mostly undeterred, Landry is becoming the feel-good story of training camp. The 6-foot-7 rookie out of Wisconsin is making a strong push for a roster spot, having survived the first round of cuts while impressing Mike D'Antoni and Donnie Walsh with his work ethic and toughness. "That's the kind of player we need," Walsh said. New York Daily News

The Knicks currently have 13 players with guaranteed contracts on the roster, including the retired Cuttino Mobley. D'Antoni is open to taking one more player - which means, barring a trade or signing, Landry is fighting guard Joe Crawford and forward Chris Hunter for the final spot. Landry gives the Knicks versatility. He played mostly center and forward during his four-year college career and is now getting a look at shooting guard and small forward. The Knicks feel he can defend all five positions. New York Daily News

D'Antoni won't have to deal with nemesis Stephon Marbury tonight. According to a source, the Celtics offered Marbury a one-year deal for the veteran's minimum of $1.3M to return and he rejected it, feeling he would get more. Marbury wanted to keep shopping, but with the economy, he has no NBA job. New York Post

A source said Marbury is still seeking to play, but only for a playoff contender. Marbury hasn't hired an agent, using Players Association attorney Hal Biagas. New York Post

The Wizards could sign Haywood to another extension at any time before July 1, but Haywood's agent, Andy Miller, said this week that they "have had no discussions regarding any contract extension, whatsoever. I'm looking forward to him having a productive and successful season." Grunfeld stated two weeks ago that he would like to keep Haywood. On Thursday, Grunfeld said, "We plan on having some conversations with his representatives in the near future." Washington Post

Emeka Okafor says he was shocked by the news last summer that the Charlotte Bobcats had traded him. I'm surprised Okafor didn't see that as a real possibility. The signs were there. I'm not suggesting it was likely to happen or that the Bobcats were actively shopping him. But when coach Larry Brown made that joke at the end of last season that Okafor gets an "A'' in yoga but not in basketball, I took it as a sign Mek was no longer so secure here. And based on my email, some of you took it the same way. Charlotte Observer

The Miami HEAT announced today that they have waived forwards Alade Aminu and Andre Brown. Heat.com

The moves leave free-agent forwards Shavlik Randolph and Anthony Tolliver in position for additional repetitions in camp. Both have seen action in each of the first two exhibitions, losses to the Detroit Pistons and Orlando Magic. South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Jonas Jerebko just got a one-game suspension for his altercation Monday with Miami's Jammal Magloire. Know what? This was Jerebko's first such suspension, and I have a feeling it won't be the last. One thing about Jerebko, and several players have mentioned it too, is the fact he comes in and doesn't get cheated. He plays hard, doesn't shy away, and don't be surprised if a lot of opponents don't like it. But, good for Jerebko for playing that way. There's a place in the league for a guy like that. Detroit News

O'Neal raised a few eyebrows after practice Thursday by declaring this Cavaliers team "the best team I've ever played on. On paper, anyway." Some might take the 1999-2000 NBA champion Lakers with Bryant, Glen Rice, Robert Horry, Ron Harper, A.C. Green and Derek Fisher, or the 2003-04 Lakers who finished 56-26 with Bryant, Karl Malone and Gary Payton. When skeptical reporters questioned O'Neal about the comment, he said: "I've always begged management to get me the power forward I've needed and the shooters I've needed. Here you've got a guy that's been starting 10 or 11 years [Zydrunas Ilgauskas] that's backing me up, you've got Varejao who's one of the top forwards in the league and you've got D-Block [Jackson] coming off the bench. We have a lot of great shooters, so on paper, I'd say yes." Cleveland Plain Dealer

Shannon Brown’s gravity-defying dunk over two Golden State Warriors, including legitimate 7-footer Mikki Moore, caught the public’s attention Wednesday and traveled through cyber-space faster than he dribbled the court. His acrobatics soared past the Dodgers-Cardinals game as far as interest. “That’s what they told me,” Brown said. “The cyber-world is something special. I’m scared to look at my phone. I’m sure everybody has hit me up (leaving messages).” Orange County Register

After practice, Saunders was asked about Arenas's unselfish play during the Wizards' 101-92 win against Memphis on Tuesday. Arenas took only five shots and handed out 10 assists as he spent the entire night setting up Antawn Jamison, Butler and Young. He even passed up a layup and an open three-pointer. His teammates benefited from the open looks, as Arenas made their job look easier, but Saunders said his point guard will eventually have to focus on the rim, too. "I think he'll come into that," Saunders said. "He's got to be aggressive offensively. The way my offense is initiated, you look at the point guards I've had, they've always had high assists, but they've always been scorers. They're usually first or second on my team in scoring. If your point guard is not an aggressive scorer, it takes away. If that's not an aggressive option, it's too easy to guard the other guys. I think right now, he's trying to understand and get guys in spots, but someone like him, his scoring ability is something you don't want to take that away." Washington Post

When Flip Saunders informed Nick Young that he would get the starting shooting guard spot for the Washington Wizards' preseason opener on Tuesday, Young had to resist the initial urge to smile. His excitement gave way to shock, then nerves, but Young's attempts to hold back his emotions finally proved futile when Gilbert Arenas said something that forced him to let loose and chuckle. "Gil was talking trash," Young said. Arenas told him, "Just as fast as they say Nick Young, they gon' say Nick Young's sub if you mess up." Washington Post

"I always wanted to be a great player. This is the year to get it rolling," Young said after scoring 11 points with four rebounds during the Wizards' 101-92 win against Memphis. "It's my third year. It's time for me to grow up and get my name out there. This is the game I love and I just want to get better every year. I didn't want to be forgotten." Washington Post

Mike Jones: If you see a tall thin dude walking round DC w a Nick Young Zephyrs jersey... It's because it's Nick Young. Twitter.com

Adrian Wojnarowski: Caron Butler doesn't miss the Princeton offense with Wiz. He loves Flip's system will "ride the hot hand" and isn't so "equal-opportunity." Twitter.com

Haywood dedicated himself this offseason to returning in the best possible shape and having another career year. He had no shortage of motivation. In addition to making up for lost time, he wanted to see his Wizards back in the playoffs, where they had become a fixture the previous four seasons. And this time he wanted to go further. Additionally, Haywood is entering the final season of a five-year, $25 million contract. But Haywood - who is the longest-tenured Wizards player and said he wants to finish his career with Washington - said a big payday is the last thing on his mind as the Wizards prepare for their redemption tour. "My biggest thing is winning. If we come out here and win, first of all everybody looks good. Second of all, I feel like I'm going to have a big part in it," he said. "If we come out here and win and make some noise in the playoffs, that helps your contract situation more than anything. When you're coming out playing for yourself and being an individual, nobody wants a guy who's got stats but not on a winning team. Washington Times

As the Heat enters the sink-or-swim portion of its preseason schedule, coach Erik Spoelstra is confident that point guards Mario Chalmers and Chris Quinn can find their stroke. Chalmers is 2 of 10 from the field, with three assists and five turnovers amid the Heat's 0-2 start. Quinn is 1 of 9 with four assists and one turnover. "They'll be better," Spoelstra said before giving his team Thursday off. "Mario was much better than this during camp. He was very good last year. I'm not ready to pass any kind of judgment on that. We'll turn it around." South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Here's what I noticed from today: Samuel Dalembert looks happy to be running this offense and he's actually running it quite well. Considering we've been less than complimentary about Dalembert's state of mind the last year or so, I think it's only fair to say that -- so far -- Dalembert looks effective in the Princeton Offense. Which is surprising. Also surprising is that Jordan said Dalembert was the second-best shooter on the team, perhaps tied with Andre Iguodala (obviously Jason Kapono being the best). I'm not sure if I'd agree with that. But Jordan was effusive in his praise for Dalembert's pre-season effort, saying he's passing the ball well, being unselfish and effective within the offense. From what I've seen, that's actually not an exaggeration, Dalembert has looked really good. Philadelphia Inquirer

The New York Knicks haven't made the playoffs since the 2003-04 season, and few expect them to break that streak this spring. However, second-year Knicks forward Al Harrington appears confident enough to predict that the orange and blue will finally return to the postseason this year. Yes, you read that correctly. FanHouse

After facing him in a playoff series, Pat Riley said, "If he gets much better, he’s going to be one of the better players in this league.” And Jason Kidd called him the best big man he had ever played with. In 2006, that was the trajectory of Nenad Krstic’s career. But a serious knee injury three days before Christmas altered his future, a major reason the 7-foot center from Serbia is now on the Thunder’s roster. "People in Oklahoma City probably don’t know how highly thought of he was around the league,” said one Eastern Conference scout. "He was starting to really take off. If he can be that player again, he would be a steal for them.” Oklahoman

Chris Duhon missed Thursday's practice for personal reasons, according to the club. He was expected to be available for tonight's preseason game in Boston. New York Daily News

Last night we asked Dwight Howard about the nude photos taken for the ESPN Magazine Body Issue. Howard will be one of the six athletes featured on various covers of the Magazine. "Hey it’s called the body edition," Howard said. "I don’t know why everybody’s making it sound like it’s just nude pictures. It’s not like we sat there taking pictures of ourselves and all that stuff. It’s a body shoot. "They want to show off bodies and how hard we work in the gym to make sure we have good bodies. It was a fun photo shoot. I really enjoyed doing it. I’m proud of the body I got." Orlando Sentinel

Dwight Howard on playing with Vince Carter: “Oh it’s fun. He’s a great guy, he’s a great teammate and I think he’s going to be great for us. He’s just a great scorer and any given night he can for forty. (Host: He did tell me that he’s the best dunker on the team.) He told you that? Well he’s the best dunker under 6’5 because he’s only about 6’5, so I always say he’s the best dunker under 6’5.” Sports Radio Interviews

"No question, we're going to miss Vince," Nets coach Lawrence Frank said. "He was so big for us last year both on the court and in the locker room. He was a leader. You can't replace that with one person." SI.com

To that end, Frank -- who dumped the Princeton-based offense before last season in favor of a dribble-drive system that maximized the talents of Carter and point guard Devin Harris -- has redesigned the offense once again, this time with Lopez as the focal point. Lopez now serves as a hub, often the primary facilitator at the top of the key and the elbows. It's definitely a different offense," Lopez said. "There is less dribbling and more swinging the ball and evaluating options. I'm really confident in it. I'm really looking to facilitate." Said Harris: "We need him to progress to be the dominant center we need him to be." SI.com

Entering the final season of his contract and seeking to return to Boston, Allen reported to camp in the best shape of his career - if that’s possible for a player known for his elite conditioning. “There are times when my body’s feeling great that I have to take advantage of it,’’ Allen said when asked why he dedicated himself to getting into pristine shape. “I always said the more we run, the better it makes the rest of our game so I’m just trying to just remember to get up and down the floor. I focused on getting my body fat low but putting more muscle weight on and having my legs good. I think of all the goals during the season, one of the biggest for us is to stay healthy.’’ Boston Globe

Nicolas Batum: "We can say that Brandon took me under his wing, both on the court and off-court. When I was less successful in a game in mid-December, he came to see me to reassure me. It was in Denver a few days before Christmas. He invited me to a restaurant, just the two of us, because he saw I was getting tired. He gave me confidence by explaining that he too had gone through the rookie wall at that time of the season. When your franchise player is interested in you in this manner is reassuring and encouraging. " Basket USA

The Spanish media gathered at Palacio de Deportes didn't really get the joke. But a couple of reporters from Utah did, making it hard not to laugh when Deron Williams answered a question about teammate Paul Millsap's play in a 109-87 NBA EuropeLive tour 2009 exhibition win over Spanish League power Real Madrid. "I think we should try to trade him right now, while he's a hot commodity," Williams said. Deseret News

Sloan has an arguably tough call to make regarding whether he'll start usual backup Millsap at power forward during the regular season or incumbent Carlos Boozer, a two-time NBA All-Star and two-time United States Olympian who had 14 points (3-of-5 shooting from the field and 8-for-11 from the free-throw line), three boards, three steals and two assists against Real. It's a topic hot enough other Jazz players don't want to touch it publicly. "Not my decision," Okur said. Deseret News

Deron Williams: Had a great time in Europe just left the arena! Real Madrid put up a good fight but we were able to win by 20. Ready to see my kids! Twitter.com

Limited to 46 or less games each of the past three seasons, can Krstic diversify his game like his first 2 1/2 seasons in New Jersey? "I feel like I’m my old self,” Krstic said. "I’m already two years with no more injuries. My weight is getting down. I want to be 260 pounds. That’s what I was before the injury. Right now, I’m at 265. My body fat percentage is down. I’m close. I feel good.” Oklahoman

Omri Casspi had three tough days and what he thought were three legitimate reasons to be in a funk. He thought the coach was down on him. He thought his fans in Israel were disappointed. He thought the glut of Kings small forwards foreshadowed a season of down time, depriving him of an opportunity to establish himself in the league. He was wrong about everything except the glut of small forwards. The rookie must fight through the crowd to earn playing time, but he already projects as an intriguing, energetic wild card. Sacramento Bee

For the record, Paul Westphal was never down on Casspi. See how easily miscommunication between countries occurs? Asked by an Israeli journalist last week to assess her countryman's training camp, Westphal replied, "We want Omri to be one of those players who can guard those (scorers) players and make them feel they had a bad game." Pause. "Right now they would send a cab to pick him up so they can have him in there." It was a typical, light-hearted moment, one of those exchanges that breaks the monotony. Westphal was smiling and accommodating, and trying to be funny. We like funny. More important, that was a fraction of the coach's evaluation. "We are trying to establish a tradition of competitiveness and toughness," he said, moments earlier, "and that's one of the reasons Omri is here." Sacramento Bee

"One time Hasheem blocked a shot and the second time he causes the guy to miss and the third time he doesn't jump. You still have to make a third effort," Griz coach Lionel Hollins said, describing Thabeet's preseason debut Tuesday against Washington. "But then he comes back and makes a couple of efforts and blocks a shot, and he gets the ball as it falls away. Those are the types of things that help you win." Memphis Commercial Appeal

With 11 rebounds, five blocks and countless shots altered, Thabeet has used the preseason so far to show he now understands what's expected of him: protect the rim. "Even if I'm not going to block your shot, I'm going to intimidate you," Thabeet said. "I'm going to challenge you. I have to keep doing what I do. The coaches are always telling me, 'Don't go out there trying to do things you've never done before. Do what you know.' So I try to challenge every shot." Memphis Commercial Appeal

O'Neal said he joined a yoga class. "I'll be going there everyday," he said. "It was my first time (Wednesday) night. I'm the worst yoga student in the history of yoga." He said he just wants to stay loose. "I've been swimming all summer," O'Neal said. "I don't have any hangouts yet. I've been going to the Beachwood Mall and the Cheesecake Factory." Morning Journal

The No. 7 jersey of Trail Blazers guard Brandon Roy was the 15th-best seller in China during the 2008-2009 season, according to the NBA. Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers had the top-selling jersey in China for the third consecutive season. Bryant, who also had the top-selling jersey in the United States and Europe this past season, was followed by LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers who moved up five spots after winning the 2008-09 NBA Most Valuable Player award. Oregonian

Naturally, he started with more clarity and power than he finished. By the time coach Doc Rivers pulled Kevin Garnett for good in the third quarter of Wednesday’s exhibition season opener against Houston in Hidalgo, Texas, the Celtics forward was running on fumes. “I wanted to stay in, but that’s not up to me,” Garnett said after recording six points, five rebounds and two steals in 13 minutes of the 96-90 loss. “It felt a little bit different. But obviously, playing against the guys that we have on this team, you have no choice but to get better.” Boston Herald

“It doesn’t seem like there was much of a gap,” Ray Allen said of the time between Garnett’s departure last March and his return Wednesday. “I know we played a lot of games without him, but it didn’t seem like we have missed a lot with him coming back.” Boston Herald

Rockets forward Shane Battier has continued to step up his workouts to come back from a pulled right hamstring suffered on the first day of training camp. There is no timetable for his return, but he seems to be targeting next week's preseason games. “I don't want to come back for a game without a practice,” he said. “Whenever we practice next (either Saturday or Sunday), I'll practice and hopefully play the next game.” Houston Chronicle

The team announced that forward Brandan Wright is tentatively scheduled to have surgery on his left shoulder surgery tomorrow in Florida. Dr. James Andrews will perform the procedure. Not until after the surgery will his recovery time be known. The Warriors won’t sign him to an extension until then either, which makes sense since surgeries are never a guarantee. Contra Costa Times

"I'm feeling much better physically and mentally, too," Turkoglu said after his workout. "Hopefully next week, I'll start practising with the team and hopefully get into game shape and try to be 100 per cent on opening night." Toronto Star

There likely will be an opening for a post player on Team USA for next year's World Championships in Turkey and quite possibly for the 2012 Olympics in London. The Minnesota center has volunteered his services "I would love to play for USA Basketball,'' Jefferson said Thursday in an interview with FanHouse. "I would love to play. Two summers ago (2007), I was in (Las) Vegas helping the team practice and they go off and wind up winning the (Olympic) gold medal the following year (in Beijing). "So I already have been part of it. Then I got hurt last year, and I couldn't do much. But I would love to play with my country if they invite me.'' FanHouse

"I think he'd be excellent for (USA Basketball),'' said Minnesota coach Kurt Rambis. "Players today just don't play the way that Al plays. There's just not too many big guys that play and are comfortable and have the offensive prowess that he has with his back to the basket. I think he'd be tremendous (for USA Basketball). That's always a threat in any offense when you have somebody that's that capable that close to the basket.'' FanHouse

That side trip back to Guangdong for Yi Jianlian is off. It is now officially off his itinerary, we’re told – in spite of considerable pressure from the other side to get him to compete in the China’s national games. Understandably, the Nets weren’t crazy about him flying halfway around the globe during camp, but they grudgingly figured he’d have to put in some appearance – even conceding that they probably could let him go from Oct. 13 to 18. Then the dates of the China Games changed (from Oct. 16 to 28), and the Nets said that was a dealbreaker. That wasn’t an easy thing to say, either, because this reneges on an agreement that the Bucks made a year ago. Newark Star-Ledger

As if he needed any reminders about how far he'd traveled, Jazz coach Jerry Sloan was welcomed Thursday as "Señor Jerry Sloan" during pregame introductions and had his answers translated into Spanish during the postgame news conference. "Sorry about that," Sloan apologized to the interpreter after opening with a lengthy answer. "You've got a great memory. I tell you one thing, I couldn't remember my name." Salt Lake Tribune

Adrian Wojnarowski: When you talk to GM's about future head coaches in the league, one name keeps coming up: Portland's Monty Williams. Twitter.com

As if he needed any reminders about how far he'd traveled, Jazz coach Jerry Sloan was welcomed Thursday as "Señor Jerry Sloan" during pregame introductions and had his answers translated into Spanish during the postgame news conference. "Sorry about that," Sloan apologized to the interpreter after opening with a lengthy answer. "You've got a great memory. I tell you one thing, I couldn't remember my name." Salt Lake Tribune

Kevin Eastman: As practice is approaching for many teams;keep in mind that players respond better to positive coaching then negative & personal attacks! Twitter.com

Kevin Eastman: The best players in the game on the most successful teams see the game as their coach sees it; worth explaining to your best players. Twitter.com

Say what you want about Austin Carr, but his popularity might be at an all-time high. He's in his 11th year as a TV color analyst for the Cavs. The people at soundboard.com have put together some of Carr's finer moments. I have to admit I laughed out loud listening to the quips. Here's the link: soundboard.com/sb/bigslow.aspx On a personal note, you will not find a nicer guy in professional sports. I'm not just blowing smoke. That's a genuine statement. You also won't find someone who cares more about this team. ClevelandCavaliersBlog

Think the players don't care about who owns the team? Think again. Several Nets veterans are excited about the deep-pocketed Prokhorov, whose purchase of the team is awaiting approval from league owners. "It gives our team a little direction," Harris said. "With the moves that we were making, like getting rid of Vince and getting younger, it raised a lot of questions about what direction the team was going. We really didn't have an answer. The ownership we have had before has been a tough situation. Now, with the potential of this owner, it could shoot us back into the right type of mind-set. Next summer is going to be a huge summer for free agents. We have to be a big part of that." SI.com

Arilee Pollard, wife of former Minneapolis Lakers great Jim Pollard, who played on six NBA championship teams and is being described now as the Michael Jordan of his era, is in town to sign a new book about the "Kangaroo Kid," as he was known. Believe me, the 6-7 Pollard in his prime could play with the best right now. Arilee Pollard will be at Jax Cafe in northeast Minneapolis from 3-6 p.m. today, at the Barnes & Noble at the Mall of America from 2-5 p.m. Saturday and at Applebee's in Eden Prairie on Monday from 2-5 p.m. Minneapolis Star Tribune

The outcome of a 7-year-old manslaughter case against Jayson Williams now rests in the hands of a judge who will decide whether alleged racial bias and prosecutorial misconduct played a part in the retired NBA star's 2004 trial. At the end of a hearing, state Superior Court Judge Edward M. Coleman told lawyers Thursday he would rule on the case, but he did not specify when. ESPN.com

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