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Sunday, October 7

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» 05:43 PM ET Update » 07:23 AM ET Update

» Update: 05:43 PM ET

Pekovic said he wants to stay in Minnesota. "I would like to stay here because of everything," he said. "I just like everything. I like the area. I like the team. I like all the stuff. Now I got some friends here. Now it's real easy. It's just nice, nice people, nice town. I would like to be here." Minneapolis Star-Tribune

Minnesota Timberwolves, Nikola Pekovic 

Among those getting in a workout before Sunday's game was veteran forward Juwan Howard, who is not on the Heat's preseason roster. "Having fun," Howard, 39, said when asked why he was around. "You know me, having fun." The Heat said Howard is "helping out in an undefined role." He is traveling with the team for their weeklong preseason trip to China. South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Miami Heat, Juwan Howard 

The Memphis Grizzlies waived forward/center Jarrid Famous and guard/forward D.J. Kennedy, Grizzlies General Manager and Vice President of Basketball Operations Chris Wallace announced. NBA.com

Memphis Grizzlies, Chris Wallace, Jarrid Famous 

If you tuned into ESPN’s First Take earlier this week you heard Stephen A. Smith touting Howard over Bynum. Smith’s foil, Skip Bayless, maintains, as he did when Bynum was in Los Angeles, that Bynum is the better center. Shaquille, who seems to be fighting the angst that some athletes deal with (rather poorly) when the sun has set on his career, suggested that not only was Bynum better (debatable), but that Brook Lopez is also better (absurd) than Howard. The Sixers I’ve talked to are firmly in their teammate’s camp. This includes Jrue Holiday, Evan Turner, Dorell Wright and Jason Richardson (who has played with Howard). One of them even went as far to say that Bynum, who will be their first option rather than the third, as he was in Los Angeles, could average 25 points this season. The good thing about this is that, as far as the Sixers are concerned, what’s being said by others outside of their locker room hasn’t altered their opinion about their teammate, which should help them this season. Philadelphia Inquirer

Philadelphia 76ers, Evan Turner, Jason Richardson, Dorell Wright, Brook Lopez, Jrue Holiday, Skip Bayless 

“Brooklyn’s Backcourt” is so good, Avery Johnson thinks at least half of it always needs to be on the floor. The Nets coach made sure his All-Star backcourt of Deron Williams and Joe Johnson played together in Friday night’s scrimmage. But he’s also trying to figure out how he’s going to deploy both of them in games this season with the idea of always having at least one of them on the court. “We’ve made a concerted effort to have them playing together in practice, drills, scrimmages, and then we have to figure out which one of those guys we want to lead our second team — because we’re not going to play a true second team this year,” Johnson said after yesterday’s practice. “We don’t think we can have Deron and Joe out of the game at the same time, so that’s something else we’re trying to develop.” New York Post

Brooklyn Nets, Avery Johnson, Joe Johnson, Deron Williams 
 

» Update: 07:23 AM ET

Perhaps because of his history of injuries and long career, Camby privately told teammates when he arrived for training camp that he was surprised he received a three-year deal worth $13.1 million. While he is scheduled to receive $9.2 million guaranteed for his first two seasons, the third year is not guaranteed and the Knicks could wind up paying him less if he continues to break down. If the Knicks want to get rid of him before his third season, they would owe him only a $1 million buyout. If he sticks, then they would end up paying him all of his $3.9 million for year three. New York Daily News

New York Knicks, Marcus Camby 

General manager Tony DiLeo could not comment on the status of negotiations between the team and Holiday’s agent. However, a source says the two sides have been in contact about an extension. CSNPhilly.com

Philadelphia 76ers, Jrue Holiday, Tony DiLeo 

Doc Rivers on working on Darko's confidence: "“He just needs a chance; he just needs a team that wants him to do his job without asking him to be the No. 2 pick in the draft. We’re just asking him to be part of a group and part of a team. We give him roles on the team. I think he likes the roles that we’ve given him and he didn’t feel any extra pressure. So far so good. We just have to keep him in that frame of mind that he’s in now. "You can see that he gets frustrated easy. So we’re trying to eliminate those episodes. Our thing right now with Darko is to play forward. From being around for a short time, as a coach I can probably feel he’s played his career backwards. He lives in the past a lot and we’re trying to get him to live in the future. I told him (Friday), the only time I’ll take you out is if you make a mistake and make another mistake because you’re thinking about the last mistake. I won’t take you out for making a mistake. So hopefully that works.” Sulia

Boston Celtics, Darko Milicic, Doc Rivers 

Rick Bonnell: #bobcats just waived Jeff Adrien and Paris Horne. Horne intrigued me with his foot speed, but he wasn't going to make the final roster. Twitter @rick_bonnell

Charlotte Bobcats, Jeff Adrien, Paris Horne 

The former Los Angeles Lakers coach didn't exactly pick sides in the recent dust-up between centers Shaquille O'Neal and Dwight Howard, but said "there is a lot to what (O'Neal) says" when he characterized Howard as a "pick-and-roll" player with a more limited offensive game than more traditional back-to-the- basket centers Andrew Bynum and Brook Lopez. Jackson described Howard as a better all-around player and complemented him on the improvements he's made to his offensive game in recent years, but noted Howard is still "learning the post game." "Brook and Andrew are guys who have good touches. They're good scoring players and they have good offensive games," Jackson said on the "Waddle and Silvy Show" on ESPN 1000 in Chicago on Friday. "Dwight is a guy that has that amazing athletic ability but the overall game -- rebounding, defending, blocking shots, running the court -- this is a guy that runs with the wolves, so to speak. He can get up and down that court as quick as any of the guards and forwards because of his athletic ability. ESPN.com

Los Angeles Lakers, Brooklyn Nets, Andrew Bynum, Phil Jackson, Shaquille O'Neal, Dwight Howard, Brook Lopez 

Golden State picked him directly out of Lanier High School in Mississippi and in his second season (2006-'07) he was named the league's most improved player. He was asked about some chatter that he would be an ideal sixth man for an elite NBA team, but the soon-to-be 27-year-old was having none of that. "I don't believe that," Ellis said. "People are entitled to their own opinion. If you put me on a team with a whole bunch of guys, I guarantee you I'm going to win that starting position no matter who it is. "I've been hearing that all my life. It don't do anything but make me go out there and work hard and accept the challenge." Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel

Milwaukee Bucks, Monta Ellis 

Woodson has talked about Lin but won't talk about why #Knicks decided to move on. When I asked Woodson the other day about Lin's modest remark he had "a lot, a lot'' to improve upon, Woodson said, "The only thing I'm going to say about Jeremy is I wish him nothing but the best. Really, because he has his own career now in Houston.'' Woodson and Grunwald are careful not to say a bad word about Linsanity, considering all the great attention he got the organization last season. But Tyson wasn't as shy yesterday, talking about his "inexperience'' and not really knowing how to run a team yet. Surprised Tyson was so critical since it was the center who lobbied behind the scenes to get him more playing time because of his penetrating ability. 43 minutes ago Sulia

Houston Rockets, New York Knicks, Mike Woodson, Jeremy Lin 

In just 14 minutes and 36 seconds of his first preseason game with the Spurs, rookie guard Nando De Colo established himself as a fan favorite Saturday with some of the slickest passing seen at the AT&T Center since Manu Ginobili’s rookie season 10 years ago. He also impressed some teammates. According to Stephen Jackson, De Colo is reminiscent of another fan favorite. “Nando,” Jackson said, “is another Manu Ginobili.” San Antonio Express-News

San Antonio Spurs, Manu Ginobili, Stephen Jackson, Nando De Colo 

Don't rule out Thomas Robinson seeing time at small forward during the preseason. During one 5-on-5 session, Robinson was the small forward with Chuck Hayes and DeMarcus Cousins the other frontcourt players. Jimmer Fredette and Marcus Thornton were the other players on the squad. That squad beat a team of Isaiah Thomas, John Salmons, Willie Reed, Francisco Garcia and Cyril Awere. The final score was 7-2. Sacramento Bee

Sacramento Kings, Thomas Robinson 

Warriors coach Mark Jackson said he's considering sitting out point guard Stephen Curry for one of the first two preseason games. Golden State opens the exhibition schedule with a back-to-back set, Sunday vs. the Lakers in Fresno and Monday vs. Utah in Oakland. Jackson is concerned about working Curry's oft-injured right ankle too hard too soon. "I'm going to think about it, talk to Steph about it," Jackson said, "and make the right decision as far as that's concerned. I really don't want to work him on back-to-back nights." Contra Costa Times

Golden State Warriors, Injuries, Stephen Curry 

Marcus Camby didn't make it through the first week of Knicks training camp. The backup center suffered a strained left calf and will miss seven to 10 days. An MRI revealed the injury, which the Knicks don't believe is significant. But Camby is 38 and has a history of missing games, and the Knicks are coming off a season in which they were beset by injuries. "Injuries creep in," coach Mike Woodson said Saturday. "It's not a career-threatening injury. He'll be back." Newsday

New York Knicks, Injuries, Marcus Camby 

Last seen on the world stage at the London Olympics in mid-August, an ailing Prigioni kicked over a time clock at the final buzzer after Argentina suffered an 81-77 defeat to Russia in the bronze-medal game. Prigioni did not speak to the media afterward. “It was so painful for us, I think we cried 20 minutes in the locker room,’’ Prigioni told The Post. “All the players, to lose like that ...’’ New York Post

New York Knicks, Injuries, Pablo Prigioni 

You don't know John Welch. But he's the Nuggets' secret weapon, a workout wizard, an eternal gym rat, George Karl's consigliere. Asked to talk about Welch's importance, Nuggets executive Masai Ujiri said: "I don't want to talk about him — because I don't want any other team to take him. He's the best, he's the best in the NBA, there's no doubt about it. No disrespect to anybody, but he's the best player development coach in the NBA. He takes basketball seriously — his work, his trade." Denver Post

Denver Nuggets, George Karl, Masai Ujiri, John Welch 

Jay-Z first disputed the reported percentage -- telling his audience that he didn't know where the media got their numbers -- before asserting that "some" in the media have presented his role in the ownership group in a way that was intended as a purposeful slight. "That's their way of diminishing our accomplishments," he said. "Don't let anyone diminish your accomplishments." The real story, he explained, goes like this: "[I'm] a young black African male who was raised in a single-parent home in low-income housing and I stand before you as an owner of the Brooklyn Nets." CBSSports.com

Brooklyn Nets, Jay-Z 

Long-time ref Tommy Nunez, Jr., whose dad also worked NBA games for years, has been given the boot and won't be back this season. Meanwhile, former ref Sean Corbin, who was fired at one point and worked college games last season, has returned to the big time. New York Daily News

Referees, Sean Corbin, Tommy Nunez 

Sunday’s face-off between the Orlando Magic and New Orleans Hornets marked the 20th exhibition game to be played in Mexico, the most of any country outside the United States or Canada, and the first such game at the brand new Mexico City Arena. The NBA already has concrete plans to expand its Mexican footprint. “Next year and the year after that there will be regular season games here, which is really huge,” said Cedric Ceballos, a former NBA player turned league ambassador. “Those two years are the big test to see what happens.” Gulf News

Mexico, Cedric Ceballos 

Given the proximity to the United States, Ceballos said a future franchise in Mexico City would be a natural fit. “Now that there’s a building that can house an NBA team, where we can play regular season games, it’s a natural place to be thinking about it,” said Moggio. Gulf News

Mexico, Cedric Ceballos 

A hybrid set of rules — some from the NBA, some from FIBA — was used for Saturday’s game, but Stern said he doesn’t expect the game to have a standardized set of rules any time soon. “Not during my commissionership,’’ Stern said. “And probably not during my lifetime. We presented for the consideration of the competition committee the whole issue of basket interference, goaltending and whether they were interested in adopting the European rule, which I think would make it much easier for the officials because that’s a tough call. It’s the call that we get wrong the most of all our calls. “But there was no great enthusiasm for that. There are incremental changes that we’re getting to, but I don’t know if we’ll ever get all the way there.’’ Dallas Morning News

FIBA, David Stern, Referees 

Jones prefers to be referred to as Perry Jones III rather than Perry Jones and that's why he chose jersey No. 3. However, the NBA does not allow Roman numerals on uniforms, so he will simply have “Jones” on the back of his jersey. Oklahoman

Oklahoma City Thunder, Perry Jones 

That would be Brazilian model Adriana Lima, who gave birth to the couple's second daughter last month. What's it like to be married to one of the most recognizable faces in fashion? "We are a very down-to-earth, normal family," Jaric said. "None of us try to draw attention to our family. We don't try to live the celebrity life. We really don't care. We're a very ordinary family." Chicago Tribune

Chicago Bulls, Marko Jaric, Training Camp, Adriana Lima 

Dwyane Wade will introduce his new shoes to the Chinese and the world until Oct. 10. Heat Check received these pics (sans logos) from an inside source a few days early. Wade parted ways with Jordan Brand at the end of September and will now wear Li-Ning footwear. The shoe's release and Wade's press conference are scheduled for Wednesday in Beijing. Miami Herald

Miami Heat, Dwyane Wade, Sneakers 
 

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