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Marcin Gortat said recently that he will play for the Polish national team this summer, and mentioned the possibility of signing with a Russian team during the NBA lockout. Gortat is confident that the Polish Basketball Federation will pay to have his contract insured, clearing the way for his participation in the Olympic-qualifying Eurobasket tournament. As for his plans to play in Russia, the translation is garbled but he said his manager will offer more information when he arrives in Poland on July 22. Source: Interia.pl Rotoworld

Phoenix Suns, Marcin Gortat, Lockout, Russia 

If phrases such as "no question" and "no doubt" popped up about the Suns' defense in recent years, they were part of opponents' thoughts on being able to score on them. With Elston Turner on board, those are the words he uses in exuding confidence about how the Suns' defense and rebounding will improve, how center Marcin Gortat can be their lane protector and how Steve Nash can be a "great team defender." Turner agreed to a two-year contract to be the Suns' "defensive coordinator," an assistant-coaching position being added to a full staff to improve last season's defense, which was ranked 26th in the NBA last year, and league-worst rebounding. Arizona Republic

Phoenix Suns, Steve Nash, Marcin Gortat, Elston Turner 

Simonas Baranauskas: Marcin Gortat will play for Poland in EuroBasket 2011 in Lithuania. Twitter

Phoenix Suns, Marcin Gortat, Poland 

Marcin Gortat: Well it happen! We have LO. I really hope we gonna find the way to make this work for both sides.I already miss My people from the office. Twitter

Phoenix Suns, Marcin Gortat, CBA, David Stern, Lockout, Billy Hunter, NBPA 

Gentry said Marcin Gortat and Garret Siler worked out with Hall of Fame center Hakeem Olajuwon for three to three and a half hours per day in Houston over five days. The Suns paid for the workouts, again slipping it in before the lockout hits. Arizona Republic

Houston Rockets, Phoenix Suns, Marcin Gortat, Garret Siler, Hakeem Olajuwon 

Suns President of Basketball Operations Lon Babby had an emphatic response to a Wednesday morning espn.com report that the Suns have discussed trading Nash to Minnesota in a package for the No. 2 pick in Thursday's draft. It came on the heels of denying another espn.com report that the Suns explored sending Marcin Gortat to Minnesota. "We are not trading Marcin Gortat. Period. End of sentence," Babby said Wednesday morning. "We are not trading Steve Nash. Period. Exclamation point." Arizona Republic

Minnesota Timberwolves, Phoenix Suns, Draft, Trade, Steve Nash, Marcin Gortat 

Sources say that the player Phoenix covets in the draft is Arizona forward Derrick Williams, although Suns officials have publicly denied reports that they have alternatively offered center Marcin Gortat and the No. 13 overall pick for the No. 2 selection instead of Nash. ESPN.com

Minnesota Timberwolves, Phoenix Suns, Draft, Trade, Steve Nash, Marcin Gortat, Derrick Williams 

Let's start with trade rumors. Marcin Gortat was not being shopped to Minnesota. In fact, the Suns reached out to Gortat to let him know he wasn't being offered to the Timberwolves. "I would say it's speculation," Suns General Manager Lance Blanks said today. "That's part of the business. You get in this business and everybody is going to get traded. It was Steve at one point. Gortat now. It's hard to keep up with. We love Marcin Gortat and hope that he's a part of our core going forward for a long time." Gortat is 27 and a proven quality player at one of the hardest positions to fill and with a very reasonable contract ($21.8 million over next three seasons). It is hard to see him being moved, particularly considering he was part of the new regime's best move yet. Arizona Republic

Minnesota Timberwolves, Phoenix Suns, Trade, Marcin Gortat, Lance Blanks 

The Phoenix Suns, who want to move up from No. 13, have called. Phoenix center Marcin Gortat, presumably in the discussions, chimed in via his Twitter account: "About that trade for mr. Williams??? Its front office people decision but i will always be part of suns army. Its bizness its ok." ESPN.com

Phoenix Suns, Trade, Marcin Gortat 

Josh Robbins: Marcin Gortat is here at the @Shaq retirement presser. #Magic Twitter

Orlando Magic, Shaquille O'Neal, Marcin Gortat 

Marcin Gortat: What a fuc.... Game!!!!! Dirk u r the best man!!!wow what a game!!! Amazing!! Twitter

Dallas Mavericks, Miami Heat, Phoenix Suns, Dirk Nowitzki, Marcin Gortat 

Marcin Gortat’s life changed forever on December 18, 2010. It was a day so important to him that he rattled off the date by heart following Phoenix’s final game, a day when he was not the best backup center in the NBA any longer. “December 18th was definitely the best day in my life so far,” Gortat said. “I would say it was for me probably bigger than my birthday right now. It was a day where a new chapter opened in my book.” Valley of the Suns

Phoenix Suns, Marcin Gortat 

“It’s a different story finishing the season in my old team and knowing that I’m still a backup and starting and getting 35 minutes a game,” Gortat said. “It’s just a great feeling. … It’s just fun, it’s really fun playing basketball right now. You have a lot of kids coming over and talking to me. It’s a great feeling, and I’m really grateful for everything that’s going on right now.” Valley of the Suns

Phoenix Suns, Marcin Gortat 

Anyway, among the Magic's many efforts to keep Howard from L.A. or other points unknown, they need to get him some relief from the bench. Could it be Fran Vazquez? Finally? The ghost of the 2005 draft has been telling the club he is interested more than ever in coming to America. Right now, he's more of a Spanish urban myth. The Magic only hope that the 6-foot-11 Vazquez could be as good as Marcin Gortat. Orlando Sentinel

Orlando Magic, Marcin Gortat, Fran Vazquez, Spain 

Channing Frye and Jared Dudley, both of whom re-signed last year, likely will be back along with Gortat, the long-sought solution at center. Beyond them and co-captains Nash and Hill, nobody is assured to return. "The expectations are higher than what we had this year and what we showed," Hill said. "The difference between winning and losing could be very fragile. A minor piece here and there. Winning is the goal and trying to get back to the playoffs. In terms of how to execute that, we'll have to wait and see." Arizona Republic

Phoenix Suns, Steve Nash, Marcin Gortat, Jared Dudley, Channing Frye, Grant Hill 

Marcin Gortat: i will get better ( at least i hope i will!) this summer and nexy year we gonna start rolling big time! great organization great people in the team ....im glad I get a chance to play here for real! Twitter

Phoenix Suns, Marcin Gortat 

Marcin Gortat: And one more think the biggest surprise for me in this team was...JARED "THE DUNKER" DUDLEY. Great guy and great player so smart!!!!! Twitter

Phoenix Suns, Marcin Gortat, Jared Dudley 

Marcin Gortat: Ryan Anderson will break the bank this year im telling u guys!! My man is rolling big time! Twitter

Orlando Magic, Phoenix Suns, Marcin Gortat, Ryan Anderson 

Phoenix Suns center and hero of Polish people everywhere, Marcin Gortat said tonight that he's unsure if he'll be able to play of this national team this summer. Gortat said the likely NBA lockout this summer would create complexities with his medical insurance that could prohibit him from playing for Poland in the offseason. "If they announce lock out there's big possibility that I will not play," Gortat said. SB Nation

Phoenix Suns, Marcin Gortat, Poland 

It's clearly not something that's been decided in his mind and there's other factors beyond the lockout as well. "We'll see. Now is a different situation. I used to play five or six minutes a game but now I'm playing 35 (minutes)," he said. " I'm going to need some rest. We'll see. I'm definitely going to work on my game. I've got to improve playing with the back to the basket, definitely try to improve my shooting from outside and still I have to get stronger, physically get stronger." SB Nation

Phoenix Suns, Marcin Gortat, Poland