With a managerial style that is part Joe Dumars, part R.C Buford, part Gregg Popovich and part Danny Ferry, Lance Blanks knows what it takes to be successful in the NBA. But his impact on the organization will come down the road, since Lon Babby, Robert Sarver and Alvin Gentry handled all the heavy roster lifting before Blanks was hired as the Suns' new general manager.

Then it took Blanks three weeks to have his introductory press conference in Phoenix—because he was in Africa on a humanitarian mission with the NBA, and the phone service precluded him from having a teleconference. But he's now behind his desk at US Airways Center and will have the role as chief talent evaluator while Babby manages the salary cap, Gentry massages egos and playing time and Sarver tells them...

Each weekday morning, BDL serves up a handful of NBA-related stories to digest with your bezoar.

Marc J. Spears, Yahoo! Sports: Carmelo Anthony still hopes to persuade the Denver Nuggets to trade him, preferably to either the Chicago Bulls or New York Knicks, an NBA source with knowledge of Anthony's wishes told Yahoo! Sports. The Knicks have limited assets to offer the Nuggets, which makes the Bulls a more appealing potential trade partner. The Bulls can offer a replacement small forward in Luol Deng, as well as two young forwards in James Johnson and Taj Gibson. New York officials would like to make a run at signing Anthony next summer if he were to opt to become a free agent. The Knicks will have salary-cap room with Eddy Curry's contract expiring after the season. While Anthony would prefer a trade to either the Bulls or Knicks, he knows the Nuggets could decide to send him elsewhere. Yahoo! Sports has previously reported that the Los Angeles Clippers, New Jersey Nets and Houston Rockets have expressed interest in Anthony.

AP: Los Angeles Lakers forward Matt Barnes has been arrested on suspicion of domestic violence, Sacramento County authorities said Wednesday. Deputies arrested Barnes after responding to what was termed an incomplete 911 call from a residence around 4:16 p.m., according to sheriff's spokesman Sgt. Tim Curran. Deputies found Barnes and a woman both with visible injuries, but took Barnes into custody after determining he had been the primary aggressor, said Curran. The name of the woman was not released, but she was described as "a woman who lived with him and with whom he had a dating relationship." Barnes was booked into the Sacramento County Jail on suspicion of domestic violence and maliciously obstructing the use of a telephone line. He posted a $50,000 bond and was released. He is scheduled to be arraigned on Sept. 13, according to authorities.

Jeff Zillgitt, USA Today: Lack of height was a concern for Team USA entering the FIBA World Championship in Turkey. New York Knicks forward Amar'e Stoudemire couldn't play because of an insurance issue on his $100 million contract. Golden State Warriors forward David Lee couldn't play because he injured a finger during practice in July. Centers and twins Brook (New Jersey Nets) and Robin Lopez (Phoenix Suns) withdrew because of illness and injury. Height will be a serious concern for Team USA for the first time in the tournament when it plays Russia Thursday for a spot in the semifinals (ESPN, 11 a.m. ET). "Their average height is 6-8. They'll be the biggest team that we've played against," U.S. coach Mike Krzyzewski told sports reporters Wednesday. Coincidentally, the game will be played 38 years to the day of the infamous Olympic classic when the Soviet Union defeated the USA 51-50 for the gold medal in the 1972 Munich Games. The last three seconds of the game were steeped in confusion, and the Soviets ultimately had three chances to win. They did on their final chance. Russia coach David Blatt, a Jewish American who coaches pro ball in Israel, touched a tender nerve when he said the referees and FIBA officials were right in 1972 and the Soviets deserved to win. "The American team was not cheated," Blatt said this week. "Funny things happened, but in reality it was fair." The Americans disagree; the '72 team has never accepted the silver medals. "It will be a negative in the way the U.S. looks at it forever and should be, and it will be in some ways a positive for those who believe in fairy tales," said Krzyzewski, who added he probably was in a field artillery unit in South Korea after graduating from West Point when that game was played.

John Reid, New Orleans Times-Picayune: With a need to improve their depth in the frontcourt, the New Orleans Hornets remain one of the teams in contention to sign free agent forward Louis Amundson, according to his agent Mark Bartelstein. Though training camp opens for the majority of NBA teams in three weeks, Amundson is still unsigned. He was a key contributor off the bench as a power forward/center for the Phoenix Suns, who advanced to the Western Conference Finals last season before losing to the two-time defending champion Los Angeles Lakers. "I would say we have had conversations with the Hornets, but I don't want to get too much in specifics involving teams and everything,'' Bartelstein said. "We're trying to move it along and it's a tough decision for him.''

RealGM: Hawks head coach Larry Drew has finalized his 2010-11 coaching staff with the hiring of former pro Nick Van Exel to the position of Player Development Instructor, it was announced this afternoon. Van Exel, comes to Atlanta from Texas Southern University, where he served as an assistant coach. "We're very excited to add Nick to the staff," said Drew. "I think he brings a wealth of knowledge to the position, and given his past experiences, he'll be really vital to the development of our young guards, particularly Jeff Teague and Jordan Crawford. With the staff we currently have on board, I believe Nick will do a tremendous job for us moving forward."

NBA.com: The New Orleans Hornets announced today that they have signed free agent guard Mustafa Shakur. Per team policy, terms of the contracts were not released. "Mustafa will be able to give us depth at the point guard position," said Hornets General Manager Dell Demps. "He has thrived in the D-League and has great size and vision for a point guard."

Charles F. Gardner, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Max Ergul, who is at the center of a controversy surrounding the recruitment of Turkish center Enes Kanter, played a role as a confidant and adviser to Milwaukee Bucks forward Ersan Ilyasova. But Ergul never served as an agent for Ilyasova, according to former Bucks general manager Larry Harris. A Journal Sentinel story published in 2007 described Ergul, who is based in Chicago, as an agent. But Harris, reached by telephone Wednesday, indicated he played a different role. "We had no dealings with him," Harris said, referring to contract negotiations. "He was a friend, helping Ersan make the transition to a new country. He was teaching him how to drive, taking him to the grocery, helping him get accustomed to the U.S." Harris said negotiations were conducted with Turkish agent Tolga Tugsavul when the team was trying to keep Ilyasova under contract in the summer of 2007. Ilyasova eventually signed a two-year deal with Regal FC Barcelona and played two seasons in Spain before returning to the Bucks prior to last season.

AP: Rumeal Robinson, who led Michigan to the NCAA men's basketball championship in 1989 and later played in the NBA, was convicted in federal court Wednesday of borrowing more than $700,000 for a sham business deal and then spending the money on a condominium, expensive furniture and cars. A jury found Robinson guilty of 11 counts, including bank bribery, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit bank fraud and making a false statement to a financial institution. He faces up to 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine on each count. A date for sentencing hasn't been set. Among a lengthy list of accusations by prosecutors was one accusing Robinson of scheming to sell his mother's home in Cambridge, Mass., without her knowledge.

Each weekday morning, BDL serves up a handful of NBA-related stories to digest with your steak and eggs.

Art Garcia, NBA.com: The guys who revel in the dirty work often go unnoticed and unrewarded. Just ask Louis Amundson. One of the lynchpins off the wildly popular and game-changing Suns bench remains unsigned with about three weeks left before training camps open. Amundson, 27, isn't going back to Phoenix after the Suns revamped their frontline this offseason and remains unsure of his next stop. But as long as the summer has been, Amundson's agent isn't worried about permanent NBA unemployment. "He's going to wind up fine here at the end of the day," Mark Bartelstein said. "I think there are going to be some teams out there that are going to regret not going after him. He is a coach's dream. The hardest thing in this league to find is bigs that play with great energy every night, and just change the tenor and dynamics of the game." Golden State is earnestly pursuing Amundson, viewing the 6-foot-9 sparkplug as a potential piece to round out its frontcourt rotation. New Orleans, Indiana, Toronto and Charlotte are among the other teams that have reportedly shown interest in the UNLV grad.

David Haugh, Chicago Tribune: Of all the things [Derrick] Rose learned during a memorable month away from home, the most useful have come during visits to a place where the Bulls point guard's play typically is the thing making people marvel - the gymnasium. Averaging 8.5 points and 2.9 assists in six starts, Rose has emerged as a vocal leader at the advice of coach Mike Krzyzewski and has continued to develop a 3-point touch that will dangerously round out his offensive game. The FIBA line is 3 feet shorter than the NBA's, but Rose's 3-for-4 showing behind the arc against Angola provided a glimpse of the new confidence from long range he vowed to bring to his third season. "It's something I've been working on over the summer with my trainer Rob (McClanaghan), and over here I stay after practice and take lots of reps shooting NBA threes," Rose said. "Now when I'm open or need to shoot it, I will because I am confident it'll go in."

Rusty Simmons, San Francisco Chronicle: The Warriors confirmed late Tuesday that they are expected to sign forward Rodney Carney. The No. 16 overall pick in the 2006 draft averaged 4.7 points, 2.0 rebounds and 0.5 assists last season. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, the Warriors will present Carney to the media Wednesday, a source said.

Mike Wells, Indianapolis Star: [Larry] Bird didn't say much about the [Pacers'] roster other than they know they still have some work to do to improve the team. "I can't tell you if something is going to happen or not but we're still looking," Bird said. Bird did, however, give some updates about their injured players. The team's media day is Sept. 27 and training camp starts the following morning. Bird said Tyler Hansbrough still hasn't been cleared to go all out. "When they release him to go, he'll go," Bird said. "I don't know when that's going to happen. I know he's got another meeting with his doctors coming up. "He's in top condition. I don't worry about Tyler as far as being in shape." Veteran Jeff Foster also isn't going all out after having back surgery last season. Don't worry, though, this is by design. The Pacers don't want the 33 year old to over do it in the summer. "There's no use in going all out right now," Bird said. "He'll be in shape. I know how hard it is to sit out a whole year and come back. It takes time. "Jeff is a specialty-type player. Whatever we can get out of him, he'll help us."

Vincent Goodwill, Detroit News: When a team like the Pistons experiences a steep decline from consecutive conference finals and playoff appearances, many search for a scapegoat. Last year, Charlie Villanueva drew the majority of the critics' ire. His work ethic, heart and worth were questioned. A year after his arrival via free agency with a five-year, $35 million deal, Villanueva finds himself an afterthought, which is what usually happens after a team wins just 27 games. "It's definitely unfair, it's a team sport," Villanueva said. "Everybody has to be held accountable, not just me. The reason why I came here was because this was such a successful organization. "It was a learning experience. The injuries, the chemistry wasn't there. We were only completely healthy for 11 games last year, and won seven. Last year is over with, and we have another crack at it this year."

Gery Woelfel, Racine Journal Times: Most players in [Adrian] Griffin's situation would have faded from the pro basketball scene. While many ex-players covet being an NBA coach, most are shunned, deemed too young, too inexperienced. But Bucks coach Scott Skiles, who also had coached Griffin as a player in Chicago, was impressed with Griffin's work ethic and conscientiousness and hired him as a behind-the-bench coach. Now, two years later, Griffin has beaten the odds again. Monday, he was on the verge of being hired as a bench coach for new Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau. At 36, Griffin will become one of the youngest bench coaches in the NBA. "I am very fortunate,'' Griffin said. "I was just a player two years ago and now I'm a coach. It's very competitive to make an NBA team as a player, but it's even more competitive to become an NBA coach. There are only a few of them (usually five) on each team. God has been good to me.'' 

AP: The New Jersey Nets have waived forward Sean May. Nets general manager Billy King said Tuesday that May suffered a stress fracture to his left foot during a workout last week. King said the team believes the four- to eight-week rehab period would not afford May a legitimate chance to make the roster.

Paul Coro, Arizona Republic: Veteran point guard Chucky Atkins and Valley resident Steven Hunter, an ex-Suns big man, joined workouts Tuesday in hopes of getting to the Suns' training camp that starts Sept. 28.

This has been a busy summer for Shaquille O'Neal. He's been dancing up a storm, drinking salt-filled orange juice and — oh yeah — signing with the most storied franchise in NBA history. With all those extracurricular activities, it's got to be hard to find time to get in playing shape for his 19th season. He'll get around to it sometime, no doubt.

But for now, training will have to wait. Instead, Shaq sat down for an interview with the New Orleans Times-Picayune's John Reid, mostly to talk about how great he is.

What do you want your legacy to be?

I never had an inconsistent year, and I've always been dominant. I'm the No. 5 all-time scorer — 2,000 points behind Wilt Chamberlain. Once I pass him up, I want the title as the most dominant to ever play the game. When I'm done, it would be nice to say that I passed up Chamberlain, earned five rings, and finished in the (top) 10 all-time in blocks and rebounds. Hopefully all of that will put me on the first ballot for the Hall of Fame.

Interesting perspective. But I guess, if you throw out the seven seasons where Shaq played less than 60 games, he's totally right — he's never had an inconsistent season (as long as you don't count him not playing in a quarter of his team's games in a third of his years in the league). Also, might as well throw out the 2007-08 season, when Shaq was traded from Miami to Phoenix because everyone thought he was washed up and he averaged 13.6 points per game for the whole year. And someone should probably mention that he hasn't averaged 30 minutes a game for a whole season, excepting the year he spent with Phoenix's amazing medical staff, since 2006. Of course, he's been missing games and playing short minutes for much of his career, which is technically the definition of consistent. Point, Shaq.

Despite his protestations, Shaq isn't really concerned with consistency. He's actually concerned with domination, which inspired Shaq's favorite nickname — Most Dominant Ever. If you ask him, that hasn't changed.

Do you still consider yourself one of the best players in the game?

Everyone always wants the title as the best player in the game. I own my title, and I still own it to this day. A lot of people want to take shots now, but I'm 38. But the only person in the league that slowed me down was a brother named father time, and that's life, it slows everybody down. But no big man is ever going to do what I and Tim Duncan have done in our careers. It was time for 10 consecutive years that either me or Tim was in the NBA Finals. It was broken two years, but there will never be another big guy to do that.

Another good point by Shaq since he is indeed 38. Of course, that doesn't really answer the question that Reid was asking. Yeah, when Shaq gets the ball, he puts it in the hoop. But nowadays, that's about all he can handle, and he can't do it quite as often as he used to. So to answer the question — no, Shaq isn't one of the best players in the game.

The Duncan/Shaq thing is kind of a cop-out too, and not just because it has almost nothing to do with whether or not Shaq is one of the best players in the game. Yeah, Shaq made the finals five times, but he wasn't the best player on his own team for the trip with the Heat, plus he lost to the Pistons in 2004. Duncan went four times and won four titles, all while being the focal point of his franchise. And let's not get in to the fact that combining careers is silly. It's not like anyone's arguing that Steve Kerr and Robert Horry are two of the most dominant players ever because they alternated titles for a decade. Specious argument, Shaq.

There is a lot more good stuff in Reid's interview with Shaq. For instance, he wanted out of Miami because he didn't like Pat Riley's five-hour practices and he was almost traded to Utah after the situation went bad in Los Angeles. Mostly though, it's Shaq talking about how amazing he has been throughout his career, which is always interesting if not always accurate.

But perhaps the best news of all is that Shaq's long-dormant police-officer career — remember, he had his fake badge revoked after his anti-Kobe rap — is still thriving.

Once you are done with basketball, do you plan to enter law enforcement full-time?

I'm either going to be the sheriff in Baton Rouge, Miami or Los Angeles. One of those counties is going to have to welcome me in.

In two years — when Shaq says he's retiring — Baton Rouge, Miami or Los Angeles are going to get a whole lot safer. Good news for those cities, bad news for criminals. Also, probably good news for protective metal suit makers.

Each weekday morning, BDL serves up a handful of NBA-related stories to digest with your yogdawgs.

Michael Lee, Washington Post: Andray Blatche assured me in a text message today that he will be ready when training camp begins on Sept. 28. Blatche had his boot removed about 10 days ago and has been moving without discomfort, Wizards President Ernie Grunfeld said on Monday. Grunfeld would not commit to a time when Blatche would be back on the court. Although Blatche has been riding a bike and working on the elliptical machine in recent days, Grunfeld said he has yet to be cleared to participate in basketball related activities. Grunfeld added that Blatche was able to keep down his weight despite limited mobility. "He's making good progress," Grunfeld said, "but we're not going to rush."

John Reid, New Orleans Times-Picayune: With three weeks remaining until training camp opens, New Orleans Hornets Coach Monty Williams said he's done talking about it. Williams, who was hired in June to replace Jeff Bower, said he has spoken frequently with all of the current Hornets' players either by phone, text messages or sit-downs over lunch or dinner this summer to discuss plans, expectations or to address any concerns. "I feel like I've been on the campaign trail," Williams said. "I'm done talking about what we're going to do. Now we've got to go out and do it." Williams said he plans for the Hornets to be an up-tempo team behind All-Star point guard Chris Paul, but his emphasis will be toward becoming a better defensive team. Starting forward David West and starting center Emeka Okafor struggled as post defenders last season, but Williams said his evaluations will not be based on what they did last season. "My job is to blend both what David brings to the table and the style of play we want to do, '' Williams said. "The reality is we can't do any of this stuff that everybody wants if we don't defend. I've talked to Emeka about a number of things. My thing with him is that I'm not going to judge him or anyone based on what I heard. That's not fair. But our guys have already let it be known that they want to play defense.''

Charles F. Gardner, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Brandon Jennings, Andrew Bogut and most of the other Milwaukee Bucks players will be returning Tuesday as informal workouts begin at the Cousins Center training facility, with the start of training camp about three weeks away. But a few players already have been working out, including rookie forward Larry Sanders and second-year forward Jon Brockman. They have been putting in time with coaches Kelvin Sampson, Bill Peterson and Adrian Griffin. "I definitely want to get some conditioning in," Sanders said after a recent workout. "I don't want to use training camp to get in shape. And it's good just to get settled here in Milwaukee." The 6-foot-11 Sanders made a solid showing in the Las Vegas summer league as he averaged 14 points, 8.4 rebounds and 3.2 blocks in five games with the Bucks squad. Sanders perfectly fit the profile of a young, athletic big man the Bucks needed. Milwaukee addressed the need by selecting Sanders with the 15th overall pick in the June draft and later bolstered the front court by trading for small forward Corey Maggette and signing veteran free agent power forward Drew Gooden, who finished last season with the Los Angeles Clippers. "We're versatile up front," Bucks coach Scott Skiles said. "It will be interesting to see how it plays out. I knew we had to get bigger, longer and right now I feel we were able to do so. We'll see who fits in where." Sanders knows he is joining a 46-victory team that has even greater aspirations this season, so he simply wants to be ready. "I've been working on everything, from my ball handling to touch around the basket," the former Virginia Commonwealth player said. "I see myself not so much as a big man but as a bigger player. I play basketball."

Mike Tokito, The Oregonian: He started the World Championships poorly, but Rudy Fernandez has otherwise been solid, if not spectacular, for Spain in Turkey even as his name continues to make the trade rumor rounds. On Saturday, Fernandez shot 4 for 7 from the field and had 14 points to help Spain to a 80-72 victory over Greece in eighth finals. Spain will take on Serbia in the quarterfinals Wednesday. After going 3 for 10 in a tournament-opening loss to France, Fernandez has been a steady contributor for Spain. He is averaging 13.0 points and, perhaps surprisingly, a team-high 6.5 rebounds. He is shooting well, at 53.7 percent from the field, including 46.2 from three-point range. If he posted those kinds of numbers for the Blazers, it's hard to imagine anyone wanting him traded. But plenty of Blazers fans seem to want Fernandez gone, especially after his agent, Andy Miller, said three weeks ago that Fernandez would be willing to sit out the final two years of his contract if Portland does not trade him. There were reports last week that the Knicks rejected a three-team deal that would have sent Fernandez to New York, Anthony Randolph to the Pacers, and an Indiana first-round pick to Portland. The Knicks, several reports say, had offered forward Wilson Chandler to Portland for Fernandez, but the Blazers apparently aren't interested in Chandler, a talented forward who was arrested for marijuana possession in May. There also is a conflicting report by Newsday's Alan Hahn that Blazers GM Rich Cho has yet to call Knicks president Donnie Walsh to pick up trade talks started by his predecessor, Kevin Pritchard, who Hahn speculates talked to Walsh about taking two second-round picks for Fernandez. Hahn also casts doubts on Chandler being offered to the Blazers and the three-team deal.

Michael Cunningham, Atlanta Journal Constitution: French club Le Havre announced on its Web site that it has completed a buyout of Pape Sy's contract. The Hawks haven't received the paperwork and so don't consider the deal to be official but they are optimistic there will be no snags.

Mike Gantner, Toronto Sun: Hedo Turkoglu did all his talking on the floor Sunday night. Had he taken that approach in his season in Toronto not to mention an off-season spent slagging the organization that brought him there, Turkoglu might still have a few fans left in Canada. As it is, he's probably not missing any of you. Not when he's the biggest sporting entity in his home country of Turkey. That spot of honour was only further solidified after leading the Turkish team into the quarter finals of the FIBA world championship with a 20-point evening that included going 4-of-7 from three point range as Turkey demolished France 95-77. This was not the Turkoglu Torontonians witnessed. The goofy smiles and clowning around with opponents that marked his time in Toronto was replaced by a game-faced Turkoglu ready to do what needed to be done. If Turkoglu actually takes Turkey to a world championship title, a distinct possibility with the combination of tight defence and team-play on offence they are showing, bronze statues of Turkoglu will likely begin popping up all over the country. Hedo's stature here is so big he even appears to live beyond FIBA rules. After the game, Turkoglu somehow managed to avoid the mixed zone, a walk all players are mandated to do by FIBA rule following every game. It forces players to at least turn down shouted interview requests if they choose. But we didn't get to hear a single "Ball" uttered from the Turkish captain, as the French and Turkish teams went past because he never made the same journey. Still, it's probably for the best. Every time he has opened his mouth this off-season to say something about his one pitiful year in Toronto, he has only managed to further alienate a fan base that couldn't be happier he'll be playing in Phoenix next season. But don't cry for Hedo Turkoglu. Any standing he's lost in Canada, he has more than made up for right here at home.

The Hoops Market: Smush Parker, former player of Lakers, Pistons and Cavaliers, among other NBA teams, will continue his career in Russia. Spartak St. Petersburg has officially announced the signing to a one-year contract fo the 29-year-old American guard, who played last season in the Chinese league. Parker averaged 18.7 points, 6.2 rebounds and 5.7 assists per game in the CBA for Guandong.

Gregg Krupa, Detroit News: According to sources close to the search for a new owner, Gores; the Ilitch family; George Postolos, a former executive with the Rockets who assembles groups interested in buying NBA franchises; and an unidentified group of investors from Dubai, United Arab Emirates, are all in the hunt for the Pistons.

There has been a whole lot of player movement this offseason, obviously. Big names, small names, some as big as your head — players be switchin' teams. So many changes were made that it's kind of hard to keep track of where everybody ended up. For instance, Ramon Sessions is on the Cavaliers now, which totally slips my mind every time I think about how bad Cleveland is going to be next season.

It's easy to assume that the players themselves can keep up with all the changes. As we've learned this summer, all of these guys are best friends, so it only makes sense that they'd remember where their friends are playing. Or, for that matter, where they're playing. However, Amar'e Stoudemire seems to be having a little trouble keeping everything straight. From the Arizona Republic's Paul Coro:

Wednesday was like any early September day at US Airways Center the past eight years.

Always an early-summer arrival, Amar'e Stoudemire was working out in the training room, playing informal games with some Suns and leaving last after a rigorous individual session.

Even though he wore Suns shorts, he was just visiting an old home now that he's a member of the New York Knicks. It is a common open-door policy for NBA players to work out in opposing arenas, but Stoudemire did not expect to find a game to join, and he needed to borrow shorts.

Whoops, wrong team. It's easy to confuse the Suns and the Knicks, what with the orange and the Mike D'Antoni and all, but someone should remind Amar'e Stoudemire he plays in New York now. Otherwise, this is going to get awkward really fast. And can we get him some shorts, too? The man needs some shorts.

Just kidding, guys. Amar'e Stoudemire totally knows who he plays for and was just back for a nice visit with his former team, which is pretty common if not a little weird. After publicly stating he wanted to remain with the team, it's kind of surprising that Stoudemire would be welcomed back with arms wide open, under the Suns-light. But according to Amar'e, his departure from Phoenix was amicable.

Again, from Paul Coro:

Three months after signing a five-year, $99.7 million deal with New York, Stoudemire, who played eight years with Phoenix, said he is not used to his new life. But he has no hard feelings about his departure.

Managing Partner Robert Sarver offered him a five-year, $96.6 million contract with $56 million guaranteed and the rest kicking in if Stoudemire logged significant minutes in the third and fourth years.

"It was fair from Robert's standpoint," Stoudemire said. "I understand his concerns, which were injuries and health. There are no hard feelings at all. From a security standpoint for myself and with as much work as I put in on the court, I was after a greater goal. It was a fair offer from his standpoint. We still talk and have a good friendship.

"The greater goal was to have a sense of security. I didn't want a football deal (with some or all of the money non-guaranteed). I want a NBA deal. That's what I ended up getting."

Makes sense to me. Amar'e is a guy who's suffered injuries in the past, and if a team is going to offer him more money — all of which is guaranteed — then he'd be silly to not take it. And despite his clothing and name punctuation choices, Amar'e's not silly.

But he's also not a Sun, which is what makes this so funny. Someone please get him to New York so he can get used to playing with point guards who don't pass him the ball exactly where he wants it every time he's open. And seriously, someone get him some shorts.

Each weekday morning, BDL serves up a handful of NBA-related stories to digest with your Snickers Marathon bar.

Gary Washburn, Boston Globe: Celtics president Danny Ainge has spent his summer vacation plucking unwanted players from other teams, bolstering his lineup on a shoestring budget, bringing a series of big names with formerly big games to Boston. His latest move might become his most scrutinized if the acquisition of Delonte West does not turn out to be beneficial. A free agent looking for a team to take a chance, West agreed to a nonguaranteed deal yesterday with the Celtics, his second go-round with the team. The deal means West can be released before Jan. 10 without the Celtics being responsible for the remainder of his contract. West received $500,000 as a buyout from the Timberwolves when he was waived Aug. 3. Ainge has always admired West's talents, and the swingman played his best basketball while in Boston. But his salary and Wally Szczerbiak's, plus the draft rights to Jeff Green, were required for Ainge to obtain Ray Allen from Seattle in July 2007. After Seattle sent West to Cleveland a few months later, he enjoyed a solid 2008-09 season with the Cavaliers, who lost to Orlando in the Eastern Conference finals. But the trouble that had plagued West's career returned with a weapons charge in September 2009. Riding a three-wheeled motorcycle, West was stopped in suburban Washington, D.C., carrying three guns and a knife. He pleaded guilty to weapons charges and was sentenced to home confinement, but a Maryland judge ruled that he could travel with his next NBA team. The league assessed West a 10-game suspension for pleading guilty and he won't be eligible to play for Boston until a Nov. 17 home game against the Wizards. Despite his well-chronicled troubles - including rumors of an icy relationship with LeBron James in Cleveland - West never left the good graces of Ainge, who has been seeking a swingman since the departure of Tony Allen to Memphis. "Delonte has been one of my favorite players that I enjoyed watching in my time here with the Celtics,'' said Ainge. "He is a competitor and we're all aware and we've done a lot of checks and had a lot of conversation with Delonte and his people and we obviously have a long history with Delonte also and we think he can help us win.''

Marc Berman, New York Post: [Toney] Douglas, the Knicks' most tenacious defender, said one of the reasons he has worked so hard is he wants to be a leader this season. There were none during last season's 29-53 campaign. "I had an OK rookie year, but this year I want to be more vocal and be one of the leaders on the court," Douglas said. "At the same time, you can't be a leader if you don't hold up your end of the bargain. If people are slacking, I'll tell them. If I'm slacking, I want them to tell me." Douglas is now working out with Danilo Gallinari, who spent almost all of the offseason in Italy, Wilson Chandler, Amar'e Stoudemire, Anthony Randolph and Rony Turiaf. According to Douglas, newcomer Kelanna Azubuike is not yet working at Westchester and still is doing offcourt rehab after missing most of last season with a torn tendon in his left knee. It's looking more doubtful the shooting guard will be 100 percent when training camp opens on Sept. 25. After Labor Day, Douglas said he expects to be joined by more teammates so they can begin scrimmaging. "We're just building relationships now," Douglas said. "It's almost a totally new team. I've been working on the pick and roll with Amar'e. So there'll be a better bond when training camp starts."

Jeff McDonald, San Antonio Express-News: Spurs holdovers and hopefuls were back at it Tuesday morning in the team's practice facility. Those working out included familiar faces (Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, George Hill), young players hoping to solidify a roster spot (Garrett Temple, Curtis Jerrells) and free agents auditioning for an offer (Jawad Williams, Darius Miles). One player unable to participate in said activities: First-round draft pick James Anderson. Anderson was up at the practice facility Tuesday, lifting weights and working on conditioning with the team's strength staff. In the final stages of recovering from a hamstring strain that has plagued him since before draft day, Anderson has yet to join his new teammates for any sort of on-court basketball activities. "I think I'm getting back to 100 percent," Anderson said Tuesday. "I'm about 95 percent right now. Just working my way back up."

Ira Winderman, South Florida Sun Sentinel: With the start of training camp less than four weeks away, the Miami Heat might find themselves shorthanded at point guard for those opening drills, despite a roster than now includes 18 players fighting for 15 regular-season spots. Carlos Arroyo, who finished last season as the team's starting point guard, remains sidelined at the World Championships in Turkey due to a deep bruise in his left quadriceps. Mario Chalmers, the third-year guard expected to challenge for the starting role this season, is listed as "questionable" by the Heat for the Sept. 28 start of training camp, after suffering a high ankle sprain during July workouts. The only other point guards on the roster are summer-league prospects Patrick Beverley and Kenny Hasbrouck, with each yet to appear in an NBA regular-season game, and veteran combo guard Eddie House, the free agent signed away from the New York Knicks who is considered more of a scorer than playmaker.

Kevin Ding, Orange County Register: Lakers rookie Derrick Caracter has thought better of reminding everyone besides himself he dropped all the way to the No. 58 overall pick in the NBA draft. Caracter is planning to wear No. 45 with the Lakers instead of the No. 58 he previously chose. Caracter will have to make the team to make it matter, but he and fellow rookie Devin Ebanks had good summer-league time under new full-time Lakers assistant Chuck Person - whose No. 45 jersey hangs from the rafters at his alma mater, Auburn, and served him well in his NBA career.

Nesha Starcevic, AP: Top-ranked Argentina won its fourth straight game at the basketball world championship by defeating winless Jordan 88-79. Luis Scola scored 30 points, his third straight game with 30 or more, and had 13 rebounds. Carlos Delfino added 18 points. Rasheim Wright had 22 for Jordan and Ayman Idais scored 20.

AP: Jonas Maciulis had 19 points and Linas Kleiza(notes) added 15 points as Lithuania beat France 69-55 Wednesday to clinch top spot in Group D at the basketball world championship. "It's a big step," Lithuanian coach Kestutis Kemzura said. "But all the interesting things are just starting." Lithuania (4-0) handed France (3-1) its first defeat and, after playing Lebanon (1-3) on Thursday, will face the fourth seed of Group C - likely Greece, Russia, China or Puerto Rico - in Istanbul on Tuesday.

Selcan Hacaoglu, AP: Host Turkey maintained its perfect record at the basketball world championship by narrowly beating Puerto Rico 79-77 Wednesday, despite trailing its rival in the first three quarters. Hidayet Turkoglu of Phoenix Suns led Turkey (4-0) with 16 points and Ersan Ilyasova of the Milwaukee Bucks had double-double with 13 points and 13 rebounds as the host team pulled away in the last quarter. Puerto Rico (1-3), which desperately needed a win to guarantee a spot in the second round, squandered a three-quarter lead over Turkey. "We won when the Puerto Ricans began to get tired physically," said Turkey's assistant coach Orhun Ene. "If we can eliminate our mistakes than we can be more successful in the upcoming rounds. We will play China next. We want to win every match."

Mike McGraw, Daily Herald: The Bulls are getting closer to hiring an assistant coach. It looks like the candidates are former Bucks and Suns head coach Terry Porter, along with former Bulls forward Adrian Griffin. Griffin retired as a player a couple years ago and joined Scott Skiles' coaching staff in Milwaukee. One issue the Bulls may be dealing with is whether or not the Bucks are willing to let Griffin leave. Porter has been out of the league since being fired by Phoenix during the 2008-09 season and appears ready to get back into coaching. Milwaukee assistant Kelvin Sampson, rumored to be a candidate, was never in the mix with the Bulls, according to multiple sources. Another rumored Bulls' target, former Kings and Warriors head coach Eric Musselman, has ties with Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau. Musselman's father, Bill, first brought Thibodeau to the NBA with the expansion Minnesota Timberwolves. But with the Bulls moving Pete Myers off the bench, this hire is clearly targeting a former NBA player and Musselman does not qualify.

Each weekday morning, BDL serves up a handful of NBA-related stories to digest with your tuna fish sandwich.

Charles F. Gardner, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Andrew Bogut's terrible tumble put a hurt on the Milwaukee Bucks' playoff hopes last spring. Bogut suffered a gruesome, season-ending injury when he hit the Bradley Center floor after dunking the ball against Phoenix on April 3, and the 7-foot center suffered broken bones in his right wrist, a fractured right hand and index finger and dislocated right elbow. Now the focus switches to the upcoming season and Bogut's ability to make a full recovery. He has been working diligently on his rehabilitation routine in his hometown of Melbourne, Australia, and is expected to return to Milwaukee on Tuesday as players begin arriving for informal workouts in anticipation of the 2010-'11 season. It's unclear when Bogut will be ready to resume his place in the Bucks' lineup, but team officials remain optimistic about his recovery. "Our hope and anticipation is that Andrew will be ready to go when the season begins," Bucks general manager John Hammond said. "The great thing about going through this process with Andrew is he's proven to us as an organization and to our fans that his effort, energy and toughness will never be questioned." The Bucks have made a serious effort to strengthen their front court during the off-season, signing free agent power forward Drew Gooden, acquiring power forward Jon Brockman in a trade with Sacramento and drafting 6-foot-11 Larry Sanders in the first round. Those players will join Bogut, third-year forward Luc Richard Mbah a Moute and 6-10 Ersan Ilyasova, along with small forwards Carlos Delfino and Corey Maggette. But Bogut's health will be the most closely watched issue when training camp opens in late September. The Bucks will play eight pre-season games before opening the regular season Oct. 27 at New Orleans. "Saying it was significant is an understatement," Bucks coach Scott Skiles said of Bogut's injury. "It was a terrible fall. Everybody who saw it knew immediately he was out for a long time. We're glad he's doing real well and hopeful there aren't any setbacks and he'll be ready to go."

Chris Dempsey, Denver Post: Nuggets coach George Karl, having cleared every major hurdle in his latest bout with cancer, has little doubt he'll be back for the upcoming season. "I'm not sure it's official. Before we make that declaration, there's probably one or two more doctor's appointments that I want to get done," Karl said Tuesday. "But my mind slot is: Get ready." Karl missed the majority of the last two months of the regular season and all of the playoffs last spring as he battled neck and throat cancer. With the help of his life partner, Kim Van Deraa, and other friends and family members, Karl is on track to getting back in the coach's chair.

Mike Monroe, San Antonio Express-News: From a Spurs roster once described as older than dirt has sprung a new cadre of players characterized as younger than saplings. Unless additional 30-something players are signed before training camp opens on Sept. 27, only three Spurs - Antonio McDyess (36), Tim Duncan (34) and Manu Ginobili (33) - will be older than 30. Richard Jefferson and Matt Bonner turned 30 in recent months. The rest of the opening night roster likely will include at least five players between the ages of 21 and 25. "We used to talk about how old we are," general manager R.C. Buford said. "Now we have (three) guys above 30 but a lot of fresh, new faces. It's exciting to me, but it probably scares the coaches to death." Little wonder, then, that Spurs assistant coach Chad Forcier, tasked primarily with player development, has hop-scotched the country this summer working with Spurs, young and old, seeking to improve their games. "I've been pretty busy," Forcier said during a phone interview conducted, appropriately enough, while awaiting a flight connection at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport. "I've logged a lot of miles."

Steve Hunt, FOX Sports: Ekpe Udoh admits at this time a year ago, being in the NBA was something he considered nothing more than an outside possibility. And the ex-Baylor basketball star never thought he'd be a lottery pick. "No [I never thought I'd be here]. It's one of those things that Coach [Scott] Drew said was a possibility," he said by phone. "We had to keep on winning and everything fell into place. It's just a dream come true." But it will be a while before he's back on the court. Udoh had surgery to repair a torn ligament in his left wrist in July and is expected to miss about six months. That means he could make his professional debut sometime after the calendar turns to 2011. "I haven't started rehabbing yet. I'm just working out, focusing on my core and trying to get stronger," he said. "It was tough at first once it happened. But I realized, this is going to happen in my career. I've just got to take it and get better." Developing a stronger core is something he feels will pay big dividends once he does return to the court later this year. "I won't be back until January or February. The biggest adjustment will be the speed of the game and the physicality," Udoh said. "I'm working on that now with my core and my lower legs. Those are the two things I've got to work on to be able to adapt to the NBA."

Ronald Tillery, Memphis Commercial Appeal: Grizzlies general manager Chris Wallace is in Israel working a basketball camp. Head coach Lionel Hollins and reserve center Hasheem Thabeet recently participated in an NBA-sponsored camp in Africa. Now, starting center Marc Gasol is preparing to do his part to promote the game outside the United States. Gasol, joined by his brother (and former Griz) Pau Gasol, will help host the first Basketball Without Borders event to take place in Spain from Sept. 16-19. Rudy Fernandez (Portland) will also participate in the program, which will take place in Barcelona, Spain at Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper.

Pete Thamel, New York Times: The shrill whistles, the deafening din of Thundersticks and singsong chants began a half-hour before Greece played Turkey at the world championships. Centuries of tension between these ancient rivals reverberated during each possession. "Certainly, Greece and Turkey have never been any kind of allies - ever," said Ilter Orbayli, one of Turkey's pre-eminent historians and the director of Topkapi Palace. "So the rivalry, of course, is very high." Amid an atmosphere than makes Red Sox-Yankees or Auburn-Alabama feel like pillow fights or patty-cake, Turkey pulled away for an impressive 76-65 victory. Turkey improved to 3-0 in Group C. The game showed that any game featuring the Turks in the knockout round will be a daunting contest. "Our fans are great today," the Turkish guard Kerem Tunceri said. "Before the tournament here, we talked a lot about this. When we get down they help us a lot. We have to use it." Despite being NATO allies, there is a reason Greece and Turkey celebrate their national days of independence because of victories over the other. They have fought four wars since the late 1890s, but with foreign ministers from both counties in the stands, there is an appearance of an active effort of cooperation. The Turkish coach, Bogdan Tanjevic, who is from Montenegro, called the game a "gentleman's fight."

RealGM: Thunder Executive Vice President and General Manager Sam Presti announced today a restructuring of the Thunder Basketball Operations department. The Thunder promoted Troy Weaver to VP/Assistant General Manager, Rob Hennigan to Assistant General Manager/Player Personnel, Paul Rivers to Director of Minor League Operations and Basketball Technology and Brandon Barnett to Director of Minor League Scouting and Manager of Minor League Operations. The team added Michael Winger as Assistant General Manager/Legal and Administration and David Vanterpool as Pro Scout.

Shandel Richardson, South Florida Sun Sentinel: An offseason of change continued for newly-acquired Heat forward Chris Bosh. Bosh, who left Toronto after seven seasons and spent the summer trying to boost his commercial appeal, now has a fiancée. He was recently engaged to girlfriend Adrienne Williams, according to the New York Post. The paper, quoting an anonymous source, said Bosh proposed Friday outside their Miami home. The news will keep Bosh in the headlines. He's openly said he wants to improve his marketability. This summer, Bosh guested in HBO's "Entourage" and joined the Got Milk? ad campaign. "I mean, basketball will pretty much take care of itself," Bosh said recently . "There's more to life than basketball. I can't play this game my whole life. I'm just trying to figure out what I like to do and meet some cool people along the way."