K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune: "After missing four practices and signing a one-year tender offer for $6.4 million, Ben Gordon joined his teammates on the Berto Center practice floor Thursday morning. Perhaps the most surprising twist to this saga came late Wednesday, when Raymond Brothers, Gordon's agent, said in a phone interview that he'd be willing to negotiate again with the Bulls next summer when Gordon is an unrestricted free agent. This despite failing to reach terms on an extension for two straight summers. 'Ben is excited to be with the Bulls again this season and is looking forward to being the best teammate he can be,' said Raymond Brothers, Gordon's agent. 'And he will keep the window open to negotiate with the Bulls next summer.'"
Eddie Sefko of The Dallas Morning News: "Avery Johnson has made the decision to stay quiet for now. That's smart. Nothing he can say will help the situation at this point, other than perhaps poking barbs at the Mavericks and Rick Carlisle. But if Avery did want to air his thoughts, I'd bet it would go something like this: So I'm to blame for getting the Mavericks to the NBA Finals for the only time in franchise history? So I'm to blame for coaching Dirk Nowitzki while he wins the only MVP award in franchise history? So I'm to blame for stifling the offense, when we had a defense that rose into the top 10 in the league? OK, I can deal with that."
A. Sherrod Blakely of Booth Newspapers: "Detroit's loss in the Eastern Conference finals for the third year in a row changed things. Chauncey Billups' health being less than 100 percent for the second consecutive postseason -- that changed things, too. And the emergence of Rodney Stuckey as Billups' eventual replacement changed things. It all added up to a summer in which Billups' name, arguably more than any other Piston, was at the center of potential trade talk. 'When you lose, somebody's going to take the blame,' Billups said. 'And most of the time, it's the captain or the best player who is going to take a lot of that blame. You have to take the good with the bad.' Billups said he won't need to use the possibility of being traded as added motivation heading into the season, which began this week with training camp."
Marcus Thompson II of the Contra Costa Times: "Your starting PG is ... C.J. Watson! You know I like C.J's game. But if he is the starting PG, the Warriors are done. Nonetheless, Nellie said it's his job to lose at this point. Watson has the advantage of knowing the offense and being quicker than Marcus Williams. Of course, we've heard Nellie's early prognostications before. Remember Belinelli was looking like the starting off guard two summers ago?"
Fran Blinebury of the Houston Chronicle: "The Rockets are telling us to 'Get Red.' Would that be Auerbach, Holzman, Adair, Buttons, Skelton or Hot Chili Peppers? As marketing slogans go, it's, well, a marketing slogan. I think. It certainly is not as bold and direct as last year: 'It's Time.' Of course, that didn't work out so well and one might make the argument that last year already left the Rockets looking quite red. As in embarrassed, shamed, red-faced. Or bloodied. Again."
Ramona Shelburne of the Los Angeles Daily News: "I've had a chance to speak with a few more people about the Shaun Livingston situation in the last few days and get a better sense of just how serious the club is about bringing him back. The last conversation the Clippers have had with free-agent guard Shaun Livingston came in the beginning of August, when it offered him a two-year deal and Livingston passed on it. That deal was for a minimum salary and was guaranteed. Livingston would've had an option for the second year. While that deal isn't officially still on the table, the door is more than open. Though I'm told that it's Livingston and his agent who would need to re-open talks."
Janis Carr of The Orange County Register: "Trevor Ariza hates milk. Never drank it as a child outside of what he poured on his breakfast cereal. His mother tried to get him to drink more milk. He said he stayed away from it because he just doesn't like the taste. Ariza's milk story is a cautionary tale. His lack of calcium, doctors have told him, led to a Vitamin D deficiency and ultimately to weak bones. It's a key reason behind his fractured foot he suffered last season."
Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel: "Coach Erik Spoelstra addressed situation at point guard in both general terms and specifics after Thursday morning's practice, making it look more and more as if Chris Quinn has emerged as the clear frontrunner ahead of Marcus Banks and Mario Chalmers."
John Denton of Florida Today: "Despite losing weight and getting back healthy over the summer, Orlando Magic forward Brian Cook has still managed to work his way into head coach Stan Van Gundy's doghouse. Three days into training camp and it's already apparent that Cook's conditioning isn't where the Magic would like for it to be. It certainly isn't a serious situation this early in camp, as Van Gundy pointed out, but it could hurt Cook's chances of getting significant minutes off the bench as the backup power forward."
Ivan Carter of The Washington Post: "Center Brendan Haywood sprained his right wrist during drills this morning at practice and was wearing a brace when he returned to watch the end of the workout. His status for tomorrow evening's intersquad scrimmage is unknown. He will undergo further evaluation this afternoon. 'I'm not a doctor so I don't know what exactly it is, but we'll find out,' Haywood said."
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