To a degree, Wade said it is essential that he, James and Chris Bosh continue to evolve, that each add enough nuance to their games that it forces Spoelstra to reach the level of creativity he achieved last season.

“You never know what player is going to start off and be playing a certain way and you switch things up a little bit,” Wade said. “But we have that luxury, because we have not only three marquee players, but we have a lot of other players on our team that’s very capable, highly capable, and very good.”

And there will be decisions to be made, from how to maximize [Ray] Allen’s role in the rotation, as stressed during his recruitment, to where to play [Rashard] Lewis, with length suited for the power rotation but a frame more befitting a perimeter player.

“So our plan to come out,” Wade said, “is, let’s get together as a team, let’s get our team defensive concepts down, let’s get our offensive continuity down and  we’ll see what comes out of that.”

– Reported by Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel

When Blake Griffin injured his knee on July 11 while training with Team USA, his chance to represent his country at the Olympics ended.

Griffin had surgery on July 16 to repair torn cartilage in his left knee and it has healed to the point where he is working out.

“I came back after surgery and started rehabbing and getting back into it. I’ve been shooting and lifting [weights] and all that for a while now,” Griffin told the Los Angeles Times on Friday. “So, I’m pretty much back at 100%, been back at 100% for a little bit. So I’m good.”

– Reported by CSN Philly

The Nets have yet to play a single as a game as a Brooklyn franchise - or unveil their uniforms, for that matter - but they’re already targeting a championship in Year 1.

Cornerstones Brook Lopez and Joe Johnson set the lofty tone in recent interviews, buoyed by the Nets’ expensive offseason.

“Obviously our main goal is no question the NBA championship. I think it is realistic for us,” Lopez told the Philipine Star during his NBA goodwill tour of the Philippines. “We’re already a good playoff team so with the addition of other pieces, we can target the ring.”

Johnson echoed that sentiment to Sports Illustrated, continuing his confident evaluations of his new squad. During Johnson’s introductory press conference in July, he declared the Nets were “definitely” already better than the Knicks.

– Reported by Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News