The South Florida Sun-Sentinel (Ira Winderman) reports: A year after entering Miami Heat training camp as a longshot prospect, Joel Anthony has moved into the mix for significant minutes this season at center. Asked to name someone who has stood out over the first five days of training camp, first-year coach Erik Spoelstra today cited the 6-foot-9 undrafted shot-blocker out of UNLV. “I don’t know why I would be surprised about Joel, because he’s been such an incredible hard worker for the last year,” Spoelstra said. “But he’s had a terrific camp so far and his energy has been incredible, with his athleticism. “He’s probably in the best shape of anybody in the camp, and he’s really got an idea of what we’re trying to do. He’s really made strides offensively, even.”
InsideHoops.com editor says: In training camp and preseason, coaches have a habit of tossing praise at deep bench players who are “working extra hard.” Hard work is great and all, but 9 times out of 10 the player remains glued to the bench once the regular season rolls around.
The Houston Chronicle (Jonathan Feigen) reports: Yao Ming again declared the condition of his foot at 100 percent, showing the familiar sense of humor that had abandoned him when a third consecutive season was interrupted by a major injury. “I feel good,” he said. “I can’t say it’s like brand new, but it’s like my foot.” Yao has looked forward to a chance to start over since he blamed himself for the Rockets’ first-round exit last spring in Salt Lake City. As much as he cherished his experiences in the Beijing Olympics, he said Tuesday that in many ways it was valuable as preparation for the Rockets’ season to come, forcing him to prepare early and then pushing his conditioning to the point he reported 13 pounds lighter than last season and feeling far more fit than a month ago.
The Deseret News (Tim Buckley) reports: The Jazz have discussed contract extensions with the camps of both starting power forward Carlos Boozer and starting center Mehmet Okur, general manager Kevin O’Connor said during the team’s opening session of training camp here Tuesday morning. But Boozer doesn’t plan to decide anything until next offseason, including whether to extend or pursue opportunities in the free-agency market, he said before the Jazz’s evening workout. “We’re going to enjoy this season and play basketball,” Boozer said. “I look forward to having an opportunity to win, and hopefully win a championship… Boozer, an All-Star the past two seasons, currently is in the fifth year of a six-year, $68 million deal.
The San Antonio Express-News (Jeff McDonald) reports: Manu Ginobili, the Spurs’ leading scorer last season, will miss at least all of November while recuperating, coach Gregg Popovich said. “Manu will be out 20 to 25 games – until mid-December at the latest,” Popovich said on the eve of Spurs training camp. Doctors initially gave Ginobili a timetable of 8-12 weeks for recovery. The most optimistic end of that spectrum would put him back in uniform for the start of the regular-season. For now, it appears the Spurs will approach Ginobili’s return more cautiously. When training camp begins today, Ginobili, 31, will be a non-participant. He has been able to walk without crutches and without pain for some time but has not been cleared to participate in any activities other than swimming and weightlifting.
The Detroit News reports: Rasheed Wallace said that he didn’t really have a disconnect with former coach Flip Saunders, though it was clear that Saunders had lost the respect of the older players. “It was just with us as vets and he really didn’t want to listen to us,” Wallace said. “That’s what really hurt him.” Speaking on radio station WDFN, Wallace used this analogy: “If you mess up a guy’s desk and throw coffee on it every day and he doesn’t do anything to stop you, are you going to respect him?” Wallace, though, didn’t blame Saunders for the team’s failures against the Celtics. “Basically, it was just not our time,” he said. “That’s just the way the ball bounces sometimes. I think we were all positive and thought that we would beat Boston. But we can’t cry over spilled milk now. We just have to go out and prove to all the naysayers that are saying we’re too old and our window is closed and all this and that — we have to prove them wrong.”
The Dallas Morning News (David Moore) reports: Mark Cuban said multiple players told him they wanted to be traded if Avery Johnson returned as coach this season… Cuban said these sentiments were relayed to him by the players or their agents over the course of last season… When asked if more than five players requested a trade, Cuban said yes. More than seven? “Close,” Cuban said.
The Arlington Heights Daily Herald (Mike McGraw) reports: Bulls general manager John Paxson on third-year forward Tyrus Thomas, who seemed to regress after a promising rookie season: “I don’t want to put a lot of undue pressure on Tyrus, but this is a big, big year for him,” Paxson said. “I was really pleased at the commitment he made this summer, because he spent time in the gym. He still has a long way to go, but I hope that he has a great camp, because he did put the time in this summer to put himself in good position.”
The Press-Enterprise (Jeff Eisenberg) reports: Luke Walton said he’s still “a couple weeks” from playing in 5-on-5 games during practice, but his surgically repaired right ankle is strong enough for him to run and lift weights in the meantime. “It (stinks) because there’s so much you get done in training camp,” Walton said. “Everyone knows we have a deep team and guys who can play multiple positions, so there’s going to be a lot of competition for playing time. To be out early, is a little disadvantage, but hopefully they know what I can do.”