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A while ago, I waxed poetic that I'd like to see Seattle free agent guard Antonio Daniels return to Portland.

It appears the Blazers feel the same way. Blazers brass had dinner with Antonio Daniels and his agent, and the way Jim Beseda reports it in the Oregonian, it sounds like new coach Nate McMillan's integrity is paying off already:

"I played my best basketball under Nate, and I don't think that was by accident," Daniels said while watching some of Wednesday's Vegas Summer League games at UNLV's Cox Pavilion. "As a former player, he understands a lot about the game, and one thing I love about him is he finds a way to bring out the best in his players.

"And he's always straight up with me. I'm being honest; you can't take that for granted."

People haven't talked about the Blazers like that in some time. Here's hoping they start to become a magnet team for good guys like Daniels.There's still an excellent chance Daniels will go elsewhere, but given all the great teams who want him, it's fantastic Portland is in the mix--even though the team's in a major cost-cutting mode.

By the way, the same article also mentions a little mini-storm brewing between the Timberwolves and the Blazers. It's increasingly likely former Sonic assistant Dean Demopoulos will follow the McMillan magnet to Portland. Minnesota's new head coach Dwane Casey, another of McMillan's assistants from last year, is said to be accusing Demopoulos of backing out of a commitment to join him in Minnesota.

If Demopoulos does come to Portland, that also says something for the Blazers' roster, Paul Allen's money, the city of Portland, and/or, well, something--because it sounds like Demopoulos wasn't going to work for McMillan in Seattle again.