- Chris McCosky of The Detroit News: "You understand the theory behind what Richard Katz is doing. Katz, agent for Pistons forward Jason Maxiell, apparently will not accept the Pistons' three-year, $15 million extension offer to his client. If an extension is not signed by Oct 31, Maxiell will become a restricted free agent next summer. Katz knows the Pistons will be able to match any offer from any other NBA team next summer, but he is rolling the dice on Maxiell improving his leverage with a big season. It's an agent's job to get the biggest and best contract he can for his client and Katz apparently has decided he can do better than $5 million per year. Understandable, but unlikely."
- Mike McGraw of the Arlington Heights Daily Herald: "When general manager John Paxson pleads for patience with Derrick Rose, he's pointing out that the No. 1 draft pick needs time to learn the league, learn the plays and perfect an outside shot. But Rose has had his hometown crowd gasping in awe at least a dozen times so far in preseason. His athleticism at the point guard spot may be unprecedented. Whether the Bulls have the right personnel to surround him remains to be seen. But given time, Rose should be able to win games in the fourth quarter and turn it up a notch for the playoffs. How long will it take to get there? That's another question for the waiting list."
- Brian Windhorst of The Plain Dealer: "In Cleveland, Ben Wallace is just one of four Cavs earning more than $10 million on the third-highest payroll in the NBA. 'The atmosphere here is changed by LeBron,' Wallace said. 'He demands a lot of attention and that's OK with me.' Most important to the Cavs is Wallace's health. In his 13th NBA season, no one questions that Wallace, 34, is likely past his prime. But when his troublesome lower back is pain-free, he has proven he can be a defensive game-changer. The training staff is keeping a close watch on that back, which already started acting up in the second week of camp. Yet Wallace prefers the focus to be on his back and his game, not his contract or headwear. 'Do I prefer it this way?' Wallace said. 'Always.'"
- Michael Wallace of The Miami Herald: "Shawn Marion has been steady this preseason, but he has not yet stood out by any means. Clearly he's the most expensive employee on the roster. Clearly he's one of the five best players on the team. But with Beasley's emergence and Haslem's return to health, it's also clear Marion might not have a clear role. ... Marion must find his way in the offense -- and the Heat must find ways to meet him halfway. Otherwise, 'Trix will be the highest-paid fourth option on an NBA roster this side of the Knicks."
- Chris Ferrell of the San Antonio Express-News: "Dear Gregg Popovich, Please do not shave. I'm begging you. The beard rules. Why else would it get as much attention as Manu Ginobili's injured ankle? You see, it's been a tough month for beards, with mixed martial arts star Kimbo Slice's shocking loss to Seth Petruzelli, and all. Kimbo had been carrying the beard flag for most of the year. He was primed to assume the title of baddest man on the planet, until he and his totally awesome beard were knocked out in 14 seconds -- by a guy with pink hair. That's why the beard world needs you to champion its cause, Pop. Last time a guy with pink hair tested you, he was sent packing. And the Spurs still got a handful of championship rings by doing things your way."
- Benjamin Hochman of The Denver Post: "Chris Andersen has found a home. Reinstated into the NBA in January, Andersen re-signed with the Nuggets this past summer, the franchise that gave him his big break in 2001. After a rocky demise -- he tested positive for "drugs of abuse," which could have been amphetamines, cocaine, opiates or PCP -- Andersen has found stability. He calls teammates "my family." He has a father figure -- local attorney Mark Bryant. He has a fiancee -- Brandy Newman. He has a best friend -- a Roman Cane Corso dog, which Andersen named Yogi Bear. 'I'm mentally, physically, emotionally better -- on and off the court -- than I've ever been,' said Andersen, 30. 'And stronger. It's just made me a better person, going through what I've been through. Life-changing experiences will make you stronger. I'm definitely more intelligent, more mature about decisions.'"
- Matt Steinmetz of The Examiner: "In the next 10 days, the Warriors are going to let us know exactly what their expectations and intentions are for the 2008-09 season. They waived point guard Dan Dickau on Sunday, which was great news for DeMarcus Nelson. Unfortunately, it did nothing to address the overall talent chasm at that spot. Certainly, this can't be the way the Warriors are going to head into the season. If it is, it really says a lot about how this season might be. Two years ago, the Warriors made the playoffs. Last season, the Warriors should have made the playoffs. They won 48 games but missed the postseason, the victims of a historically competitive conference. This year ... let's face it, it's not looking good."
- Jason Quick of The Oregonian: "One month ago, the thought of this story ever reaching print would have been ridiculous. But here it is, barely more than a week from the start of the NBA season, and the Trail Blazers are strongly considering making Nicolas Batum their starting small forward on opening night. If you just said, 'Nicolas who?' don't feel out of the loop. Your neighbor probably said the same thing. It has been the most surprising development of the Blazers' preseason, this gangly 19-year-old player from France emerging as a potential starter because of his strong defense, team-oriented offense and the opening caused by Martell Webster's broken left foot. 'It's true,' Batum says he tells himself. 'I'm 19, I'm from France, and I could start against the Lakers. Sometime I ask, 'Is it true, or a dream?' And it's true. It's incredible.'"
- Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer: "Larry Brown loves pluggers. He says so all the time. A plugger is the guy who can't jump as high, run as fast or shoot as pretty. Yet he competes with such persistence and intelligence that the coach recognizes the inevitable and plays him. That's where this winds back to Jared Dudley. Brown, the Charlotte Bobcats' Hall of Fame coach, calls Dudley the most pleasant surprise of this preseason. The only surprise to me is how long it took Brown to fall in love with Dudley's approach. Brown said Dudley had a terrible performance in summer league. I concur. He was self-conscious initially, trying to do everything just-so, then hurt his back. But trying too hard is not the worst offense, right?"
- Mike Baldwin of The Oklahoman: "When Georgetown reached the Final Four in 2007 Jeff Green was asked what player he patterned his game after
. Green's response: Scottie Pippen. Eighteen months later Green is viewed as the Thunder's version of Pippen, the sidekick to Rookie of the Year Kevin Durant. 'I wouldn't say we're anywhere near close to them,' Durant said. 'We're not even in the same sentence with those two. But we're both from the same area (Washington, D.C.). We're building some chemistry. We've grown together as best friends. We try to help each other and hope to stay together for a while.' It would be unfair to compare any duo to Michael Jordan, arguably the greatest player in NBA history and Pippen, who collected six NBA championship rings. But if Oklahoma City is to evolve into a playoff team, much less a Western Conference contender, Durant and Green must improve in upcoming seasons."
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