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That cardio experiment didn't work out like he hoped. So NBA fans will be seeing more of Shaquille O'Neal this season. Already the league's most imposing force, O'Neal added weight -- all of it muscle, he said -- over the summer in an attempt to avoid another late-season breakdown. O'Neal said he restricted all of his offseason workouts to weight lifting. Twice a day, in the privacy of his home, he bulked up by about 15 pounds to 340.
-- Indianapolis Star

Adding an Antoine Walker to carry some of scoring burden doesn't mean Shaquille O'Neal has to become passive. Throwing a Jason Williams in the mix to handle some playmaking responsibilities doesn't mean Dwyane Wade can't improve. In fact, Heat coach Stan Van Gundy expects more out of his two superstars this season than he ever did last year. And O'Neal and Wade plan on living up to their coach's expectations.
-- Miami Herald

The Lakers reconvened Monday, leaving behind their longest off-season in 11 years and pledging to discover more harmony than they mustered in a forgettable season that ended six months ago. With optimism moving swiftly a month before a new season officially begins, Phil Jackson and Kobe Bryant exchanged words of admiration, new arrival Kwame Brown said he looked forward to making the playoffs, and Lamar Odom observed that Bryant was "hungry as hell."
-- Los Angeles Times

Knicks president Isiah Thomas made his greatest gamble yet in trading for Eddy Curry. Even if he improves only modestly, Curry will be the most talented center the Knicks have had since Patrick Ewing was in his prime. But Curry has an enlarged heart and an irregular heartbeat that caused him to miss the final 13 games last season and the playoffs. Curry may have a condition that could prove fatal. Doctors who have examined Curry have offered conflicting opinions as to whether the test is necessary, and whether he is at risk.
-- New York Times

Just moments after Antonio Davis reflected thoughtfully Monday on the sign-and-trade deal that will send Eddy Curry to the Knicks, Davis had to stomach some unsettling news. He's being shipped to New York with Curry. Davis may not be gone long. The teams apparently have an agreement that the Knicks will release Davis and he will return to the Bulls later this month.
-- Chicago Tribune

Stephon Marbury's game was exposed last season. He showed an aversion to taking big shots in close games but gladly padded his stats in blowout losses. Now he gets Larry Brown, the most demanding coach, for point guards, in the business. Yesterday, Marbury grudgingly admitted that he had talked to Chauncey Billups during the offseason, and you just know Brown had to be Topic A. Billups once compared his relationship with Brown to "two trains on the same tracks, heading for each other."
-- New York Daily News

One year after predicting doom and gloom at the team's media day in 2004, Jason Kidd is again thrilled to be a Net, and Richard Jefferson knows why. The pair believes the Nets "are five or six teams that realistically have a chance to win the championship and I definitely believe we're one of them," Jefferson said.
-- New York Daily News

It was no secret that Chris Webber ended the 2004-05 season with the 76ers an unhappy man -- frustrated by the limitations imposed by his bum knee, disappointed with his own performance, and stung by the criticism and the booing in his new town. But the depth of Webber's unhappiness was not fully understood by those who attended the Sixers' media day yesterday. He was defiant and defensive when reporters probed him and tried to determine what stood out last year to make the situation so bad. "It was the worst situation I've ever been in, in basketball," Webber said of last season.
-- Philadelphia Inquirer

It's been more than four months since Reggie Miller played his last game as an Indiana Pacer and just as long since team president Larry Bird challenged Jermaine O'Neal by saying the four-time All-Star has to lead the post-Miller Pacers. he expectations for O'Neal can't be measured in stats. The Pacers need more from him than 20 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks per game. They need him to be the unquestioned leader, in and out of the locker room. The player capable of policing the Pacers' egos in addition to making crucial shots.
-- Indianapolis Star

A few days before Allan Bristow resigned as the Hornets' general manager, he and backup center Chris Andersen spoke at length about the upcoming season. Not once, Andersen said, did Bristow mention he was thinking about leaving the franchise due to health concerns. A team source said Bristow sought a new contract, but he resigned before management made a decision. Bristow could not be reached for comment Monday.
-- New Orleans Times-Picayune

Kenyon Martin nominated himself as the Nuggets' player who will be the biggest surprise this season. That may not be the most humble gesture, but then again, this is the same player who has candidly criticized his first season in Denver. "I'm healthy," he said. "Y'all don't understand. I haven't felt good in two years, two basketball seasons I've been playing in pain. But I don't complain about it. I just go out and play."
-- Denver Post

The Wizards' all-star point guard Gilbert Arenas declared that he is ready to become a better defensive player and bragged that he lost seven pounds over the summer.
-- Washington Post

The biggest item on the Suns' camp to-do list will be capturing the chemistry of last season with as many as nine new players. The Suns are deeper but Jim Jackson said the bench's personalities helped make last year's team special.
-- Arizona Republic

It will be interesting to watch the Celtics' point guard race, since players like Dan Dickau and Delonte West are fighting for the starting job while Will Bynum and Orien Greene are hoping to make the roster. While West may have the most complete game, Dickau is more polished offensively and Marcus Banks appears the best ball-pressure defender. Bynum and Greene have yet to establish their credentials.
-- Boston Globe

About a week ago, Mark Blount and his agent Mark Bartelstein met with Celtics executive director of basketball operations Danny Ainge and coach Doc Rivers. Both sides said it was a positive meeting, clearing the air and strengthening channels of communication after last season. One dividend of the get-together appears to be a more open Blount, one willing to acknowledge how poorly he played last season and the frustration with Ainge and Rivers that ensued. Rivers predicts a new and improved Blount.
-- Boston Globe

Michael Redd's most expensive purchase during the offseason wasn't for himself. The Milwaukee Bucks' All-Star guard signed the richest contract ever by a Wisconsin athletes this summer, one worth $90 million. But instead of going on an extravagant spending spree and treating himself to a new sports car, Redd bought something for his father, James: a church in his hometown of Columbus, Ohio.
-- Racine Journal Times

The Clippers believe good times are right around the corner, or at least they're finally on the right road, as training camp opens today at Santa Barbara City College. With the off-season addition of starting guards Sam Cassell and Cuttino Mobley, the Clippers say they're ready to start a positive trend.
-- Los Angeles Times

Jason Kapono likely will battle with the Heat's Shandon Anderson, Matt Walsh and Dorell Wright for minutes as a reserve small forward or shooting guard. The Charlotte Bobcats said Monday they will not match the Heat's offer to Kapono, ensuring the small forward with the sweet shooting stroke will start camp with the rest of his new team on time. The Bobcats could have waited a full week to make their announcement.
-- Miami Herald

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