Is that the clink of glasses I hear? Nope, just the T-Wolves signing Vin Baker…

MVP…Last year the Suns (naturally) ledt the NBA in scoring…it was the fifth straight season a Steve Nash team led the league in scoring…

Too Funny…when Artest heard the news that Rick Adelman had been replaced on the Kings' bench, he said, "Oh, good. We got Musselman."…then he learned that his new coach would be Eric and not Bill. "Oh," said Artest, "I didn't know it was his son." Artest somehow didn’t know that Bill passed away more than six years ago, even though he attended the funeral…

Awesome…the Knicks picked up Nikolai Skitishvili yesterday…I’m telling you there needs to be a Knicks reality show this year…

According to the LA Times Baron Davis has decided not to care so much this season, and he isn't really interested in being a team leader…apparently Davis got his new outlook on life and basketball during a summer conversation with Shaquille O'Neal, who gave some interesting advice to the frustrated scorer over lunch in Los Angeles. "He told me that I'll become a great player once I stop caring so much," Davis said. "You know, stop forcing myself: 'You've got to do this. You've got to work out.' If I just love what I do, then everything else will take its course. ... Every time I'm on the floor, I'm enjoying my time. Being injured, it can be taken away. I respect that. I appreciate that."…You can’t make this s__t up…

Uh-oh…Shaq hates the new balls…"I think the new ball is terrible," O'Neal said Monday. "It's the worst decision some expert, whoever did it, made. ... The NBA's been around how long? A hundred years? Fifty years? So to change it now, whoever that person is needs his college degree revoked. It's a terrible decision. Feels like one of those cheap balls that you buy at the toy store, indoor-outdoor balls," O'Neal said. "I look for shooting percentages to be way down and turnovers to be way up, because when the ball gets wet you can't really control it. Whoever did that needs to be fired. It was terrible, a terrible decision. Awful. I might get fined for saying that, but so what?"

OK…Washington Wizards point guard Gilbert Arenas is thinning the air in his house. "I had my house converted to the Colorado altitude, so I am always above sea level," Arenas said Monday at the Wizards annual pre-training camp media day. Say what? He's going to live at high altitude in the nation's capital? "You know, that's kind of weird," Arenas said. He'll get plenty of nods with that statement, but, yep, he's really doing it. Instead of going to the mountains to train -- as some endurance athletes do -- Arenas has hired a company to simulate those conditions in a home environment. "I had to put a tent in one room, and then they are going to come during training camp and fix the whole house," Arenas said. "Then I have a have a portable tent I'm taking on the road." Arenas' hopes the living arrangement will give him more energy in the fourth quarter of NBA games, when everyone else is getting tired from breathing the same old heavy air. "How I start the game is how I finish the game," he said.

1) Marty Burns of Si.com previews the Central:

Camp preview: Central division - Burning questions for a division full of playoff teams

When it comes to previewing this year's NBA training camps, the Central has as many intriguing storylines as any division, and is certainly the most competitive -- all five teams made the playoffs last season. The Pistons are the defending division champs, but Ben Wallace left them to sign a free-agent deal with Chicago. The Bulls could be dynamite, but their current group has yet to win a playoff series. Meanwhile, LeBron James' Cavs took the Pistons to seven games in last year's Eastern Conference semifinals. Then there are the Pacers, with Al Harrington rejoining Jermaine O'Neal, and the Bucks, with the continued development of Andrew Bogut. Here's a look at the major questions each Central Division team faces as it heads into training camp (teams listed in order of last season's finish).

Detroit Pistons (64-18)
1. Where's Dr. Phil? After racking up the NBA's best record during the regular season a year ago, they crashed and burned in the playoffs. Then they watched their defensive anchor, Wallace, bolt for a free-agent deal with Chicago. It will be interesting to see if there is an emotional hangover at the start of camp.
2. Can Nazr Mohammed man the middle? To replace Wallace, the Pistons signed the veteran Mohammed from the Spurs to a five-year $30 million free-agent contract. The 6-10 Mohammed is nowhere near as good defensively as Big Ben, but he is a better scorer and should fit in with Flip Saunders' more offensive-minded approach.
3. Who emerges as a leader? Wallace was the face of the Pistons and their heart-and-soul. Detroit needs somebody else to step up and fill the role. Chauncey Billups and/or Rip Hamilton seem the most logical candidates, and training camp should provide the first clues.

Cleveland Cavaliers (50-32)
1. Will continuity carry over? The Cavs didn't make many significant changes to their roster, choosing to fill in around the edges with veterans David Wesley and Scot Pollard. Instead they're hoping LeBron James, Larry Hughes, Zydrunas Ilgauskas and the rest of the holdovers can use training camp to further develop cohesion.
2. Can Mike Brown goose the offense? Cleveland ranked 15th in the NBA in scoring a year ago, but the offense was often predictable, with players standing around to watch LeBron. One of the second-year coach's goals this season will be to get more movement and scoring from other players, particularly from the point guard position.
3. What can the other Brown do for them? The Cavs are hoping that top draft pick Shannon Brown, a 6-4 guard from Michigan State, can help make up for the free agent loss of Flip Murray (Pistons). Brown impressed observers in summer league play, but this will be his first chance to test his skills against real NBA competition.

Indiana Pacers (41-41)
1. Will a new vibe translate to more wins? After two straight years of Ron Artest-fueled distractions, the Pacers enter camp in relative peace. All the key players are healthy, and Harrington has returned to Indiana to join his good pal O'Neal in what should be a quieter, more stable locker room.
2. Is Jamaal Tinsley the answer? The oft-injured point guard appears to be fully healthy after missing 40 games a year ago with a torn right bicep and sore right elbow. The Pacers need him to be at full strength, especially with 38-year-old Darrell Armstrong as the only other proven backup distributor on the roster.
3. Can Rick Carlisle go with the flow? Pacers bosses Larry Bird and Donnie Walsh want the team to be more athletic and play at a faster pace this season. It will be a challenge for Carlisle, who is accustomed to calling virtually every play, to make the adjustment and give his players greater rein within the offense.

Chicago Bulls (41-41)
1. Is Big Ben ready to chime? The Bulls will shell out $60 million over four years for Wallace's services, and training camp will be their first chance to see if it was money well-spent. Windy City fans will be waiting to see if the four-time Defensive Player of the Year can still wreak his usual havoc at age 32.
2. Can Andres Nocioni play power forward? Last year the 6-7 Argentinian emerged as a legitimate X factor, adding a reliable long-range shot to his kamikaze slashing and rugged defense. With Luol Deng an emerging star at small forward, Nocioni's ability to play the 4 position could help Chicago take it to the next level.
3. How much can Tyrus Thomas contribute? Thomas, the No. 4 overall pick in last June's draft, won't be asked to do much right away. But the 6-9 forward from LSU showed flashes in the summer league and could be the athletic big man Chicago needs. He'll get his first chance to make a case for immediate playing time next week.

Milwaukee Bucks (40-42)
1. Can Mo Williams replace T.J. Ford? With Ford traded to the Raptors, the Bucks are counting on the veteran Williams to step in and handle the playmaking duties. The 6-1 former Jazzman played well last year as a sixth man, but this will be his chance to prove he's worthy of a full-time starting role.
2. Will Bogie be better at center? Andrew Bogut, the No. 1 overall pick in '05, had a solid rookie campaign as a power forward a year ago. But the 7-foot Australian prefers to play center, and he'll get that chance now that Jamaal Magloire has been traded to the Blazers.
3. Where does Charlie V. fit in? Charlie Villanueva, obtained from Toronto in the Ford deal, will get first crack at the starting power forward spot vacated by Bogut. If the 6-11 former UConn star can nail it down, the Bucks would have two of last year's top three rookies in their starting frontcourt.

2) Burns also previews the Atlantic:

Camp preview: Atlantic division Burning issues for a division steeped in transition

In the Atlantic Division, mediocrity has become the norm. The Nets were the only team to make the playoffs a year ago, and they were easily bounced by the Heat in the second round. The Sixers, Celtics, Raptors and Knicks all wound up in the lottery, with New York also becoming the NBA's premier laughingstock. The Atlantic probably won't be much better in '06-'07. The Nets, Celtics and Sixers made few significant changes. The Knicks still have pretty much the same mishmash roster, even if team president Isiah Thomas has replaced Larry Brown as coach. Only the Raptors, under new GM Bryan Colangelo, could be said to have made significant personnel changes. Here's a look at the burning questions facing each of the Atlantic's teams:

New Jersey Nets (49-33)
1. Who will emerge off the bench? The Nets desperately need some scoring punch off the bench to complement Jason Kidd, Vince Carter and Richard Jefferson. They're hoping newcomers Eddie House, Bostjan Nachbar and/or rookie Marcus Williams can help fill that role, and training camp will begin to provide some answers.
2. Is Krstic ready to take the next step? Last year Nenad Krstic took his game to a new level, becoming one of the better centers in the East. He wilted in the playoffs against the Heat, but he took the summer off from international competition and the 6-foot-11 Serbian says he's rested and ready to build on his improvement of a year ago.
3. Can Jay Williams make it back? In one of the feel-good stories of the preseason, Williams is attempting to make a comeback from the devastating motorcycle injury that nearly killed him three years ago. The 6-2 former Dukie is considered a longshot to make the Nets roster, but it's one more step in an inspirational return.

Philadelphia 76ers (38-44)
1. What's the Answer's frame of mind? After a summer spent hearing his name in trade rumors, Allen Iverson might not be the happiest camper entering the 2006-07 season. He is saying all the right things, but it will be interesting to see if the sensitive superstar has the same pep in his step during his 11th training camp with the team.
2. How much can Rodney Carney contribute? Carney, the team's top draft pick, is a tremendous athlete with major potential, but he's still considered raw. The 6-7 forward from Memphis could compete for backup minutes at the 2-3 with Kyle Korver and Willie Green, but he'll need to show he's ready over the next few weeks.
3. Who's bringing the travel guide? The Sixers will hold training camp in Barcelona, Spain, and will also play some exhibition games in Cologne, Germany. Sixers coach Maurice Cheeks can only hope the experience will bring the team together and improve a team dynamic that appeared to be shaky a year ago.

Boston Celtics (33-49)
1. How's their health? Paul Pierce (minor elbow surgery), Wally Szczerbiak (arthroscopic knee surgery) and Delonte West (back spasms) all were hampered over the summer by ailments. All three starters are expected to be back in camp, but coach Doc Rivers will be watching closely to make sure they're 100 percent.
2. Who will play the point? Seeking to upgrade the team's point guard position, the Celtics traded for Sebastian Telfair (Blazers) and drafted Rajon Rondo (Kentucky). They hope the two young playmakers can improve the team's speed and decision-making on the break, and perhaps challenge West for playing time at the spot.
3. Did Big Al learn his lesson? Last year Al Jefferson showed up for camp in less-than-optimal shape and went on to suffer nagging ankle injuries that prevented him from ever seizing the starting power forward spot. The 6-10 bruiser says he is healthy and as fit as ever, but the Celtics will find out for sure over the next few weeks.

Toronto Raptors (27-55)
1. Can a new Ford rev them up? In one of the bigger offseason trades, the Raptors acquired T.J. Ford from the Bucks for Charlie Villanueva. The 6-foot Ford is one of the quickest point guards in the league, and he'll be counted on to help lead a new up-tempo attack patterned loosely after Phoenix's free-flowing scheme.
2. Is Rasho the answer at center? After years of searching for a legitimate center, Toronto thinks it finally has one in veteran Rasho Nesterovic. The 7-foot former Timberwolf and Spur, acquired in a trade with San Antonio, will be out to show in camp that he's ready to fill the void and provide a needed presence behind Chris Bosh.
3. How much can Bargnani contribute? Andrea Bargnani, the 7-foot Italian selected No. 1 overall in last June's draft, will be under intense scrutiny around the league. The good thing for the Raptors is that they already have Bosh and Nesterovic at the 4-5 spots, so there shouldn't be too much pressure right away on the soon-to-be 21-year-old.

New York Knicks (23-59)
1. Can Isiah clean up the mess? After the fiasco of '05-06, Thomas jettisoned Brown and finds himself back on the bench as coach. His first job in camp will be to clean up the toxic atmosphere that engulfed the team a year ago and get them playing as a cohesive group.
2. Who's the starting shooting guard? With Stephon Marbury the starter at point guard and free agent signee Jared Jeffries likely to inherit the small forward position, the Knicks have a glut at the 2 spot. Steve Francis, Jamal Crawford and Quentin Richardson will battle it out, which could make for some raw nerves -- and some good fodder for the New York tabloids.
3. Can Renaldo Balkman play? Thomas was criticized heavily on draft night for using the No. 20 pick on the relatively unknown Balkman. The 6-8 South Carolina product will need to show in camp that he can step in and contribute, or Thomas will hear more about it from the MSG hecklers.

3) And Burns continues with the Northwest:

Camp preview: Northwest division - Burning issues for a division full of question marks

The "great" Northwest? Not during the 2005-06 NBA season. The T'Wolves and Sonics both took nosedives in the standings. The Jazz struggled with injuries. The Blazers were dismal. Only the Nuggets made the playoffs, and they flamed out in the first round. This year the Northwest should be considerably stronger. Utah appears healthy again, and should battle Denver for the top spot in the division. Kevin Garnett will always give Minnesota a fighting chance, and the Ray Allen/Rashard Lewis combo makes Seattle a difficult opponent. Here's a look at the burning questions facing each of the Northwest teams as they head into training camp (teams listed in order of last season's finish).

Denver Nuggets (44-38)
1. Can George and K-Mart get along? After feuding during last season's playoffs, coach George Karl and power forward Kenyon Martin reportedly met over the summer and buried the hatchet. They swear they're on the same page now, but a week of two-a-days should reveal more about this volatile pairing.
2. Who will play shooting guard? The Nuggets are hoping J.R. Smith, acquired in a trade with the Bulls, can fill their hole at the 2 spot. If the 21-year-old former high school phenom can't step up to the challenge, Denver might have to go with DerMarr Johnson.
3. How's Nene? The 6-11 Brazilian sat out last season after blowing out his right knee on opening night. He has worked hard at rehab, but admitted over the summer that he's still just 80 percent recovered. It will be interesting to see how much Nene can contribute right away.

Utah Jazz (41-41)
1. Are they finally healthy? Last year Carlos Boozer (hamstring), Gordan Giricek (ankle), Matt Harpring (knee) and Andrei Kirilenko (miscellaneous) missed significant time with injuries. They are all now healthy, meaning coach Jerry Sloan might finally get a glimpse of what they can all do together.
2. Can Derek Fisher play the 2? The Jazz acquired the veteran Fisher in an offseason trade with the Warriors, hoping he could help mentor young point guard Deron Williams. But with the shooting guard position unsettled, they also will use camp to see if Fisher can play there alongside Williams in a small backcourt.
3. Can Rafael Araujo find a niche? The 6-11 Araujo, a draft bust in Toronto, is getting a second chance in Utah. The Jazz are being careful not to put any pressure on him, but they're hoping the former BYU pivot can benefit from a return to familiar surroundings and perhaps become a reliable backup to Mehmet Okur and Jarron Collins in the middle.

Seattle SuperSonics (35-47)
1. Is a Seattle storm brewing? After sitting out the final 46 games last year with what the Sonics called a "sore left knee," forward Danny Fortson is back. But the volatile forward reportedly is not happy with coach Bob Hill, who benched him even before his questionable injury. The Sonics can only hope the Fortson issue doesn't become a distraction in the days ahead.
2. Can Robert Swift take it to the next level? The 7-foot Swift, who came straight out of high school two years ago, averaged six points and five boards in 20 minutes while shooting over 50 percent last season. If he and fellow 21-year-old center Johan Petro can hold down the middle, Seattle has a chance to improve greatly.
3. How is Chris Wilcox's state of mind? Chris Wilcox was hoping to parlay his strong showing down the stretch last season into a big free-agent payday, but he wound up having to settle for a three-year $24 million deal. The Sonics hope he won't let the disappointment affect his play, and that he plays as hungry as he did a year ago.

Minnesota Timberwolves (33-49)
1. Is Mike James the answer? Seeking to upgrade at point guard, the T'Wolves signed veteran Mike James (Raptors) to a four-year $23.4 million deal. They're hoping the 31-year-old veteran can provided some scoring pop and pressure defense. He'll get his first chance to show it in training camp.
2. Where's the beef? With the likes of Mark Blount, Eddie Griffin and Mark Madsen penciled in as Kevin Garnett's main sidekicks in the front court, Minnesota is thin in terms of big man depth. They can only hope everybody stays healthy in camp or they could be in trouble when the real games begin.
3. Is Randy Foye for real? The T'Wolves parlayed the No. 6 pick in last June's draft for the rights to Foye, the former Villanova standout. The 6-4 combo guard dazzled during summer league play and could battle Marko Jaric, Trenton Hassell and Troy Hudson for backcourt minutes right away.
Portland Trail Blazers (21-61)
1. Is Jarrett Jack ready? With Steve Blake (Bucks) and Sebastian Telfair (Celtics) traded in the offseason, the Blazers are counting on Jack to take over the role of starting point guard. The 6-3 second-year playmaker was steady as a backup last year, but this will be his first chance to show he can hold down the spot as a full-time distributor.
2. How will the center glut shake down? Say what you want about the Blazers' shaky perimeter, but they are well-stocked up front. Joel Przybilla, Jamaal Magloire and Raef LaFrentz present coach Nate McMillan three solid options in the middle -- and a potential playing time headache.
3. Can the rookies contribute? Brandon Roy, LaMarcus Aldridge and Sergio Rodriguez give the Blazers three more promising rookies to watch in camp. Aldridge won't participate while he rehabs a surgically repaired shoulder, but Roy and Rodriguez will get a long look as the Portland rebuilding job continues.
4) John Denton of Florida Today with an interesting article about former Raptors PG Carlos Arroyo:

Arroyo magic for Orlando fans

When he gets caught up in the moment or in a particular game, all Carlos Arroyo has to do is gaze into the stands at TD Waterhouse Centre to remind himself of the bigger picture. Carlos Arroyo's arrival in Orlando rallied fans from Puerto Rico and led the Magic to boost its marketing efforts targeting Hispanics. The dozens of Puerto Rican flags that dot the crowd fill the Orlando Magic point guard's heart with joy, and reaffirm that he's playing with a country in his corner. In NBA circles, Arroyo, 27, might be considered just another journeyman point guard. But to Orlando's booming Puerto Rican community and his fans back home on the Caribbean island, Arroyo is a star of the highest regard. It is a responsibility that Arroyo carries with great pride. He is fully aware his presence in the NBA is about so much more than just him. Instead, he says, he's playing for the thousands who support him now and for the future of basketball in Puerto Rico. "Seeing those flags helps me understand that every time I step on the court I'm representing a group of people who really support me," Arroyo said. "I'm sort of here by myself in the NBA, but I'm trying to accomplish more things for Puerto Rican athletes and open more doors. I consider it my job to keep getting better so that I can continue to open doors for other kids in Puerto Rico who love basketball." The Magic are Arroyo's fifth team in five NBA seasons, but never has the fit been as perfect for the flashy point guard. Orlando has the second-largest Puerto Rican community in the United States, trailing only New York. According to the U.S. Census, Hispanics are now the largest minority group in Orlando's metro area with approximately 370,000 people. Nearly 200,000 of them are Puerto Rican. For years, Arroyo said, he dreamed of playing for the Magic. Apparently that was a dream shared by many of his fans in the Orlando area. The day after his trade from the Detroit Pistons to Orlando in February, the Magic sold 150 tickets within the first hour of the ticket office opening. The team sold 75 of Arroyo's No. 30 jerseys within the first week of his arrival. And more than 400 fans turned out at a local car dealership for Arroyo's first autograph signing. "It's been everything I thought it would be and more," Arroyo said. "A lot of people asked me, 'Do you really want to be here?' I used to tell my wife, 'I want to be in Orlando so bad.' She would tell me not to mention it so much because then it would never happen. Of course, we laugh about that now. It's amazing how the people have embraced me here." Of course, that's the way life has been for Arroyo since the summer of 2004, when he helped Puerto Rico to its finest moment in sports. He was chosen to carry Puerto Rico's flag in the opening ceremonies of the 2004 Athens Summer Olympics -- "the highlight of my career," he said -- and things got better from there. Facing the United States in the opening game of the tournament, the 6-foot-2 Arroyo torched NBA stars Allen Iverson and Stephon Marbury. Arroyo scored 24 points, including two big 3-pointers down the stretch, and handed out seven assists in Puerto Rico's stunning 92-73 rout of Team USA.
At the time, the loss was the United States' third in 112 Olympic games and its first in 16 years. But to Arroyo, the game held even more significance. It justified his status as an elite, playmaking point guard, and it turned him into a conquering hero in Puerto Rico. "After we beat the Dream Team, he became the Michael Jordan of Puerto Rico," said Gerrie Marrero, a native of Bayamon, Puerto Rico, who twice traveled to Orlando last season to watch Arroyo play. "He's just become a bigger and bigger star since then to the people of Puerto Rico." Arroyo still has the letters of congratulations from Puerto Rico's governor, senators and fans after beating Team USA. Various Puerto Rican actors and actresses also befriended him following the 2004 Olympics. Just getting around in his hometown now is a chore because of his popularity. "Every day somebody will mention that game [against the U.S.] and tell me how excited they were," Arroyo said. "A lot of people will tell me how much money they made off that game. And I have guys coming over saying, 'Hey, please kiss my girlfriend.' That's overwhelming to me sometimes, seeing the impact that game had on people." Puerto Rico is also home to baseball stars Bernie Williams, Pudge Rodriguez, Carlos Beltran and Carlos Delgado. But to hear sports fans tell it, none of them can match Arroyo in popularity. "You wouldn't believe it," said Marrero, who traveled to Orlando in the spring with a tour group of 80 people for a Magic game and the team's first Salsa Night. "Everybody down there [in Puerto Rico] are Magic fans now. We watch his games on TV, and everybody talks about how, now that he's in Florida, they hope to come and watch him play." For years the Magic have considered the Hispanic fan base a sleeping giant in Central Florida. Over the past five years, nearly 100 Spanish-speaking people have moved to Central Florida each day. And there are predictions that by 2020, almost one in every three Orlando residents will be of Hispanic descent. Now that Arroyo has stirred that group, the Magic are trying to tap into it. The Magic have fortified their Latin Affairs department and are pouring more resources into luring Hispanic fans to games. They have broadcast games on the radio in Spanish for the past eight seasons, and now their reach will extend beyond that. This summer, the Magic mailed season-ticket brochures in English and Spanish. More radio and television advertising was done on Spanish-speaking media outlets than ever before. The Magic bought a billboard, featuring Arroyo in action, to encourage fans to support their Hispanic hero. And like the Houston Rockets have done by creating a Chinese version of their Web site for fans of All-Star center Yao Ming, the Magic hope to eventually offer a Spanish version of their home page. "The Latin population in our community is almost 30 percent now and when you have that sort of percentage, it's bound to help you in terms of drawing power,'' said Alex Martins, the Magic's chief operating officer. "Really, [Arroyo's arrival] has just helped us step up what we already had in place in terms of a Latin outreach program. Now, it will come to a massive impact for us." Arroyo seemed to feed off the support from his new fans, playing some of the best basketball of his career late last season after arriving in Orlando. In his first home game with the Magic, he delighted a sellout crowd with 18 points and four assists. Salsa music greeted his every basket and those red, white and blue Puerto Rican flags filled the air. The Magic finished last season with a 16-6 run, beating powerhouses Miami, Dallas, Detroit and San Antonio down the stretch. Now, Orlando is one of the chic picks to become a playoff contender this season. That success, Arroyo said, left Magic players more determined to make this season special. "The way we finished last year, everybody left going into the summer knowing how good we can be," said Arroyo, who averaged 21.2 points, 5.2 assists and 4.6 rebounds in the World Championship this summer for Puerto Rico. "That success we had was something that motivated all of us to work on our games and get better. I definitely worked on mine. The whole summer I've been thinking about this season and getting myself ready to contribute to a team that's going to have tremendous success." Arroyo knows he could probably start at point guard for a lot of NBA teams, but he says he's happy in Orlando sharing the ball-handling duties with Jameer Nelson. He said he never wants to leave Orlando, a place where he feels most at home with the throngs of fans supporting him. "I just want to be somebody that people will remember for hard work, discipline and dedication," he said. "It's my dream to be here, and now I know my responsibility is to keep opening doors for others back in Puerto Rico."

5) Chris Sheriden of ESPN.com thinks that judgement day is coming for Zeke:

For Isiah, the end appears near

Isiah Thomas walked to the podium with such a weary hop to his step, he looked like Eddy Curry going for a rebound. Or like Jerome James walking to the vegetable stand. Or Nate Robinson stepping into a Big and Tall Store. Or Quentin Richardson dropping by a Brandy concert. Or Jalen Rose checking into an Overearners Anonymous meeting. No, Isiah didn't look all that comfortable or confident standing all alone at the podium Monday, top Madison Square Garden honchos nowhere in sight but P.R. functionaries and other upholders of Cablevision media policy showing up in abundance, monitoring player interviews and keeping their eagle eyes affixed on Thomas as he rehashed the lines he used over the summer, including the one about how growing up as a youngster in Chicago was a life and death struggle every day, which makes the pressure he's under now pale by comparison. I, for one, don't buy it. This is it for Isiah, his one last chance, and he knows it. I don't blame him if he's scared. He has good reason to be. If Thomas loses this job, he'll never get another one like it. His résumé was already poor, and his deals over the past three years have caused hundreds of millions of dollars in expenses to Cablevision's bottom line, and the hiring Larry Brown will likely go down eventually as his $50 million-dollar mistake, not Dolan's. This is his team. He made this bed," Dolan said in July. It's now three months later, and if anyone needed any indication that ownership will not be perpetuating the mistakes of recent years by dealing expiring contracts for longer ones, Dolan sent such a message unmistakably Friday by jettisoning Maurice Taylor and his $9.9 million contract through a buyout. It would seem the days of Thomas using an expiring contract as a bargaining chip are over -- bad news for those hoping to see Jalen Rose wearing another uniform after the trade deadline. Rose said there had been no buyout talks between his reps and the Knicks, but he's so much a part of the problem rather than the solution that it's hard to see him lasting 82 games with his mouth shut. When Thomas looks for someone to lash out at, don't be surprised if it's Jalen. But do be surprised if it hasn't happened by mid-November when the Knicks get back from a road trip to Denver, Houston and San Antonio following their first four games at Memphis, at Atlanta, then home for Indiana and San Antonio. Can you say 1-6? "The first part of our schedule is extremely hard, so we've got to be tough-minded enough that if we do find ourselves in the hole because of the schedule, that we're strong enough to fight out of it," Thomas said. We'd accuse him of lowering expectations, but we did that a year ago, too, when Brown was saying similar things. This time, we'll just chalk it up to what seems to be the Knicks' theme for the new season: They won't be as bad as last year, and they might even be good enough to keep Isiah around another year. Doesn't exactly sell season tickets, does it? "We were the laughingstock of the league last year, you know?" Jamal Crawford said. "I think that alone motivated guys to come back better." Thomas knows his reputation around the league and his legacy outside of it are at stake, and he's smart enough to recognize that ownership's support for him is only slightly ahead of the dwindling regard they held for previous big cheeses in the dying days of the regimes and mini-regimes of Dave Checketts, Jeff Van Gundy, Scott Layden, Don Chaney, Lenny Wilkens and then Brown. The cycle of despair at Madison Square Garden has now lasted a half-decade, the Knicks' place in the local sports consciousness having dwindled so deep it's below the disinterested stage. Even the crosstown rival Nets are taking advantage of the dynamic, draping their advertising on billboards in Times Square. "When you're down, people kick you in this league. Nobody gives you a hand," said Thomas, who at times looked so apprehensive Monday it was almost like having Layden or Wilkens back in town. "My job, and this is the way I approach it, is to win every single game, and I want us at the end of the year to max out in becoming the best team we can possibly be." Thomas' problem is that he's coaching a team of guys playing for paychecks, most long since sapped of the desire and enthusiasm that earned them the big bucks back when they were young and hungry. Malik Rose noted to reporters that he still has three years left on his deal, and immediately the jokes started about whether they'll be serving hemlock in the press room by 2008-09.
Media day drew a fairly small crowd, and at one point Steve Francis sat ignored by all but a single reporter from a small local cable channel. Nearby, Stephon Marbury held court and showed off the $14.98 sneakers he unveiled recently (Marbury joked that other NBA players have come up to him and said: "Thanks, m-----------, you just shut the sneaker thing down.") and plans to wear in games this season. "We never got an opportunity, me and Steph. We played like 15 minutes together, total," Francis said. "But this year we're looking to lead our team, and I don't think you could ask for a better situation." We could go wise guy on Steve here and point out that Orlando might be a better situation, but there will probably be plenty of time later this season to pile on. That was merely the optimist in Francis talking, drowning out the internal pessimist who no doubt understands that in the competition for minutes between himself, Richardson and Jamal Crawford, one of them will be out of the mix -- and it might just be him, another guy whose mistaken acquisition can be written off as one of Brown's ideas. Another optimist in the room was Jerome James, who said he might weigh in below 280 pounds after a summer of cardio work supervised by strength and conditioning coach Greg Brittenham. After reporting to camp a year ago at 317, that's almost 40 pounds less of the good-natured James we'll have to poke fun at. But aside from Jerome's brief interlude of hopefulness, there was little that left Insider all that inspired or bemused after the NBA's highest-paid team (payroll: $121 million) mostly steered clear of all matters concerning Brown. In fact, Larry would have been proud of them: They ignored him the right way. One other positive piece of news came when Thomas learned he would not be required to remain back in New York for Day 2 of the Brown contract arbitration hearing, sparing the Knicks the embarrassing ordeal of having last season's dead duck keep this season's lame duck from conducting the first day of practice. But it was a discomforting day, too, a day when you looked around the room and realized you were likely seeing a 25-to-29 win team in its infancy, no one trying too hard to fool themselves into believing they'll be any better than so-so. Maybe we're all wrong here and Thomas has got a motivational miracle up his sleeve. But that seems like a long shot, this figures to be Isiah's last gasp in New York -- and maybe his last as a big shot in the NBA -- and the morose look on his face and his timid steps to the podium left me with one overriding impression. That is a man who realizes his end is near. We'd call him Dead Man Walking, except Brown already used that line about himself a couple months ago. Seems unfair to reassign it so soon. Insider's prediction: Isiah is out sometime late in the regular season (we'll set the over/under as March 30), and we'll let the readers ponder the odds of who will be presiding from the podium at Media Day a year from now: Patrick Ewing, Herb Williams, Jerry West, or all of the above.