The news continues to improve for Dwight Howard and the Lakers, as five-on-five scrimmages appear to be the only part of practices in which the big man in not participating, as Mike Trudell of Lakers.com writes. "As much as he’s practicing, to me he’s back," coach Mike Brown told reporters. "Just waiting for the doctors (and) trainers to clear him. When that happens, he’ll go full tilt. But he looks good out there." There's more on the purple-and-gold and others tonight as training camps continue.
- The Lakers are not for sale, but Oracle CEO Larry Ellison, whose name has come up as a candidate to buy the Warriors and the Grizzlies in recent years, says they're his favorite team and hinted to CNBC's Robert Frank that he might like to own them someday (hat tip to RealGM.com).
- The Warriors are taking a cautious approach with Stephen Curry in training camp as the team tries to assess his health as the October 31st deadline for an extension looms, reports Marcus Thompson II of the Bay Area News Group (via the Charlotte Observer).
- Thompson also sizes up the candidates to start at small forward for the Warriors, concluding Brandon Rush is the most likely to nail down the job.
- It's a jumble at the three spot for the Bucks, too, with Tobias Harris, Mike Dunleavy and Marquis Daniels competing for the starting gig, as Charles F. Gardner of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel examines.
- The agent for free agent guard Maurice Evans doesn't expect his client will sign anywhere soon, tweets Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com.
- We passed along reaction to the league's new flopping policy earlier this evening, and Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News adds word from reputed flopper Manu Ginobili.
- Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel checks in with Arron Afflalo, who figures to take on a larger role for the Magic this year than the one he played with the Nuggets.
- Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle and Ken Berger of CBSSports.com provide more detail on the psychological struggle Royce White faces as he remains absent from Rockets camp. Matt Moore of CBSSports.com and Tommy Beer of HoopsWorld take it a step further, writing about their own anxiety disorders.