--The offseason surgery Antawn Jamison underwent on his right knee appears to have been a success. Early on in training camp Jamison is diving all over the floor, as if he were a rookie. "It's nice to see him set that type of tone," one team official said. "I wonder if he is going to keep that up through camp, though. We'll see."

--Gilbert Arenas just laughed off the news that Kwame Brown, traded to the Lakers over the summer, said he would have smacked Arenas -- whom Brown claims Jordan wanted benched in the playoffs -- had he showed up for practice following the team's Game 3 victory in the playoffs against Chicago.

Brown was eventually suspended for cutting practice.

"That is last year, and I don't have the power to tell the coach who to play and who shouldn't play. Next question."

QUOTE TO NOTE
"Once the popcorn gets popping for real, we don't have no choice but to play better defense." -- F Jamison, when asked if the Wizards will be a better defensive team this season.

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