Someday we might have a D-league team in Tucson but for now our affiliation is with the Iowa Energy. They've been a great organization to work with and I look forward to following their season. Here's an update on their current roster going into tonight's draft from Coach Nurse.

Coach Nurse’s Notes: First Pieces of Team- Energy Hoopla – Iowa Energy Basketball Social Site
Matt Trannon (Michigan State)–Two sport star for the Spartans. Played both basketball and football. Has been in several NFL training camps, and played in Australia last year. Very athletic and tough. Plays hard.

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Amare Stoudemire may not have all his hops back but he got up high enough to reject this dunk attempt from Al Jefferson. (Photo by Max Simbron)

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Murder in Russia shakes women’s hoops world " Mechelle Voepel

This is really an amazing story that has the potential to impact the entire landscape of women's basketball...

Suns Road Trip Links

• SUNS: Suns to Embark on Five-Game Road Trip
• Contrasting styles present conflict in Phoenix Suns-Miami Heat match-up - Miami Heat - MiamiHerald.com
  The Suns bring the league's best shooting team and highest-scoring offense to face the NBA's stingiest defense in field-goal percentage allowed.
• BallerBlogger.com " Video: D-Wade Goes 1-on-5

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Practice today for the Suns ran longer than planned. The general mood of the team seems pretty serious. There's no high-fiving jocularity going into the season.

We got our first look at Jarron Collins. He seems to be about the same size as Channing Frye. Not a particularly wide body maybe a bit longer. He was a nice interview and talked about doing what he's asked to do. You can see why he lasted so long in Utah. He's a pro.

Collins also is a long time family friend of the Lopez family. He and his brother Jason played youth club ball with older brother Alex Lopez and he's know Brook and Robin since they were toddlers. I asked him if that makes him a good choice to be a mentor to Robin. He didn't take the bait and basically said at this point he knows Robin so well that the best he can do is just provide encouragement.

Other Griffin Brother

Taylor Griffin was once again the last player off the court. He said he was excited to play in his first NBA game and is clearly disappointed that Blake is injured. He said that he talks to his brother about every other day.

Options Date

The Suns have until October 31st to pick up the 4th year options on the rookie contracts of Dudley and Tucker. I asked David Griffin about it and he said they would likely announce the decision on Thursday. He called it a no-brainer but I am not really sure what he meant.

Picking up Dudley's option is a no-brainer to me but do the Suns really want to guarantee Tucker $2m for next season? If they don't pick up his option he becomes an unrestricted free agent next year which means this trade season he's an expiring contract. But maybe that's what Griff meant by it being a no-brainer. We'll find out soon enough.

You all know how much I love Tucker. He's a great guy and I think is a legit NBA player but here in Phoenix he's just stuck behind Barbosa and Richardson and that won't change next year either. It's a numbers game with him but I'm always going to be a Tucker fan.

Predictions:

It's that time of the year. I am picking the Magic to beat the Spurs in the finals.

I really don't care about MVP, MIP, ROY, etc but feel free to call your shot in the comments below.

Daily Links after the jump

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The AZ Republic is running a big Suns feature in today's Sports section. Here's some of the key links:

• azcentral.com blogs - Coro's Suns dish: Everything else was nice
  Coro's Suns dish: So how was the Suns' trip to Vancouver? They raved about the city, the hotel and the unbelievable Steve Nash following. Oh, the game? Welllllllll . . . So how was the Suns' fan fest and open scrimmage today?
• Suns' rebounds hit a low in loss
  You needed the preseason to learn that the Suns don't rebound well like you needed a thermometer to know that the Valley summer was hot.
• Kerr's latest plan unfolding for Suns
  Bickley: Will this season be Steve Kerr's revenge? Or just another regret?
• 2009-10 Suns to have familiar feel
  Back to school: The Suns are learning their old ways to get to a better class of the NBA.
• Suns' new math? Adding by subtracting
  The Suns sent away their only 2009 All-Star and expect to make the playoffs despite missing out last season.

• Suns coach has home-grown humility, dedication
  Phoenix Suns Coach Alvin Gentry leads and lives the way he learned during humble years in rural North Carolina.

Day After Links

• Suns left dissatisfied with win
  In the much-emphasized categories of defense and rebounding, the Suns came up well short.
• 'Miss You!,' Kevin Martin Calls Out to Dick Bavetta As Suns Smack Kings 143-127 - Sactown Royalty
• Kings Blog and Q&A: Casspi aggressive on both ends of the court
• azcentral.com blogs - Coro's Suns dish: Lining up the Suns
  Coro's Suns dish: The Suns gave a peek into how regular-season play might go in their final preseason game Tuesday night, a 143-127 victory against Sacramento. Here are the lineups that Suns coach Alvin Gentry employed in the first half (the second half lost its rotation...
• KTAR.com - Suns rout the Kings, Nash leaves with injury
• KTAR.com - Suns release Dickau, Powell
• Dragic finds his confidence in high-scoring affair| Valley of the Suns
  Goran Dragic busted out of his slump by putting up a 18-8-4 in the Phoenix Suns' 143-127 victory over the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday.

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Channing Frye is confused and he needs your help. Won't you please go help our newest Sun find a good movie to watch? Photo by Max Simbron

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• Movie recommendations wanted " Channing Frye's Blog
  Go let Channing know what's good out there...
• JT, Tyreke Ready to Run with Suns : Full Court Press
  Nice preview from the Kings side of the house. Tyreke defending Nash and JT attacking Amare and taking advantage of the Suns thin front line. Get used to it...
• SLAM ONLINE | " True Professionals
  Article by Casey Jacobsen - check the first two names on the list...players who play the game the right way with the right attitude.
• Suns' Dragic seeking comfort zone
  Both Dragic and Tucker are struggling...
• The Lord of the Cameras: The Two Manufacturers | PShizzy: The Blog
  Our own Max Simbron goes geek on the state of cameras....So in quick response (not even a week later) to the Nikon D3s, Canon reveals their 1D IV. Much like Nikon, the big news is the ISO range (100-12,800, with

For all your Central Division preview needs...

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