Bucks GM John Hammond said Wednesday the team wants to keep Brandon Jennings around long-term, adding that he'll continue to have talks about an extension with Bill Duffy, the agent for Jennings, until either a deal is reached or the October 31st deadline passes, as Charles F. Gardner of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reports. We've got more on another player up for an extension and other notes from the Eastern Conference tonight.
- DeMar DeRozan is eligible for extension before next week's deadline, but the Raptors reportedly "want to be wowed" by his performance this season before signing him to a long-term deal next summer. DeRozan is making strides toward that so far, as Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun observes.
- Carlos Boozer, an amnesty candidate for next summer, has looked sharp in preseason for the Bulls as he tries to pick up the slack for the injured Derrick Rose, writes K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune.
- Marko Jaric was waived by the Bulls today, but expressed appreciation for his time in camp via Twitter, and wrote that he hopes he'll be back with the team next month, when it can afford him on a minimum-salary deal under its hard cap (hat tip to Shams Charania of RealGM.com). Until then, Jaric is free to sign with any team.
- When asked by reporters why he re-signed with the Celtics, Jeff Green pointed to Rajon Rondo, whom he called "the best point guard in the league," notes Mark Murphy of the Boston Herald.
- Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal weighs the chances Kevin Jones has of making the Cavs opening-night roster. Jones has a diminutive partial guarantee of $50K on his deal.
- John Denton of Magic.com takes a look at Nikola Vucevic, the likely starting center for the Magic after coming over from the Sixers in the Dwight Howard trade.
- The Bobcats were the league's worst offensive team last year, and they haven't been much better in the preseason, notes Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer.
