“I was just happy to put on a uniform today and come out here and practice,” Brewer said. “I hadn’t practiced for real in a long time. For me and Al, it was good for both of us.”
Afterward, Jefferson said it was not his knee that proved troublesome and said he’ll use this preseason to get his conditioning improved as he recovers from February knee surgery.
After Reggie Miller stopped by to speak to the team last fall, legendary big man Kevin McHale spoke at the team dinner Monday night and was at practice this morning.
He’s going to stick around all week to lend his expertise.
“For the first day of practice, I was very impressed,” McHale said of the Mavericks. “They’re a veteran team. It should be a very exciting year down here.
“Ham and turkey on wheat bread, foot-longs; sometimes I eat two foot-longs,” Jefferson said.
No, he said, he doesn’t have an endorsement deal with Subway.
“But I’m going to speak to my agent about the possibility,” he said.
In this second stint with Detroit, Atkins’ goals aren’t nearly as lofty.
With the Pistons, Atkins is looking to earn a roster spot as the team’s No. 3 point guard behind Rodney Stuckey and Will Bynum.
Atkins, who became a free agent after accepting a buyout agreement from Minnesota last week, said playing time was not a major factor in his decision to return to Detroit