Nate Robinson is coming off a career season and signed a two-year deal with the Denver Nuggets in free agency. Tim Connelly is adamant the team is fortunate to acquire him.

"We were lucky (to get him), because Nate was sought after by playoff teams," the Nuggets' general manager said.

Robinson averaged 13.1 points and 4.4 assists last season for the Chicago Bulls, who elected not to re-sign him despite his consistent, energetic and dynamic year.

Robinson is expected to come off the Nuggets' bench this season.

Dwight Howard has steadily worsened as a free throw shooter in his NBA career, shooting just 49 percent last season.

Now with the Houston Rockets, Howard is aiming to have a career season at the foul line. His career high at the free throw line came as a rookie, when he shot 67 percent.

"This season, I want to win a championship," Howard said. "I want to shoot 75 to 80 percent from the free-throw line. I want to win defensive player of the year."

Howard left the Los Angeles Lakers in free agency in the offseason.

The Sacramento Kings introduced Shaquille O'Neal as a part owner on Tuesday and everyone in ownership and management made it clear that there will be an open line of communication among all members.

Pete D’Alessandro is also open to hearing O'Neal's take on potential personnel moves.

“I hope to," D'Alessandro said. "I’m a believer, much like Vivek [Ranadive], in that open flow of communication, and if someone has a strength, if someone has a perspective, every perspective is good, especially the perspective of a Hall of Famer like him. So I would hope so, yeah.”

O'Neal said he "will have conversations" with DeMarcus Cousins in hopes of improving the Kings' big man.

"We will let the general manager and the assistant general manager do what they do," O'Neal added.

Even with Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett aboard, Jason Kidd points to Joe Johnson as the player the Brooklyn Nets will give the ball to in late-game situations.

Johnson went nine for 10 in clutch moments last season (when the game was within three points with 24 seconds or less).

“If you’re into analytics, you look at Joe Johnson as the clear cut as the guy taking the last-second shot,” Kidd said. “He was 9-for-10 with 24 seconds or less. So that would be your guy who is the closer.

“But the game of basketball is such that you draw up a play for one player, most of the time it doesn’t end up with that one guy taking the shot. He creates a problem, which results to one of teammates getting a wide-open look. Make-or-miss, it’s the right basketball play. For us, it’s about making the right basketball play at the end. But if you’re looking at stats, which a lot of you people do, Joe Johnson’s name comes first. … He’s a guy who delivers. He loves that stage at the end of having the ball and making the right play.”

The Charlotte Bobcats hired Steve Clifford this offseason as head coach and he sees Al Jefferson, another addition to the franchise, as the greatest current strength in the roster.

“We have a premier low-post scorer (Jefferson), which not many teams have. And we have depth – those would be the two things that stick out to me.”

Clifford believes Jefferson's presence will have a trickle down effect on the rest of the team.

“Basketball is a game that starts at the top of your roster. Whoever has the best single player on the floor has a decided advantage. He immediately becomes our best offensive player, with the ability to attract a second defender and make the play to get another player a good shot.

“The challenge for our team is the post-up (scorer) is a dependent position. He depends on others to get him the ball. Him getting the ball where he wants it and when he wants it will be critical. That means our spacing and our ability to play out of his double-teams become critical areas, too.”

The Detroit Pistons could become major players in the trade market this season due to excess on their roster at guard and small forward.

Josh Smith figures to start at small forward, but will also spend time at power forward. The Pistons also have Kyle Singler, Jonas Jerebko and Luigi Datome at small forward.

“We have a lot of flexibility,” Smith said. “I wouldn’t be surprised if guys played different positions in the backcourt or along the front line, depending on matchups.”

Erik Spoelstra turned down lucrative offers for speaking engagements this offseason and focused his attention on continuing the run of titles with the Miami Heat.

Spoelstra spent time studying the techniques of football coaches Chip Kelly and Pete Carroll.

Spoelstra studied previously how Kelly's spread offense could be applied to basketball.

Nerlens Noel is determined to become a contributor on the offensive end of the floor after coming into the NBA known primarily as a defensive specialist.

"I never wanted to hurt my team," said Noel of missing shots. "Now, I'm definitely being able to go in the gym and work on my game and do a lot of repetition.

"I'm definitely going to have a strong offensive game."

Noel is rehabbing hard from a torn ACL and wants to win over fans of the Philadelphia 76ers with a blue collar approach.

"I mean, whatever I have to do to win over the city of Philadelphia, I will do," said Noel.

Jeremy Lin admitted that he has "a lot of holes" in his game, but he expects the Houston Rockets to be a title contender.

"I think our team can be deadly," said Lin.

"I think Dwight Howard himself is already pretty deadly of a player," Lin said. "For us, it's just a matter of getting on the same page and buying into the system, and I think adding [Howard] as a piece to the puzzle, it's incredible. I think we're all extremely excited and we know what we have, and he looks healthy, he looks explosive, and he's looking better and better in terms of recovering from his [back] surgery."

Lin had a somewhat disappointing first season with the Rockets.

"One thing I have to remind myself is I just turned 25 years old, and to be honest I really have only been playing consistent basketball in the NBA for a season and a half, if that, and so I'm very young in my career. And because the expectations of Linsanity are so big and the shadow is so large ... sometimes I have to take a step back and remind myself the journey has just begun.

"I don't have as much freedom or the usage rate that I had in New York. I have to learn how to play a little more off the ball, how to cut better, how to shoot better, how to defend better. There are a lot of holes in my game, and I'll be the first one to admit that. ... It's just a matter of trying to become better and repair and improve. Teams know what my strengths and weaknesses are now, and I don't have that element of surprise anymore."

Steve Clifford has spent extensive time preaching to the Charlotte Bobcats how important rebounding will be this season.

"I’m spending a lot of time looking at our rebounding game," Clifford said. "Rebounding translates from level to level more than any stat. Guys who rebound well in college tend to rebound well in the NBA. If you look at our roster we have one guy (Michael Kidd-Gilchrist) who is an exceptional rebounder by (position). The bottom line is we can improve offensively and improve defensively, but if we don’t improve in team rebounding, it may not matter."

Clifford also is concerned with the Bobcats' transition defense and shooting.

The Bobcats added Al Jefferson in free agency and Cody Zeller in the NBA draft.