Luol Deng was disappointed with missing the Chicago Bulls' last seven playoff games due to complications with his spinal tap procedure, but he also feared for his life during his battle with the issue.

"My body didn’t react well to the spinal tap, I had some serious side effects that not only didn’t allow me to play basketball, but really put my life in danger," Deng said. "It’s something that I wouldn’t want anyone to go through, but when I went through it, I think that basketball became second – especially that because what I went through health wise, my family was very worried.

"I never want to experience something like that again."

Deng has made the NBA All-Star team two straight seasons.

Channing Frye missed last season due to an enlarged heart but has expressed optimism about playing next season.

Still, Frye has not been cleared yet and is seeking opinions of top cardiologists.

The Phoenix Suns are hopeful Frye will play next season.

“We’re optimistic that he’ll be with us and playing,” Ryan McDonough said of Frye. “Channing wants to play and the results he has gotten have been good. Obviously, we just want a consensus.”

Derrick Rose's brother, Reggie Rose, spoke with the media about how his recovery from a torn ACL is progressing.

Rose expects to return for the preseason.

"Looking at his body, he's really strong. The only thing he has to work on is cardio and getting in game shape. But that will come (in training camp). I have no concerns about him physically."

Reggie Rose expected his brother to receive a backlash in not returning from his injury last season.

"Coming from Englewood, if someone says something negative about us or our family, it's like brushing crumbs off our shoulders," Reggie Rose said. "It's nothing to us. We made it through Englewood.

"Everybody is entitled to their opinion. That's all it was."

Reggie Rose also spoke of the loss of assistant coach Ron Adams.

"He'll come back at the level he was at before, and he's going to have a better jump shot when he comes back," Reggie Rose said. "He does a whole lot of shooting drills. He used to put up a lot of shots with Coach Adams. Unfortunately, Coach Adams isn't here anymore. That was kind of like his shooting buddy. And Coach Adams did a great job all last year and basically since he was in Chicago before the Bulls let him go."

Andrew Bynum is eager to work with the Cleveland Cavaliers’ training staff on his recovery from arthroscopic surgery on both knees.

"The Cavs so far have given me every opportunity to succeed," Bynum said during his introductory press conference. "The medical staff is great. They've put together a plan going forward. I pretty much just show up and work hard. I really believe in the doctors here and in the training staff. I'm in a different place because after the surgery I feel a lot better than I did last year. With time off I've been able to get the swelling out. I'm just ready to work. I'm here. I moved up here already, found a new location to live. I'm going to be in this gym as much as possible to get my game back to the level that I know I can."

In signing Bynum to a two-year contract that could pay him up to $24 million, the Cavaliers are hoping for a return to his form in 2011-12.

"I was an All-Star in this league a year and a half ago and I have a lot of room to grow," Bynum said. "Watching the game from outside, I can see where I’m needed in the game. That’s defense, swing protection, sprinting down the lane, posting up big, creating double teams, making it easy on my teammates around me. I’m ready."

Kobe Bryant could be back on the court by the start of preseason.

Jim Buss said Thursday that he’s encouraged by Bryant’s rehabilitation, which recently has included running on an elliptical machine.

“I would bet a lot of money that this guy comes back probably in preseason," Buss said during the Lakers-Bucks game at the Las Vegas Summer League. "He's real sharp in taking care of himself and he's not going to rush anything just to get back and prove a point.

“He's going to come back when he's right. He's a machine. He's inhuman. I see him coming back at the beginning of this season. I can't believe how much he's progressed so far."

Bryant previously said he expects to be more aggressive with his conditioning by mid-August, with an assumed goal of returning by the start of training camp.

Livio Jean-Charles will need surgery on his severely sprained right knee.

Jean-Charles was injured while playing in the FIBA U-20.

Jean-Charles was a first round pick by the San Antonio Spurs last month.

J.R. Smith is out three to four months after undergoing patellar tendon surgery and an arthroscopy for a tear in the lateral meniscus of his left knee.

The New York Knicks were aware of Smith's knee issue before they re-signed him on a four-year, $24.7 million contract.

Smith began having knee issues during the playoffs.

Derrick Rose has deemed himself 100 percent healthy and that he will play the first game of the regular season with the Chicago Bulls.

Rose was medically cleared to play last season, but did not return to game action.

Rose's first game back will be in the Bulls' preseason opener in Rio de Janeiro.

Shane Larkin suffered a broken ankle during practice with the Dallas Mavericks on Friday.

Larkin could miss two to three months.

"Yes it is true," Larkin posted on Twitter. "But if you think I won’t come back stronger then before then you got the wrong guy."

Larkin was the 18th overall pick in last month's draft.

The Dallas Mavericks have decided to shelve their plan to sign Devin Harris after an exam revealed that Harris has a dislocated toe, according to sources close to the situation.

Harris will undergo surgery to repair the dislocation later this month.

The Mavericks remain interested in signing Harris, sources said, but will wait until the start of the regular season to see how Harris recovers from surgery.