Opening Statement: Right now, the team's working real hard. The three major points of emphasis for us at this point are conditioning, really learning the system and trying to become a team. That takes a lot of forces and dynamics before a lot of those things come together. We are right in the midst of mid-training camp, going through our ups and downs. I think most of our players are at the proper level of conditioning. I think only two players are not at their prescribed weight and body fat. We're starting to learn the system better and better every day. The whole thing about building chemistry and becoming a team is going to take some time. That's probably the toughest part of the whole thing when you're building with a new group of guys. It's been very good from a work standpoint. Our games have been very competitive in preseason, so there's been a lot of positive points and overall, so far so good.

Q: Can you talk about the having to deal with Alonzo Mourning not playing and maybe adjusting your expectations for this team?

Riley: The same thing that's happening here probably would have happened in Los Angeles had I stayed there a little bit longer. That thing ran for eight or nine years, then had another year, and then Kareem (Abdul-Jabbar) left and then Magic (Johnson) left and (James) Worthy left and everybody left, and they didn't do anything until Shaq and Kobe got together. We're going through the normal changing pains that you go through after having a team for the last six or seven years that's been very competitive. Obviously, the biggest blow over the last two years has been with Alonzo Mourning not being 100 percent right, and this year not even being with us. We definitely are changing and going though those pains right now. Whether or not we're going to be competing for a division title or a playoff spot remains to be seen. I know a lot of people are probably counting this team out, but I'm rather enjoying the process of coaching and teaching a lot of new players, especially some of our younger guys exactly what it takes to be a part of this league. So that's where we are, and I don't have any angst about it at all. That's what my job is, so I'm looking forward to coaching this team.

Q: Have you had to adjust your mindset as a coach going into this season?

Riley: No. I think I approach every year the same way. You take the summer and you think about what the next season is going be like -- whether you have a championship contender, whether you have a playoff contender, whether you have a team that's going through transition -- and you get ready. We go to training camp and you put in what you have to put in and prioritize what you have to prioritize and you throw it up on November 1 and you see where you are. Where this team is at is going to be predicated on conditioning, the system and the concept of teamwork. I think if we put the right parts together with Brian (Grant) playing at a high level and Eddie Jones playing at a high level and Travis Best and some of our young guys that I really like, then this team can surprise some people.

Q: Do you expect to get some kind of medical exception for Alonzo Mourning?

Riley: No. We haven't been granted an exception because it's the same disease. Even if we had one, I wouldn't use it because we're over the tax and wouldn't want to add any more money to the tax in the next year or so. I doubt that even if we did have it, we would use it, but we haven't been granted it, so it's a moot point.

Q: What can you say about the development of Caron Butler and whether he will become a go-to player for you guys?

Riley: I don't think there's any doubt he will develop into that type of player. He's a very strong-willed, competitive, powerful, slashing-type player with the ball. He's got a lot to learn, there's no doubt he's got a lot to learn as most young players do, but he's willing. I think his attitude is right for that. First things first with young players is they really don't know the level of conditioning they're going to have to be in to go against the very best players night in and night out. He's going through that process of learning what it's going to take to be a professional and at the same time the amount of work, effort and concentration he'll have to put into it, but I really foresee a bright future for this guy.

Q: Can you talk about some of your former players who moved on to coaching?

Riley: The first I'll mention is Byron Scott. He's done a great job, coming into a team that had a lot of scars and wounds. I think with the addition of Jason Kidd, the whole thing sort of came together, but I think he's done a great job. He went to a great organization right out of playing -- in Sacramento with Rick Adelman and Pete Carrill. He was ready, after his stewardship so to speak, to become a head coach. I think Patrick Ewing is going to go through the same thing as an assistant under Doug Collins, who I feel is one of the very best in the game and he'll learn a lot about the X's and O's. That's as important as whether or not you are a talented guy. There are a number of players, Rick Carlisle has done a great job, most of the former players, Maurice Cheeks. A lot of ex-players that become assistant coaches and pay their dues, when they get their call, most of them have done pretty well. That's the name of that game.

Q: What are your thoughts on the use of anti-inflammatory and other kinds of medication?

Riley: I just read in the paper the other day what taking too much aspirin does for normal people and I'm like an advil-a-night-guy. I'm thinking I'm going to have to cut back. What happens with most players with the use of these medications, which have been approved and a part of the NBA for a long time, is that a lot of players would not be able to perform without the anti-inflammatory drugs. But I do think that with the speculation that some of the side affects have opened the door for questioning, and I do believe there should be some questioning and some research and I don't blame players for not wanting to do it, but they can't usually do both. Most of these guys get so banged up with tendinitis in all parts of their bodies and soreness and it's hard for them to perform without it.

Q: How has Vladimir Stepania looked so far and do you see him as being your starting center?

Riley: I think he's had a good training camp. He's done a great job of rebounding the ball. He's a very long, good defensive rebounder. He has a tremendous desire to rebound the ball at both ends of the court. He needs a lot of refinement in what he does after he rebounds the ball and his offensive game. We're trying to get him to do two things: defend and rebound the basketball. I think that if he were to play 30 minutes per game, and I'm not saying if he will or not, but if he were to play that much, the guy could average 10-15 rebounds, he's that good. Whether or not he will start for us will depend on some other factors, but he's had some very good games for us.

Q: How will you handle the center rotation?

Riley: Right now, the thinking is that with two young guys in Ken Johnson and Ernest Brown that aren't ready, very athletic and long players, that whole rotation is probably going to be Stepania, Brian Grant, Sean Marks when he gets healthy, those three guys will probably rotate at the spot. Which one starts, I'm not sure. Malik (Allen) is playing very well at the power forward spot, and once I get into the rotation of four or five big guys, those guys will probably be in it.