Rick Adelman hasn't arrived in Minnesota yet, but his coaching staff is starting to take shape: Portland assistant Bill Bayno is expected to join him with the Wolves.

Bayno, 49, is a former UNLV and Loyola Marymount head coach who was a longtime assistant for John Calipari at Massachusetts and has served two stints as a scout, player personnel coach and assistant coach for the Trail Blazers.

Any or all of Adelman's assistants from Houston -- son R.J., former NBA star center Jack Sikma and T.R. Dunn -- could join the staff as well.

Bayno worked as a graduate assistant under P.J. Carlesimo at Seton Hall and Larry Brown at Kansas early in his career. He also knocked around the American Basketball Association, the Continental Basketball Association and a Philippine league for five years a decade ago.

JERRY ZGODA

Both sides cite unity

Eleven weeks into the lockout, NBA players and owners have at least one thing in common. Each side is unified and wants everyone to know it.

Solidarity among the ranks was the loudest message that emerged Thursday from separate gatherings to provide their constituents an update on collective bargaining talks.

The meetings came two days after a session between the union's executive committee and the owners' labor relations committee brought no progress after the league refused players' desire to keep the current salary cap system.

The union emerged from that setback saying the Nov. 1 scheduled start of the regular season could be in jeopardy. Training camps have been expected to open Oct. 3.

Union President Derek Fisher raised the notion of "a fundamental divide between the owners internally" in a letter sent to his membership earlier this week. But Deputy Commissioner Adam Silver insisted "there is absolute agreement."

NEWS SERVICES