Amare Stoudemire expects to be in the lineup when the Suns open the season against the Lakers on Oct. 31.

"That's what I'm striving for," Stoudemire said Friday. "So far, so good. The past few weeks, it's been improvement, so if it can just keep improving, keep getting stronger, I should be 100 percent, no doubt about it, by the first game of the season."

Melvin Ely has been attempting to facilitate a sign-and-trade deal throughout the summer.

?We?re having conversations with his agent (Dan Fegan) right now,? Bickerstaff said. ?They?re still pursuing a sign-and-trade deal.?

Ely has reportedly drawn interest from the Golden State Warriors and Phoenix Suns this summer, but both teams have retreated from their pursuit.

Jerry Colangelo ceased being a Suns shot caller more than a year ago and he will lose his title of chief executive officer after this season.

When Robert Sarver and his partners make a $65 million June payment to complete the franchise's sale, Colangelo steps down as CEO but not out.

With "a fire still burning inside me," he said he intends to remain the team's chairman until at least 2012. That salaried position was part of the initial sale agreement in 2004, but the contentious departure of Colangelo's son, Bryan, made many doubt if he would want to remain part of the organization beyond the final payment.

"There's nothing to cause me to change anything we agreed to," Colangelo said. "The transition has taken a lot less time than anyone thought. It was important for Robert and his people to establish their identity and they've done that quickly. I'm more than comfortable with that."

The Phoenix Suns today finalized their training camp roster by signing rookie free-agent point guard and Phoenix native Davin White, who attended North High School.

The 6-foot-1, 186-pound playmaker led North High to the 2000 Class 5A semifinals before going to Chandler-Gilbert Community College for two seasons (2001-03) and Cal State Northridge (2003-05).

Former Washington State forward Jeff Varem lost his chance to take part in training camp with the Phoenix Suns when he was denied a European traveling visa.

Varem, who holds a passport from Nigeria and has a work visa for the United States, could not get his paperwork approved for a European visa.

The Suns depart for Italy on Friday and begin workouts in Treviso the next day.

Varem's loss is a gain for former Phoenix North High and Cal State Northridge point guard Davin White. He will be the 14th man on the Suns' roster.

?This is something I?ve been dreaming about for 24 years,? said White, a life-long resident of Phoenix who knows Suns history inside and out. ?I grew up rooting for KJ (Kevin Johnson), Rex Chapman and all those guys. Now I get a chance to play with Steve Nash and soak up as much as I can. Who knows what can happen??

After taking a few days off last week from workouts and missing Monday to film a Nike commercial in Los Angeles, Amar? Stoudemire was back on the court Tuesday, saying he is pain-free and feeling stronger and closer to basketball shape with each passing day.

His latest MRI, taken last week, showed no problems in either of his surgically repaired knees, and he feels the healing process is in the final stages.

?I had my explosiveness, my ability to run, jump and play defense,? he said after going full court for about an hour. ?I?m feeling great. I?ve been working on the strength and power in my legs and it?s paid off. My skills will come, but my condition is just average.?

He said he?ll be happy starting, coming off the bench or ?whatever it takes to bring us a championship.?

Shawn Marion, Steve Nash and Amar? Stoudemire of the Phoenix Suns were in Los Angeles on Monday to film commercials for Nike.

They shot solo commercials and one that will be for a Suns-specific spot.  They will begin airing in November.

The Charlotte Bobcats and Phoenix Suns recently were having serious discussions about a sign-and-trade deal involving 6-foot-10 power forward/center Melvin Ely.

The Suns have reportedly cooled on the deal.

Raja Bell, injured late in the Suns' playoff run last season after tearing his left calf, aggravated the injury again in late June, was unable to do any running in July and was well into August before he was finally cleared for basketball activities.

"I anticipated being ready to go much earlier. It was pretty frustrating," Bell said. "I was home, thinking it would heal on its own. But there was a lot of scar tissue in there, and when I tried to get back on it ? there was just no way. It was still hurting quite a bit."

ell was shut down for all of July and finally gave the calf a test run during an early August trip to Switzerland for a basketball camp, and is now running without pain.

"I'm careful to get everything stretched out before and after, but it doesn't affect me when I play," he said. "More than anything, it just slowed down my summer. We had to cancel a lot of trips, and I didn't spend the time I wanted in the gym. I would have been working a lot harder."

Former Washington State standout Jeff Varem is expected to join the Suns' preseason roster on a non-guaranteed deal. Varem, a sturdy 6 feet 6, played small and power forward on Phoenix's summer league team after a pro season in France.

The 23-year-old's versatility to guard three positions makes him a fit to be the Suns' 14th and final player in camp.

"Jeff has definitely earned the right to take this step with us," Suns Vice President of Basketball Operations David Griffin said. "He played extremely well in the summer league."

Varem's addition is pending travel visa approval because he is a native of Nigeria.