Shaq will return when he’s good and ready

With the Eastern Conference finals not scheduled to start until at least Monday, the Miami Heat don’t appear overly bothered by Shaquille O’Neal’s still-uncertain health.

O’Neal, plagued for a month by a thigh bruise, missed the final two games of the East semifinal sweep of Washington. He did some cardio work Tuesday with the team, which plans to resume full-fledged practices today. It’s unknown if O’Neal will be ready.

“He’s feeling better,” coach Stan Van Gundy said. “It’s not worth having a goal. It’s a matter of when he’s ready to go. … Whenever we get him back, we get him back.”

Williams still Knicks coach

Herb Williams pulled up to the private parking lot at the New York Knicks’ practice facility, pulled out his pass and watched the gate go up. For another day, at least, he was still the head coach.

“My keys still work in my office, so right now I’m feeling pretty good,” Williams said. “When I come up to the gate and flash my pass and it doesn’t open the gate …”

Williams never finished that thought, a fitting reflection of the state of limbo the Knicks find themselves in while awaiting word from Phil Jackson on whether he wants to coach next season – and whether he’d want to coach the Knicks.

Colangelo named executive of the year

Phoenix Suns president Bryan Colangelo was honored as the NBA’s executive of the year by The Sporting News after emerging from his father’s shadow to engineer the third-biggest turnaround in league history.

It was the first time a father and son have won the award. Suns chairman and former owner Jerry Colangelo was a four-time winner

Wizards hope former No. 1 pick Brown will return

The Washington Wizards refuse to rule out the return of Kwame Brown.

Brown, the first high schooler drafted No. 1 overall, is a restricted free agent and is expected to leave the Wizards after four disappointing seasons. He was suspended for most of the postseason after missing a practice and Game 4 of the Wizards’ first-round series against the Chicago Bulls.

“There is no saying that he won’t be back with us,” president of basketball operations Ernie Grunfeld said. “We’ll explore all of our options. We’ll meet with him and his representatives and see where we are. There is a possibility that he will be back with us.”