Training camp is still a few weeks away, but the normally wild, wild NBA Western Conference has become milder thanks to off-season trades, shake-ups and injuries: *Minnesota wasn’t even a playoff team when Kevin Garnett was around, but now foes who come up against the T-Wolves won’t have to deal with The Big Ticket either. That makes it more like a night in Memphis, which is always nice. *The Lakers remain a mess. Kobe Bryant not only didn’t get any marquee help (unless you’re a huge Derek Fisher fan) but now he has to come back and play with teammates he tossed under the bus and intimated weren’t good enough to win. *The Clippers chances of rebounding from last year’s disappointing season were lost when Elton Brand was lost, perhaps for the entire season, due to injury. Add that to the loss of Shaun Livingston, and the Clip Joint won’t be the same. Tim Thomas and Chris Kaman — both with rich contracts in their back pockets — will be leaned on heavily. Good luck with that. *Anybody know what the plan is in Sacramento? Get back to me, please. *Seattle loves Kevin Durant, but with no Ray Allen or Rashard Lewis, the growing pains will be there, along with all the off-court distractions about the team possibly leaving town. *And now Portland’s plan to rise from the ashes is on hold with the news that Greg Oden will miss his rookie season due to microfracture surgery. Dallas, San Antonio, Phoenix, Utah, Golden State and Denver made minor upgrades. Houston could be much improved. So while the rich get richer, and the road to the playoffs might even be easier.

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