Even before his trade to Utah, No. 25 was working hard to get ready for the 2010-2011 season.
"I've been really working hard this past summer to get the knee back right and it's been paying off," Al said. "I know it's paying off."
Most of AJ's training has been taking place around Boston, the first place he played in his career, where he trains with a former Celtics conditioning coach.
"I like to work out in Boston. There's a nice little small town there that I like to go work out in where Walter Norton Jr., the strength and conditioning coach for the Celtics when I was there, is," Al said. "He has his own gym now so I just go work out to get me away from everybody and stay focused. That's where I was when I got the call to let me know that the deal was done."
Al's focus on training forced him to turn down an invite to play for Team USA at the World Championships in Turkey this summer.
"The reason I decided not to go…I just felt really comfortable in what I was doing now as far as rehabbing, working out, rehabbing on my knee," he said. "I just needed to continue to do that."
