HoopsHype.com Rumors

Friday, October 23

Visit the HoopsHype.com Forums to discuss the latest news and rumors in the NBA / You also can check out rumors from back in the day in the Rumors Archive

The NBA has reached agreement with the league's referees on a new collective bargaining agreement, commissioner David Stern said Friday. He added that he expected referees to officiate the opening games of the season, which start Tuesday. Reuters

The league has been using replacement officials in pre-season games after the National Basketball Referees Association (NBRA) rejected a contract offer. "We are looking forward to our regular referees ratifying the agreement that we reached and being back on the court on Tuesday," Stern said in a teleconference. Reuters

Sam Amick: Jake Voskuhl is possibility for Kings as additional big, but nothing doing now, according to agent Mark Bartelstein. Twitter.com

The Houston Rockets have waived guard Brent Barry, a move that trims their roster to the required 15 players. The 6-foot-7 Barry signed as a free agent with the Rockets before last season and averaged 3.7 points and 1.4 assists in 56 games. ESPN.com

With his agent unable to find a suitable trade for his client, the Wolves today requested waivers on veteran guard Antonio Daniels, who told David Kahn the week before training camp that he preferred to play elsewhere. That elsewhere could be a contender like Cleveland. Minneapolis Star Tribune

I just spoke with Dionte Christmas' agent, Andre Buck, who said his client was released early this morning. Buck said that he spoke with Christmas briefly and plans to see him later today. Buck said that the next step in this process is a hearing scheduled for Wednesday. If you need the details of this story, click here: Dionte Christmas arrested. Buck said that it's "hard to convey" how is client is feeling, but that he's OK. Buck said, as of right now, Christmas' basketball options remain intact. Philadelphia Inquirer

Chris Mannix: Knicks exercise options on Wilson Chandler and Danilo Gallinari. Twitter.com

According to NBA front-office sources, Humphries was originally on the list of players Dallas was prepared to move out this summer in response to the long-term salary commitments owner Mark Cuban took on by re-signing Jason Kidd to a three-year, $25 million deal and awarding a five-year, $40 million contract to Marion as part of the sign-and-trade. The Mavs weren't even sure what they had yet with Humphries, but anyone on the end of the bench with a non-expiring contract was made available, putting Humphries (due to earn $3.2 million in 2010-11) in a similar position to exiled swingman Shawne Williams, shooting guard Matt Carroll and center Nathan Jawai, who was traded to Minnesota earlier this week. ESPN.com

Brian T. Smith: Blazers' Miller said he feels he's still peaking, and didn't feel a possible bench role would 'happen at this point in my career.' Twitter.com

Antawn Jamison's ailing shoulder will take much longer to heal than expected -- keeping him off the court well into the regular season. The Washington Wizards revised their estimated recovery time for Jamison's injury Friday, announcing he's likely to miss eight to 13 games of the regular season. The two-time All-Star forward partially dislocated his shoulder trying to block a shot in an exhibition game against Cleveland on Oct. 14. The Wizards originally ruled him out for the rest of the preseason. But team president Ernie Grunfeld said Friday that Jamison is expected be out three to five weeks. ESPN.com

Utah Jazz Kyle Korver will undergo knee surgery Tuesday to remove a spur in his left knee. As a result, he will miss the start of the regular season, general manager Kevin O'Connor said. Korver received a second opinion on his inflamed knee, which kept him from playing in all but one of the Jazz's preseason games. Salt Lake Tribune

Kevin Garnett reached his breaking point on Friday afternoon with questions about whether he is physically ready and back to 100 percent following surgery last May to remove bone spurs behind his right knee. “Next question,” he answered when asked. But the question was asked moments later, in a different way. “I just told you. That [stuff] is getting old, now. That [stuff] getting real old. You’re going to have to sit in your offices and come up with some new questions. Drink a little more beer now or whatever gets you going to come up with your questions.” WEEI

Speaking of hurtin' point guards, Rafer Alston had an allergic reaction to seafood and had to skip practice. You can guess where Skip To My Lou was skipping to instead. Actually, perhaps Alston is just nervous about playing in his home borough of Queens tomorrow. I used to get sick every Christmas Eve, just thinking about what would be waiting for me in the morning. Seriously. Alston said he's never played on the court at St. John's before. He also said that he's going to be handing out about 20 tickets to family and friends, which seems like a pretty low number for a guy who played at Cardozo. Maybe this explains why: "I try to get as many (tickets) as I can get without having to pay, then I try to buy some without having to spend a lot." New York Daily News

Two years ago, when Rivers was winning a championship in Boston and Lue was a veteran reserve with the Magic, Rivers had talked to Lue. “There’s guys you coach all the time that you say, ‘He’ll be a coach.’ And Ty Lue was on the top of that list,” Rivers said. “I told him when you’re ready to stop trying to play basketball and you want to come sit on the bench and join us, we’ll create it,” Rivers said. “No matter how many coaches we have, I’ll get you a job.” Lue took him up on the offer, joining Rivers’ staff as director of basketball development. He was at practice today in Waltham. He’ll be Rivers’ fifth assistant. Boston Globe

Things didn't start out exactly as he planned when Jeremy Tyler - the 18-year-old phenomenon from San Diego who signed with Maccabi Haifa this past summer, becoming the first US player to skip his senior year in high school and opt to play in Europe - got into his first game as a burly 12-year-old. The way he remembers it, Tyler - who previously had been "mostly into baseball," had fallen asleep for a while on the floor beneath the team bench, and woke up just as the second half of his local summer league team's game was starting. The youngster then checked into the game, but was unfamiliar with the rule that the teams switch baskets at halftime. "So I came in, and I don't know what happened, but I got a rebound and put it back up, and it wasn't supposed to go back up on that side," he says with a laugh after a recent Winners Cup game in Jerusalem. The mistake earned him his first nickname: Minus Two. Jerusalem Post

But Tyler is confident he's made the right move, even though he's still missing two very important things about San Diego: "Jack-in-the-Box [hamburger chain] and Mexican food." Indeed, it's hard to take the boy out of the man-child, but Tyler sounds like he knows what he's up against - a boy in a man's world on the court until he earns the respect of some of the other players in the Israeli league. "In high school, everything was a good move, but here I don't know if I've found a good move yet," he says after a practice game that saw him held to just a handful of points. "I'll just have to play it out and see what works. First, I'm here to try to help the team as much as possible to win. But individually, I'm just trying to show the world that I did make the right decision... It doesn't matter how old you are; if you have the talent, you should be able to go do it. Jerusalem Post

Despite the difficult learning curve ahead, he's still convinced making the jump from high-school ball in San Diego to the Israeli league was the right move. "What I believe is that sometimes college can take away from your game, because in college, everyone has a certain role to play... if you're the rebounder, you're supposed to get rebounds, and that's OK... but as a professional you have to be able to rebound, block shots, make outlet passes, alter the other team's shots. I just thought that college would take away from my game," says Tyler, still looking for an Israeli food he likes, despite getting invited to teammates' homes more often now. Jerusalem Post

The Utah Flash just announced that former Stanford All-American and nine-year NBA veteran Mark Madsen has been named an assstant coach. Madsen replaces Dale Osbourne, who was hired by the Oklahoma City Thunder and took a position with their NBA Developmental League affiliate in Tulsa. Salt Lake Tribune

Suns.com: The team got younger this off-season (with an average age of 26.5 years). Was that something you were actively seeking to make happen? Steve Kerr: Yes, we knew that our core group of guys was getting older, and that in order to make the transition to the next era of Suns basketball, it was imperative to add youth and talent. That’s why we’re excited about the additions of Earl Clark and Taylor Griffin, and the development of the young guys we brought along last year: Robin, Jared Dudley, Goran Dragic and Lou Amundson. We also like the fact that we have a group of talented veterans who can mentor those young guys, which is important. Suns.com

Suns.com: What does first-round pick Earl Clark add to the team? SK: Earl is a very talented player. His best attribute is his defense. At 6-10, he’s extremely mobile and capable of guarding both perimeter and interior players. That’s an important talent to have in this day and age. Earl is young, though, and it will take him time before he’s really ready to contribute. He needs to get better with his shooting and decision-making, but he’s working hard every day and we’re happy with his progress. Suns.com: Everyone talks about the Lakers and Spurs in the West. Where do the Suns fit in? SK: I think we’re in the group below LA and San Antonio. There are a lot of good teams in the West, but there’s no reason why we can’t compete with any of them. If we stay healthy and our young guys continue to get better, I think we have a chance to be a really good team. Suns.com

Owner Herb Simon and team president Larry Bird should be ashamed for not superseding GM David Morway's decision to hatchet one of Indianapolis' most revered sports figures, something he's wanted to do for months; conveniently he was out of the office, in Orlando, when the execution was implemented. New York Post

Donnie Walsh should be embarrassed he ever hired such a paperweight as Morway, a former player agent whose basketball opinion rings hollow at his own family dinner table, to understudy him. Daniels was the ABA's regal rookie for the Muskies in the league's inaugural 1967-68 season. The 6-foot-9 center's services were sold to Indiana (to keep Minnesota afloat, which moved to Miami, actually, and was renamed The Floridians), where the three-time MVP bulk-headed three Pacers championships. New York Post

Ric Bucher: What front office? The general consensus is that Larry Riley is a nice guy who works hard, but there’s no way of knowing if he’s any good at the job because he has no authority. That said, I know several GMs or assistant GMs who would love to have this job because they see the market and the young talent and believe it’s all being wasted. Of course, most of them are only looking to take over if the team is under new ownership. In the short term, most teams see the Warriors as a pigeon they hope to fleece in the midst of their leadership crisis. Oh, there’s one exception: Ron Artest told me the other day this team is right on the cusp of being right back where it was two years ago. Also said Jack is a great leader for this team. This was *after* the game at the Forum. So for those who are convinced the Warriors are still headed in the right direction, you’re as lucid as RonRon. warriorsworld.net

Ric Bucher: I’ve been told that when Cohan bought the team, he looked at it as a family heirloom, something he hoped to keep in the family forever, passing it down to his kids, a la the Rooney family in football. I don’t know if that has changed. I do know a lot of people are interested in buying the team from him and have made formal or informal inquiries. The problem is, for anyone hoping Cohan will sell, that this is his primary business now, his nest egg. If he’s going to walk away from it, he’s going to want to make a killing and the current economy doesn’t bode well for someone over-paying for anything. warriorsworld.net

David Aldridge: Stu Jackson says NBA has not changed rule or enforcement of traveling, only "antiquated language" in rule book. Twitter.com

Down the road? Cleveland and Denver, sources say, remain the two teams out there with the most certifiable interest in dealing for Jackson. The Cavs, though, don't want to surrender Zydrunas Ilgauskas in a prospective deal because they want to keep all the size they can muster to throw at Boston, Orlando and the defending champs from L.A. ESPN.com

Yet sources close to the situation continue to insist that no deal is close for the Warriors with Opening Night just a few days away. Just as we said back on Oct. 9, it’s almost certainly too soon for Jackson suitors to feel the desperation required to convince one of them to go through with absorbing the three-year extension worth nearly $28 million that kicks in after this season for the 31-year old . . . as well as Jackson's outsized personality. To this point, sources say, Golden State has only received proposals that are painful deals financially. ESPN.com

Sources say that Dallas, already two-deep at versatile forward with Shawn Marion and Josh Howard, has informed the Warriors that they have "no interest" in adding Jackson to that mix despite Jackson's publicly stated wish to go to Cleveland, New York or one of the three Texas teams. ESPN.com

The only other team we’ve heard mentioned as a potential Jackson chaser is Charlotte, although we’re obliged to note that the Bobcats weren’t on Jackson’s original wish list and don’t exactly seem like his kind of team. ESPN.com

This type of situation -- and the tension that accompanies it -- has hindered many a player in the past. But Rondo says he’s completely at ease with the situation. After notching 20 points and 7 assists in Tuesday’s 108-103 exhibition loss to the New York Knicks, he said his contract status won’t be a factor in his play this season. “I have no idea whether we’ll get something done [by the deadline],” Rondo said from the visiting locker room at Madison Square Garden. “It’s not something I’m worried about. It’s just not a big deal right now. Of course, I’d like to get it done, but if it doesn’t happen, I’m not going to lose any sleep over it.’’ ESPN.com

Rondo can be a restricted free agent next summer and undoubtedly could command near a maximum contract – especially should LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh re-sign with their own teams. For now, the Celtics and Rondo’s agent are nowhere near an extension with the Oct. 31 deadline looming. Rajon Rondo's attempt at holding a team meeting last season didn't go over well with the Celtics' veterans. “If we come to an agreement before the deadline, great. If we don’t, I’ll play it out without a problem,” Rondo said. Yahoo! Sports

Rondo understands that, which is one reason he won’t be bent out of shape if no deal is struck this month. It is not known how much Rondo is asking for, but a source said it's not the maximum. “My agent’s got a certain number in mind and if they don’t reach that, we’ll just wait,’’ he said. “I feel like if we win another title, obviously that helps my chances [of getting more money].’’ ESPN.com

“It’s not the worst situation,” one Rondo confidante insists. “He will get paid. It won’t affect him if he has to wait. He is fearless.” ESPN.com

Despite the Bucks' massive overhaul, the 30-year-old Redd says he never considered asking for a trade. "The Bucks' organization has been good to me," Redd said. "And [Milwaukee general manager] John [Hammond] told me he has a plan to turn things around. The NBA is a business and I understand that. Sometimes changes have to be made." SI.com

Still, Redd left the door open for finishing his career in another uniform. "I've been here a long time and a big part of me wants to finish my career here," Redd said. "But, yeah, there is definitely a part of me that wants to play for a winner." SI.com

Veteran center Jarron Collins was waived and is heading to . . . we don't know. Because Collins officially was waived by Portland today, the end of his 48-hour waiver period will not end until Saturday and the league office is closed on weekends even though everyone else in and around the NBA works weekends. So it appears we won't know Collins' destination until Monday. We do know the Suns were interested but they also are 18th in the waiver order, based on last season's records. If Collins comes to Phoenix, the Suns would have the ability to sign him to a non-guaranteed contract, meaning they could give him a short look, just use him until Robin Lopez returns or just keep him as a 14th player with teams allowed to carry 15. Arizona Republic

Bobby Jackson, the former Kings guard and longtime fan favorite, will be announcing his retirement at an Arco Arena press conference tomorrow. As mentioned in Twitterland a while ago, Jackson will assume a role within the Kings organization as well. For now, click on the Twitter link for a few more details but be sure to check back later today for more on this post. Sacramento Bee

On whether it's true he'll be announcing his retirement... "Yeah, I'm about to hang 'em up. I had a great career, I played 12 great years, longer than anybody imagined, making good money. I think the economy is the reason why a lot of guys are not playing right now. And I'm the type of guy who doesn't like sitting around waiting on anything. So I feel like I have an opportunity to do bigger and better things and pursue that. It's better than waiting on somebody to wait for somebody to call me and pick me up. Sacramento Bee

"I'm just sitting here. I'm not doing anything, so I'd rather do something else. I'm not saying I don't want to play. I feel like I still can play and I want to play, but it's not the best situation for me right now. I feel like I don't have to prove myself to anybody. It has just come to a situation where you have to pick your time to bow out gracefully. I could be like the rest of these...free agents out there waiting on teams to call them. But at the end of the day, I feel like if they wanted me to they would've called me over the summertime. I don't want to be one of those guys who is trying to hang on one more year or two more years, jumping from team to team.. I've been (traded) a lot, and it took a great restraint for me, pride-wise, to say, 'You know what, even though I feel like I can still play, to be like, (shoot) maybe it's time to hang it up and do something that's good for me and not have to wait on someone else. Sacramento Bee

On what his role will be with the Kings... "It's going to be a lot of roles. No. 1, it will be helping in the community with the players, doing some scouting, all those things come into play. I thought I really wanted to coach, but I weighed my options and was like, 'Man, being a coach is like being a player.' You've got to travel and do all the things coaches do. I kind of want to be at home more, spend time with the kids because they're getting older. Learning from (Kings basketball president) Geoff (Petrie) and (vice basketball president) Wayne (Cooper), and trying to become one of the best GMs in the game, that's probably what's on my mind right now." Sacramento Bee

Spanish ACB club Suzuki Manresa signed with a monthly contract American Michael Ruffin who will replace Brian Cusworth, sidelined for the next four weeks. Sportando

There was considerable sentiment on the Mavericks staff that Jake Voskuhl was the kind of long, workmanlike center that was worthy of keeping on the roster. Unfortunately, the numbers squeeze meant Voskuhl was expendable. The 6-11 center was waived Thursday, reducing the roster to the regular-season maximum of 15. Mavericks president Donnie Nelson said he believes Voskuhl will not be unemployed for long, with several teams interested in signing him when he clears waivers. Voskuhl had a non-guaranteed contract with the Mavericks. Dallas Morning News

The Cavaliers reduced their roster to 15 players on Thursday. But no one is guaranteeing it will be their opening-day roster. They waived three players — point guards AndreBarrett and RussellRobinson and center DarrylWatkins. By waiving them on Thursday, they'll clear waivers by Monday. So, for now, free agent shooting guard Coby Karl has made the team. But maybe he shouldn't sign a long-term lease on a new apartment. League sources say the Cavs have been on the prowl for a veteran point guard. News-Herald

The Boston Celtics have waived forward Mike Sweetney. The release on Thursday of Sweetney, the ninth pick of the 2004 NBA draft out of Georgetown, was expected with the Celtics having a deep roster. Sweetney was out of the NBA last season after spending his first two seasons with the New York Knicks and the next two with the Chicago Bulls. Boston Globe

In an expected move, the Bulls waived forward Chris Richard on Thursday. The Bulls' roster now stands at 14 players. Derrick Byars returned from his left knee injury to practice Thursday. Chicago Tribune

NBA coaches and general managers are fond of talking about the importance of protecting their assets. That's why invoking a third-year option on Marreese Speights and fourth-year options on Thaddeus Young and Jason Smith for 2010-11 were basically no-brainers. Still, the one who should be the most grateful is Smith, the backup forward-center who missed all of last season after undergoing knee surgery. ''He's been with us through his whole rehab and was cleared to play in July,'' Sixers president/general manager Ed Stefanski said. ''He's played through the preseason and his level of energy has been off the charts. We've been told by the doctors that he'll get stronger as the season goes on. And he has a nice skill, in that he's a 'big' who can come in and make shots.'' Philadelphia Daily News

As the wheels rolled back and the team jet lifted out of Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, the season’s most humiliating loss dangled like an anvil inside the Boston Celtics’ charter flight. Kevin Garnett was still out, the playoffs were 10 days away and Rajon Rondo(notes) directed his teammates to gather in the back of the cabin. “Go ahead,” Doc Rivers warned his players, “but it will be an awful meeting.” Yahoo! Sports

Rondo appeared to want his teammates to air out complaints in the early evening of April 14, but it rapidly deteriorated into a grievance session that had the uncomfortable vibe of the young guys against the Big 3 of Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen. For some Celtics, there was a sense that Rondo had prodded the younger teammates to speak out on the tough-love tactics of the vets. Rondo never vented, but one teammate who had challenged K.G. later confessed privately that he wished he had never spoken up, that he didn’t even believe the whiny words tumbling out of his mouth. Rondo insists he had the best of intentions, and yet there’s no mistaking the fact the meeting served to widen a gulf between him and his older teammates. Yahoo! Sports

As the flight touched down in Philadelphia, Allen filed past his coach and insisted, “Boy, you were right.” Rivers didn’t reveal the meeting to Yahoo! Sports, but was honest about its consequences. Rondo has come a long way from April, when there were influential members of the organization – from front office to the floor – who wondered about his agenda, who thought the wildly talented point guard was sometimes too smart for the greater good of the team. In this preseason, the sturdiness and consistency of his leadership has overwhelmed any lingering skepticism in the front office, coaching staff and locker room. “He’s been phenomenal,” Rivers said. Yahoo! Sports

Even so, few coaches have Rivers’ innate ability to understand the dynamic of the locker room, of human nature, and diffuse combustible circumstances before they devolve into disruptions. Ultimately, Rivers let the education of Rajon Rondo take its course. “I hate player meetings,” he said. “The right things are never said. I’ve always believed that either guys blow smoke up each other’s asses, or they go the completely opposite way and say (bleep) they can’t repair. “Well, they had it and everyone got on the bus all pissed off at each other.” Yahoo! Sports

Rondo had little enthusiasm to discuss the meeting, saying, “It’s hard to play when guys have things on their chest. I think it’s best to get it off there. But obviously Doc thinks otherwise. “…A lot of guys said what they had to say, but I don’t know if it helped us or hurt us.” Rondo played brilliant ball in the playoffs, but Celtics general manager Danny Ainge still shopped him in summer trade talks. His intent was likely less to actually move Rondo and far more to shake him up. Rondo is smart and strong-minded, and sometimes his stubbornness could complicate cohesion. Yahoo! Sports

Long regarded as one of the league's better streak shooters, the 6-foot-1 guard has connected on just 34.5 percent of his shots in the preseason, so has the transition back to the NBA been difficult? "(The European competition) is down from the NBA, without question," Pargo said. "I think in the league I played in over in Europe, if that was the NBA, I would be an all-star as opposed to being a role player. "I think I've gotten better in the pick-and-roll situation and making plays for other people. I just haven't shot the way I normally do." Pargo, who played for the Bulls from 2004-06, missed practice the past two days with a hip injury and might sit out Friday's preseason finale against Washington. "That's been hurting for a while," he said. "Maybe that's why I'm not shooting the ball that great. Hopefully it will be fine." Arlington Heights Daily Herald

But despite this discouraging truth, as the Blazers wrapped up their exhibition season Thursday night with a 113-93 win against the Phoenix Suns at General Motors Place, one thing seemed clear: Blake will open this season as the Blazers' starting point guard. Although coach Nate McMillan has not made this official, a variety of reasons point to the reality and all surfaced in the opening minutes against the Suns. Oregonian

For critics who note that Blake is too small, too generic or too anything, he points out that he's won two high school championships, one NCAA championship and has steered three different NBA teams to the playoffs, including the Blazers last season. "Unfortunately I wasn't blessed with the athletic ability of some players or the size of some people, so I have to go hard every single play," Blake said. "I can't let down because people take advantage of that. I have to be ready to work harder than everyone else." Oregonian

McMillan says the Miller signing was not a reflection of Blake but of the Blazers' need for another ball-handler, playmaker and veteran presence. "That wasn't the first position we went after," McMillan said, indirectly pointing out that the Blazers first pursued small forward Hedo Turkoglu. "So we could have very easily (entered camp) without a new point guard." Oregonian

He figured the opening night starting lineup would be Steve Blake at point guard, himself at shooting guard, Nicolas Batum at small forward, LaMarcus Aldridge at power forward and Greg Oden at center. That left a second unit of Andre Miller at point guard, Rudy Fernandez at shooting guard, Martell Webster at small forward, Travis Outlaw at power forward and Joel Przybilla at center. “I’ve sat back and thought about this, and talked about this with my friends,’’ Roy said. “Everyone thinks the sacrifice is going to have to come from me and LaMarcus. And yeah, it is. Oregonian

“But an even bigger sacrifice is going to have to come from Andre and Joel,’’ Roy said. “Say Joel comes off the bench. Does he relax and say this is Greg’s team, that Greg is the future, just go ahead Greg? Or does he say I’m gonna push myself everyday to make sure Greg is great and to make sure that when I come in the game I’m even better? “And does Andre say OK, I will come off the bench and make sure this is the best second lineup in the NBA? Or is he going to say, Steve is starting, I’m going to relax?’’ Oregonian

Arenas is still having fun, Wizards General Manager Ernie Grunfeld insisted, and at some point this season, a teammate may wind up with a car full of popcorn, compliments of you know who. But Arenas also seems conscious of his mortality as an athlete and of the limited time to leave a basketball legacy. “It’s just his two inner selves fighting with each other,” Smith said. “He painted himself into a corner. He doesn’t want to be the crazy guy that always gives the quotes.” Nick Young is entering his third season as a Wizards swing man. Arenas has been injured so long that Young has not seen the Arenas who wants the ball in his hands as time dwindles, the one who scored 60 points against Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers. “But,” Young said of Arenas’s performance in the exhibition season, “I’ve been seeing it now.” The more he sees of this more serious Arenas, the less the public may see of the other. “I’ve loved the game the same as before I got hurt to now,” Arenas said. “That’s why I just want to play it instead of just doing interviews every day about nothing.” New York Times

An NBA source told Yahoo! Sports that Okafor was cleared to play by the Hornets’ medical staff two weeks ago and by his own doctor a week later. Most of Okafor’s teammates know he has been cleared and are eager to see whether he works out with them for the first time over the weekend. “He better practice Sunday or he could lose some guys,” one Hornet said. Prior to the Hornets’ shootaround on Thursday morning, Okafor acknowledged he has been medically cleared to play “based on how I feel.” He said he hopes to practice on Sunday. “He might have been cleared medically, but from a mental standpoint he is not cleared,” New Orleans coach Byron Scott said. “In his mind, he says he’s not ready. When you have a guy that says he is not ready, the worst thing you can do is force him to get out there.” Yahoo! Sports

“This is a big year for [Okafor],” Scott said. “As far as the critics are concerned, he can shut up a whole lot of people. We brought him here because he can score in the low post and take some pressure off Chris and David and give us that third guy. If he can do the things and deliver the things that we talked about, then he is going to be successful.” But while Okafor’s stats and résumé look good, the antsy Hornets are more than ready to see him play in person. “We got guys that can play,” West said. “But Emeka came into this league as a starter. He knows what it’s like to be on the floor and counted on. We need his presence.” Yahoo! Sports

Can't say I'm surprised. When I saw Hornets general manager Jeff Bowers in Greensboro, we chatted about Mek. I told him Emeka isn't injury-prone, as some have described him, but once he's hurt he has this odd preoccupation with being perfectly healthy before again stepping on a court. He's hyper-conscious of his body, so it seems to take forever for him to feel well enough to play. Charlotte Observer

Kevin Garnett’s return from knee surgery means Davis’ prime-time role will be reduced. He’s back to being a reserve and sometimes envisions the worst possible result from it. “It’s real difficult to go back, from playing 30 minutes or even 35 on a good night, to playing 12 or 15 on a good night,” Davis said. “There’s a lot of great players on this team.” Surely, he’s being hard on himself. Surely, there’s more playing time in store. “I hope so,” he said. As a result, Davis now faces a significant mental challenge. He must accept a smaller role. “I don’t know how to accept that yet,” he said. “I don’t know how to do it yet. It’s not as if we’ve gone over it. Nobody tells me nothing.” Boston Herald

Although Afflalo is 2 inches shorter than Hamilton, Karl said both shooting guards are excellent at moving without the ball and utilizing screens to get their shot off. "In my opinion," Karl said, Afflalo "is ahead of the curve from the standpoint of basketball IQ." The Nuggets believe that Afflalo will doggedly defend, just as Jones did, shoot the corner 3, as Kleiza did, and do so with a salary of $1.01 million, less than both the other two guys will make this season. "We're into him," Warkentien said. "He's got a future." Denver Post

The Kings outscored the Thunder 36-25 in the second quarter. For the game, Rodríguez had seven points, 11 assists and three steals in 34 minutes. "If I get the opportunity, I am going to be ready to play," Rodríguez said. "I have been working all summer long, and I get to practice early. I am ready to play and help this team win." Sacramento Bee

A team that vaguely resembled the New Orleans Hornets got beaten down in the second half late Thursday night, losing 126-92 to a group that looked a little like the Golden State Warriors in a preseason game at Oracle Arena. The Hornets were playing without four starters, including All-Stars Chris Paul and David West. The absence of Paul, who sat out with an upper-respiratory ailment, was particularly noticeable. Without their floor leader, the Hornets seemed rudderless in the second half, committing turnovers in bunches and lacking an offensive spark. “That was probably the worst half I’ve seen us play in a long time,” Hornets Coach Byron Scott said, after his team’s preseason record fell to 2-5 with one preseason game remaining tonight against the Clippers. “Mentally I think we are a fragile team. We’re mentally weak. We can’t be that weak-minded. Chris and David are probably our two toughest-minded players, but that’s no excuse for the way we played.” New Orleans Times-Picayune

Over the last few days, I've again imposed upon respected talent scouts throughout the NBA for an answer to the following question: Which young players appear primed to bust out . . . either become a name on the marquee or advance and be nationally recognized as more than just extras on the set? Morrow was mentioned by many. The remaining nominees will be the subject of Sunday's column. New York Post

And then there's DeShawn Stevenson, who'd wear his particular badge of honor if he could, except it might get lost among all the tattoos, which crawl up his neck. "I think I'm the most hated player in the league," he said. "In fact, I know I am." NBA.com

Nelson has told the Warriors' strength and conditioning personnel about cutting back Curry's weightlifting to see if that's the problem. Curry said he lifts three days a week "heavy" for an hour straight. At most at Davidson, he said, he lifted "light" twice a week. But he said he doesn't think weights are the issue. Nonetheless, Curry said they've told him to scale back on the lifting, but a plan hasn't been put in place yet. Curry said earlier that he thinks his struggles were based on the fact that he wasn't used to coming off the bench. Nelson said that's likely going to be his Warriors' role for the immediate future. Nelson wants Curry to play in the backcourt with Morrow because the two have good chemistry already and Curry has the vision and passing ability to properly feed Morrow, the team's best shooter. Curry said even if he's on the second unit, his shot won't be a problem for long. "I promise," Curry said, "it'll be fine by Wednesday." Contra Costa Times

With a handful of days until they begin their title defense, however, the Lakers are already dealing with injuries. For starters, Gasol might be sidelined for the season opener. He went through a light practice Wednesday but felt pain in the hamstring Thursday morning and was ruled out of exhibition games Thursday and today against the Denver Nuggets. He will have missed the Lakers' last six exhibition games. Lakers Coach Phil Jackson said it "could be" possible that Gasol missed the season opener next Tuesday against the Clippers. "He had some questions about how it felt after a limited practice," Jackson said. "To alleviate the response that he had, we just thought it was probably best to back off." Then Jackson was asked if he was worried about Gasol's possible absence. "Whether he makes it or doesn't make it, I'm not worried," Jackson said. "That doesn't worry me." Los Angeles Times

Bynum also sat out Thursday's game, resting a strained rotator cuff in his right shoulder. He was hurt after reaching for a defensive rebound Tuesday against Golden State. "I'm going to take a couple days off," he said. "That's really it." Bynum said he would "most likely" play if tonight were a regular-season game and would "definitely" play if it were a playoff game. So was Jackson worried about Bynum's injury? "I'm not concerned about it, but my druthers would be to have them together playing," he said. As if to illustrate the point, Jackson ended an interview session with reporters, took a few steps and started singing, "It takes a worried man to sing a worried song," a line from a song by the Old 97's. That's Jackson -- seemingly always worry-free. Los Angeles Times

Talking to Kyle Korver at the shootaround before the Jazz’s first game of the preseason, he sounded about as down as you could be for a knee injury that everybody supposedly had determined wasn’t that serious. Now we know why: Korver was struggling to flex his left knee then and will seek a second opinion after being unable to shake the soreness with rest alone in these recent weeks. “Kyle has been grouchy and mopey and unhappy and everything else for not being on the court,” Jazz general manager Kevin O’Connor said. Salt Lake Tribune

“He’s somebody that really likes to play. We’re disappointed for him and I think if you’ve talked to him, you can hear the disappointment in his voice. “He’s not one of those guys that looks at preseason like, ‘Uhh, I’m not sure I want to go through this, I’m a veteran.’ Salt Lake Tribune

Mark Madsen: Excited to start coaching for the NBDL team, the Flash!! We have open tryouts in Atlanta this weekend! Twitter.com

Mike Wells: Word is Mel Daniels, who has his ABA number retired by the Pacers, is no longer the team's director of player personnel. Twitter.com

Stern said Thursday that Prokhorov made a positive impression on NBA owners over the past two days, when he was introduced to them as part of a Board of Governors meeting at the St. Regis Hotel in Manhattan. Prokhorov, a Russian oligarch with an estimated net worth of $9.5 billion and a taste for the finer things in life, introduced himself to his prospective business partners as "Mike." Cue the "Be Like Mike" jingle. Barring a Steve Phillips-like revelation, Prokhorov's bid to rescue the Nets appears to be a slam dunk in the making -- with an assist from Stern. "I would say that his application is under review, because the review process is incomplete and the documents are not finalized," Stern said. "That said, we haven’t surfaced anything that would cause us to have a negative opinion of him. But we’re not finished." CBSSports.com

"If you were applying for work at the NBA – despite your sordid past – we would not ask you about arrests," Stern said to the reporter who asked about the incident. "And he wasn’t even arrested. ... There weren't any charges pressed. It made for a lot of good copy and caused you to ask that question." CBSSports.com

Russia's richest man blew the equivalent of 552,000 rubles for lunch at one of the city's priciest restaurants as he celebrated his soon-to-be new career as a basketball baron, sources told The Post. Billionaire playboy Mikhail Prokhorov, who is close to buying the Nets, took a half-dozen comrades to Nello on the Upper East Side Wednesday afternoon, following a meeting with NBA owners. He concluded that they had hit it off so well, he'll have no trouble getting them to approve his plan to buy the team. The tab and tip totaled close to $19,000 for Prokhorov and his pals. New York Post

"He was very happy to be in New York and was celebrating his new acquisition," Balan said. "He said that as of January he would own the Nets, and is looking forward to being a very big part of New York." Balan declined to disclose Prokhorov's exact tab. But a copy of the receipt obtained by The Post showed it totaled $15,007.87. A source said Prokhorov was great with gratuities. He dropped a 25 percent tip of roughly $3,750. Balan described Prokhorov as a "great guy," extremely polite, and a semi-regular at Nello who dines there every couple of months when he's in town. New York Post

The Knicks have proven cap space sells. The Knicks, with virtually the same roster but a new salary-cap situation, have seen an inordinate rise in new full season-ticket packages, according to MSG Sports president Scott O'Neil. According to O'Neil, the Knicks have sold more than 2,500 new full season-ticket plans, ranking them in the top five in the NBA. The only rational explanation is Knicks fans believe Donnie Walsh is going to land LeBron James in 2010 with his league-leading cap space. Some businesses may be using the 2009-2010 season-ticket plan as an investment. Knicks stock would go through the roof if the franchise lures King James next July. The season-ticket waiting list from the 1990s will return. New York Post

The Knicks' season-ticket renewal rate is 85 percent, which in recent years has been the norm. Their full season-ticket base stands between 10,000 to 12,000, O'Neil said. Garden policy is not to release a specific number. "If you're over 10,000 season tickets, that's a parameter of success in the NBA and we're comfortably over 10,000," O'Neil said. Despite the recession, a streak of eight straight losing seasons and being tied for the longest playoff drought at five years with Minnesota, Garden attendance will again be respectable. New York Post

NBA Commissioner David Stern said in an interview that will air next week he believes there eventually will be a new arena in Sacramento for the Kings. "My prediction is that there is a will for a public/private partnership for a new arena," Stern said in an interview on the $ports Take with Rick Horrow, the "Sports Professor," on the Versus network. "We have to figure out a way to get it done, hopefully without a vote because public financing votes go down because of the way it's constructed out there, and I understand it." Part of Stern's optimism comes from team owners Joe and Gavin Maloof saying they plan to stay in Sacramento. "That's why working with Cal Expo, which controls certain land, and working with developers who may be able to use that land profitably and their buying provides sufficient funding for an arena," Stern said. "The Maloofs have indicated they are committed to pursuing every effort, and they have been there now, doing it, for the better part of six or seven years. They said as recently as last week, 'We're committed to finding a way.' " Sacramento Bee

Personally, Kohl, who is 74, says he is in no hurry to sell the team. "I don't have a calendar on it," he said. "I recognize the realities. But I'm not thinking that needs to be addressed immediately." The future of the franchise, he said, depends on a new collective bargaining agreement with the players' union, a meaty revenue-sharing program and, perhaps some day, a new arena. Locally, he said, the Bradley Center will have to be replaced, but not just because the Bucks need a more competitive venue. "At some point, Milwaukee needs a venue for the next 25 years," he said. "Not just because of the Bucks, but because we compete for events with cities all over the country. Everybody understands you have to be competitive in the marketplace." Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel / October 22

Indiana Pacers fans have a dramatically higher opinion of their team than they did two years ago, said pollster Frank Luntz. The percentage of Pacers fans who have a favorable opinion more than doubled. Ninety-four percent believe the Pacers are headed in the right direction, 92 percent say team president Larry Bird has built a team they can be proud of and 76 percent are confident the Pacers will make the playoffs this season. Indianapolis Star

Wolves owner Glen Taylor was re-elected chairman of the NBA Board of Governors during the NBA's league meetings in New York. Taylor, who has owned the team since 1995, was first elected chairman on Oct. 23, 2008. Before Taylor was elected chairman in 2008, he was a member of three Board of Governors committees: advisory/finance, planning and labor relations. The Wolves have made eight playoff appearances, including a trip to the Western Conference finals in 2003-04, under Taylor's ownership. St. Paul Pioneer Press

Arash Markazi: Chris Anderson looked at the scorer's table and said, "How much you want to bet they boo me?" as he checked into the game. He won. They did. Twitter.com

After practice, Rose met up with Victoria’s Secret model Marisa Miller. To help celebrate the opening of a Michigan Avenue store, Rose is one of three nominees for Chicago’s sexiest athlete. His competition is Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher and Patrick Sharp from the Blackhawks. The highlight of the ceremony was probably when Miller handed Rose a No. 1 Bulls jersey with “sexy” where the name should be. Rose held it up to show teammate Joakim Noah, who was razzing Rose from across the gym. Arlington Heights Daily Herald

Philadelphia police say former Temple University basketball star Dionte Christmas, who was cut by the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday, has been arrested on firearms charges. Police spokesman Lt. Frank Vanore says Christmas was stopped by Highway Patrol officers at about 7:30 p.m. Thursday for erratic driving in North Philadelphia. Vanore says he was found to be driving without a license, and the vehicle had a 9mm semiautomatic pistol under the driver's seat. AP

Any rumor missing? E-mail us at hoopshype@hoopshype.com.