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Thursday, November 5

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What we can confirm, though, is that Charlotte has to be mentioned more prominently on the list of interested suitors. We've briefly noted the Bobcats' interest in a couple of previous entries, but further checking reveals that the Bobs have seriously explored the prospect of trading for Jackson, apparently undaunted by the fact that they weren't mentioned when Jackson announced late in the summer that he wanted to be dealt to Cleveland, New York or one of the three Texas teams. It remains to be seen how far the Bobcats are willing to go, since taking on Jackson's contract doesn't exactly sound like owner Bob Johnson's kind of move. You figure Charlotte, like Cleveland, would also be asking for Ronny Turiaf in exchange for their willingness to absorb Jackson's three-year extension, which is worth nearly $28 million when it kicks in next season. ESPN.com

But there is some hope here . . . even as we issue the reminder that Golden State is adamant about not trading Turiaf. Unlike Cleveland or Denver, Charlotte actually might have the resources to put a workable deal together before Dec. 15, when players signed as free agents during the summer become eligible to be traded. Boris Diaw is close to Jackson's price range and has two years left on his contract after this season (worth $18 million) compared to Jackson's three. Could Johnson, whether he's ultimately selling or keeping this franchise, live with taking on only one extra season of salary depending on what else is in the trade? Presumably. ESPN.com

I've also heard from one source close to the situation that the ever-fickle coach is more frustrated than not with Diaw, even though Diaw's good work as a playmaking big man after arriving in Charlotte helped the Bobcats recover from a 7-18 start to win a franchise-record 35 games in Brown's first season. ESPN.com

Charlotte's first choice -- in any deal -- remains moving Nazr Mohammed first, Vladimir Radmanovic second and packaging them together if possible. The Bobcats have been trying to move Mohammed for months and could make a deal with Golden State work cap-wise by combining Mohammed and Radmanovic -- both of whom are earning $6.5 million this season and $6.9 million next season -- for Jackson and the smaller expiring contracts of Acie Law and Devean George. ESPN.com

The Kings' bad day got worse this afternoon. Starting guard Kevin Martin will miss six to eight weeks with a broken left wrist, said Kings basketball president Geoff Petrie. An MRI revealed the break in his non-shooting hand. The injury is a displaced hairline fracture of the navicular bone. Sacramento Bee

Donnie Walsh didn't take it personally when his former subordinate, Pacers president Larry Bird, lobbied against LeBron James coming to New York next July as a free agent. "I have no problem with what Larry said," the Knicks president said Wednesday night before New York took on his old team at the Garden. "I love Larry. I'm not surprised he'd say that, either." New York Daily News

In the past, Kerr has given definite answers to questions that don't really have easy answers. He didn't want to lose Raja Bell and Boris Diaw. He liked what Shaquille O'Neal brought to the table. He repeatedly said they were looking at deals for those players, who are all now playing elsewhere. When it comes to Amar'e Stoudemire, Kerr takes a much more cautious approach. "I would love for Amar'e to be a long-term part of this team. He's talented, we have a great relationship, he has a great relationship with Alvin. I've seen him grow and mature this year. He's taken on more of a leadership role and become an integral part of our team, so he's been great. With that said, you always have to wait and see, and there are all kinds of issues beyond whether we like Amar'e or not. We like him, but there are budget issues, concerns about what you cap's going to look like, what your talent base looks like, who's developing on your bench and what position they play . . .it's a chess game. It's a chess board and you have to make sure all the pieces are in the right place. We'll evaluate everything as we go forward, but he's done a great job." HoopsWorld

Long Island's Wally Szczerbiak will attend tomorrow's LeBron James Garden Classic, neither as LeBron's teammate nor in a Knick jersey he always dreamed of wearing. The unsigned Szczerbiak told The Post yesterday he underwent knee surgery three weeks ago at the Hospital for Special Surgery in Manhattan and is seriously considering retiring in the coming weeks. The surgeons have told the Cold Spring Harbor product another knee injury could affect his ability to lead a normal life because he lacks enough cartilage in the knee after three surgeries. New York Post

A source said the decision's been all but made to retire because he wants to be able to play with his kids. But Szczerbiak said yesterday an official decision hasn't been reached. "I'm not ready to sign my retirement papers yet," he said. "The doctors have their opinions. I'm getting my body right and see where that takes me. Basketball's been very generous to me financially. It's not about the money." New York Post

After spending the past two seasons with Cleveland to finish his $63 million contract, Szczerbiak, 32, spoke this summer to the Knicks about a one-year deal. "It's a place I would've loved to play," Szczerbiak said. "There was no place I'd rather play on the road or home." New York Post

Griz waived Trey Gilder this morning. Twitter.com

Chris Wallace on them not reaching a contract extension with Rudy Gay: “He will be a restricted free agent this July. (Host: Was that disappointing?) Not necessarily. We had ongoing discussions with Jeff Austin, his agent, and we said all along both publically and internally with Rudy’s camp that something might get done. If it doesn’t, fine, we’ll go into the summer and you’ll be a restricted free agent just like guys like Josh Smith, Andre Iguodala, Luol Deng and Emeka Okafor have been in recent years. It’s common place in the NBA for players to roll into the fourth year and be restricted free agents. Both sides tried, a deal was not hammered out, now we move forward, play the rest of the year and prepare for the summer.” Sports Radio Interviews

I reported this on my NBA 411 segment on "Mike and Mike in the Morning'' today: According to information gathered from multiple league executives, DeJuan Blair was 10 seconds away from joining "King James'' and "The Big Shaquisition'' in Cleveland. On draft night 2009, Cleveland offered Denver $2 million for the 34th pick. Cavs GM Danny Ferry thought it was essentially a done deal and had fingered Blair as the pick. But with just 10 seconds left to make its selection, Denver was offered $2.25 million, a league record for the sale of a 34th pick, from the Houston Rockets. Because there was such a small amount of time left to make the pick, the Nuggets didn't have a chance to give Cleveland the opportunity to beat Houston's offer. ESPN.com

“I've been blessed to get paid to play basketball,” Artest said. “But 1 percent tells me I wish I could have been somewhere else so I could have exercised my Bird rights. It hurt me a lot, but I still managed to get a good contract — maybe $20 million off — but God is good, and he's still taking care of my family, so everything is OK.” Artest he signed a reported five-year deal with Los Angeles for $33 million, which is far lower than the Rockets could have offered him. But the organization chose not to make him an offer, opting to sign Trevor Ariza, a member of the Lakers, instead. “No, I'm not upset,” he said. “I get to be in Hollywood, play with Kobe (Bryant), Lamar (Odom), Coach (Phil) Jackson — what do I have to be upset about?” But he continued. “Business-wise, there were things I wish I would have known (that would have) prevented some situations. Personally, I'm not upset. I'm still in the NBA.” He's been thrust into the void created by Ariza's departure, and Artest said he has fit in 100 percent. “Ron hasn't been outspoken at all,” Jackson said. Houston Chronicle / November 4

There was another startling admission Wednesday — Artest said he learned how to win last season. It's amazing — the supposed malcontent who finally figured out how to be successful in his 12th season seeking to share his wisdom with the champs. No hard feelings. It didn't have to be that way, he insisted. “It was all up to (Rockets management),” Artest said. “I don't know. It was the first option, but once my agent told me they didn't want me, I said let's go to L.A., Hollywood.” Houston Chronicle / November 4

Chris Wallace on his reaction to Iverson’s comments: “Allen is obviously a very competitive individual and he’s been chasing at the bit so to speak on the sidelines through all preseason. He came in and I thought had a good debut when you consider the fact that he had almost no training camp at all and played 17 minutes. We’re now in a position where unfortunately we have to do this on the fly during the regular season what we would’ve loved to do in the preseason which is work him into this team, find out the right combinations, when to play whom, and whom to play together. That will be an ongoing process. He is someone that is used to starting, that’s where he’s been most of his career, and we’re just going to see where this thing takes us over the next few weeks as we get him back into the fold with the Grizzlies.” Sports Radio Interviews

On whether they talked to him about his potential role before the season started: “We had some discussions with him, but basically it’s like it is with all players. You come in, lets see what you can do, let’s see how it fits in, maybe its starting, maybe its coming off the bench, let the coach determine how he feels like he can best exploit your talents and we’ll go from there. This is something that we would’ve loved to have ironed out in the month of October, but his injury prevented hat. Now we’re getting to know Allen Iverson on the fly during the regular season. We had no preseason games with this guy. We had like maybe I think a quarter of a public scrimmage down in Birmingham Southern before he was injured. We’re back at the beginning of October with him. I thought yesterday, for a guy that hadn’t played in that long a period of time, that was rehabbing on the side, he came in a did some things offensively which helped us.” Sports Radio Interviews

On how long it will take him to understand his role: “That’s a good question. I can’t give you any definitive answer on. Last night (Monday), I think it was three shifts that he had where he came in. The first one he was tentative, understandable getting the feel for things. His latter two shifts in the game, to use a hockey phrase, I think he came in and he definitely helped us with his firepower that he brought to the court. That was a tough game last night because we had a chance to win that. Zach Randolph’s shot was really a stunning shot that he made there with 6.1 seconds to go. Then come back and they beat us on that back cut by Beno Udrih and Kevin Martin is just a phenomenal shooter who really has it in for the Grizzlies. He’s one of the most difficult matchups game in and game out, year in and year out” Sports Radio Interviews

On whether he was taken aback by Iverson’ comments so early: “Well, I’m a guy that likes to work from an in-house standpoint. I understand he has been a spectacular player throughout his whole career and has tremendous status in the NBA, but we need to work out all phases of this throughout the next few weeks. It’s not something that’s going to be done in the first game. I prefer we work things out individually between ourselves and the team, but Allen is a pretty competitive and feisty guy.” Sports Radio Interviews

After reviewing the altercation between Rajon Rondo and Chris Paul during and after Sunday's game in Boston between the Celtics and Hornets, the NBA decided not to take disciplinary action against either player. Neither point guard will receive any type of fine or suspension for the fracas, which boiled over after Rondo incensed Paul by reportedly chiding him that he's won a championship and Paul never will. Earlier in the game, won by the Celtics 97-87, each player received a technical foul for a confrontation under the basket. After the final buzzer, the players exchanged words and had to be separated as the teams left the floor. Paul unsuccessfully tried to enter the Celtics' locker room to continue the discussion, and Hornets coach Byron Scott said he overheard Paul saying, "He's going to respect me as a man." CBSSports.com

Everyone is portraying Rondo as the antagonist, but it sounds like he was responding to what Chris Paul was doing. Doc Rivers: Which is fine. I told him, it’s a competition, and it’s great to play in great competition, but once the game is over then the competition is over and you let it go. I thought during the game it was more Paul. That’s part of competition. But once the game is over, you let it go. You shake the guys hand and say we’ll get you again. WEEI

Is he a work in progress for you? Doc Rivers: Yeah, but he’s a great canvas. If you’re going to work with someone Rondo would be a guy you want to work with. The thing with Rondo and I’ve said it several times, we’re not going to coach you to who you are today, we’re going to coach you to where we think you should be someday. You have to be able to receive that and Rondo’s done that. WEEI

Artest claimed that the Rockets were being extra-physical with him in hopes of getting him ejected. And after taking a shot from Ariza early, Artest admitted that thoughts of getting violent out there definitely crossed his mind. "I wanted to (choke Ariza) because he hit me with the elbow," Artest said. "But then I thought about David Stern, and I thought I wasn't going to do this. I got hit with three or four elbows. It's just not fair. I don't want to fight." FanHouse

The Knicks now have as many team meetings as victories. Following today's practice the players held a meeting while the coaching staff and Donnie Walsh stayed out on the practice court. The players are already concerned with the direction of the season. The Knicks are 1-4 with LeBron and the Cavs coming to town on Friday. New York Daily News

Scott blew his top volcano-style during shootaround and unleashed a tirade on everyone wearing a practice jersey. First he started with the guards and then eventually addressed the entire team. His message? All he sees right now are 15 individuals on the Hornets. "We try to take each other's heads off in practice," said Hornets guard Bobby Brown, who scored 18 points off the bench. "Coach just wanted us to do that in a game." NBA.com

Previous summers had Bryant locked up with commitments to USA Basketball in the run up and eventual winning of the gold medal at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. Now through, Bryant was free and ready to expand his game even in the aftermath of his latest NBA title run. "I got an e-mail from him and he said he wanted to work with me," Olajuwon said. "At first I thought he was kidding. I mean, Kobe has all the moves already. What more does he need to learn?" NBA.com

At 31, Bryant wanted to glean some of Olajuwon's post and mid-post moves to allow him to get free for easier face-up baskets and score more efficiently, the way Michael Jordan did in the later portion of his career. "From the first minutes we were on the court, I was excited because Kobe was excited," Olajuwon said. "You could see it in his eyes." NBA.com

Randolph is listed at 6-foot-11 but says he's closer to 7- foot. He once was considered the team's long-term solution at power forward, and many believed that he could develop into a "3" with his assortment of skills. No one seems to know what to make of the second-year player anymore. "He's probably taller than anybody I've got on the team right now, and he's still growing, they tell me," Nelson said. "Maybe, eventually, center will be his position. I don't know." San Francisco Chronicle

But in Tuesday's loss, Beasley played 9 minutes, 10 seconds in the second half. In Wednesday's victory, he played 9 minutes, 45 seconds in the second half. That's your starting power forward. That's also your No. 2 overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft. "I struggled with it and I was thinking about it," Spoelstra said of getting Beasley back during the finish of Wednesday's 93-89 victory in Washington. "He's going to get his opportunity. We need him. We're going to need him to play an important role and tonight I just went a different direction with the guys that were in the game." South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Now it is Anthony who has moved to another level as a scorer, carrying a 32-point average, a jump from last season's 22.8, into Friday's game against the Heat at AmericanAirlines Arena. "He's a man possessed right now," Wade said of his friend, fellow 2003 lottery pick and 2008 Beijing Olympic gold-medal teammate. "I've watched him play and I've enjoyed the show he's put on." South Florida Sun-Sentinel

In some ways, Wade said it reminds him of where he stood in 2004-05, coming off a visit to the conference finals, realizing how close he was to what turned into the 2006 NBA title. Anthony, in fact, said he uses Wade's championship as motivation. "Once you smell it, once you feel it, you've got to go for it," Wade said. "His play right now, his leadership, is showing." While Wade is coming off his first 40-point effort of the season in Wednesday's victory in Washington, Anthony already has two such performances, 41 points against Portland and then 42 in his next outing against Memphis, the first consecutive 40-point games for Denver since Michael Adams in 1991. "He definitely," Wade said, "is in an attack mode." South Florida Sun-Sentinel

"It's not uncommon for a well-known American player to go over there and all of a sudden the guy is only playing 17 minutes,"said Skiles, who sought advice on Jennings from his Rome teammate Andre Hutson, who, like Skiles, attended Michigan State and was a forward at Lottomatica last season. "I had a couple of long conversations with Andre and he just raved about Brandon, that when it got tough his default mechanism was to get in the gym and work on his game -- and not to get pouty and sulky. For a young player coming into the league, he's going to take some lumps early on and then what do they do? If the default mechanisms are to blame (others) and to make excuses, maybe they stunt their own growth. But if it's, 'Hey, I'm showing up an hour and a half early tomorrow for practice because my shot's not going in, I need to get up 400 jump shots?' Now you've really got something to work with. SI.com

"For lack of a better way of phrasing it, he had to eat some humble pie over there. He didn't go there and light it on fire. He goes over there and the first coach was really, really on him all the time; they practice twice a day all year round. So he was tested in an adult environment. I think that's really helped him." SI.com

The 6-foot-9, 290-pound Davis recently shared his hopes and dreams with ESPN.com, saying he plans on becoming an NBA All-Star before embarking on a new career in the NFL. "When I become an All-Star in the NBA, when I become a great player in the NBA, then I'll try football. One of my dreams has always been to play football," Davis told ESPN. NESN

You might think that a 23-year-old who is still very unproven in the NBA wouldn't allow his focus to wander from the hardwood, but it's clear the Louisiana native isn't short on confidence. "I definitely could have made it to the NFL," Davis told ESPN "It don't matter [what position I play]. I just want to play." NESN

Now, this may seem like an obvious basketball strategy for any NBA giant, but it is not. Not all big men think of themselves as big, or even know how to be big for that matter. An example: That same weekend, I watched as O'Neal lumbered into the Suns' locker room before a game and, midway through his stroll to the training room, fixed his eyes on Robin Lopez, the Suns' 7-foot, 255-pound rookie reserve center with the haystack hairdo. "Why you always bending over?" Shaq asked, though it was really more of a declaration. "Huh?" said Lopez. "You're always bending over. You're a 7-footer. Be a 7-footer!" Lopez blushed. "Seriously, you're down here, and it's like you're 6-3" -- and here Shaq mimicked Lopez, bent at the waist playing defense -- "You do that, and I can just turn and shoot over you." Lopez nodded, unsure of what to say. SI.com

Shaq continued. "There's only a few guys in this league who can hurt you down there. Gasol, Jefferson, Howard, Yao. The rest ain't gonna do s---." O'Neal started walking, continuing toward the treatment room on the far side of the locker room, then swiveled. "You know what it is? You don't like being tall. You don't like being tall at all." "Huh?" said Lopez Now O'Neal turned to Grant Hill, the Suns' forward, who was sitting at his locker nearby, checking his cellphone. "Am I right, Grant? He don't like being tall." Hill looked up. "I'm not getting in the middle of this one." "Tell you, man, you don't like being tall." Shaq paused, then summed up what may be the real secret to being big. "The thing about being a seven-footer," he said. "You gotta like it. You gotta like it." SI.com

Jackson said Wednesday that the Spanish power forward could make his season debut Friday against the Grizzlies. Gasol, however, told the Los Angeles Times that he is “far from playing Friday” and wasn’t sure about playing Sunday, either. Orange County Register

Not sure yet if he'll play tonight, but I do know Tyrus Thomas is headed to Cleveland to join the Bulls because he is on my flight. I have to say I was surprised when I boarded the aircraft and saw Thomas sitting in first class. He indicated he was feeling better it appears he will try to play tonight when the Bulls play the Cavaliers at Quicken Loans Arena. Chicago Sun-Times

Eddy Curry has not been cleared for practice yet, but it's coming soon. Team president Donnie Walsh said Curry will be reevaluated Sunday, and that he expects him to be practicing by Tuesday. New York Post

One story is that he's under 310 pounds and worked hard. Another is he knows the team wants to trade him and is hardly motivated to assist them in clearing his salary from the 2010 books so they can potentially offer two max contracts next summer. We'll find out which one is more accurate on Tuesday. Newsday

"I didn't know what our record would be, but I knew we'd compete and I knew we had guys who fit together and liked playing together," suns GM Steve Kerr tells HOOPSWORLD. "That's usually worth something. I know in my experience that usually translates well, but I didn't know what to expect, frankly. I'm pleasantly surprised." HoopsWorld

"Ideally, the last three years he's been at 33, 34 minutes per game and we probably need to get it down to that," says Kerr. "On the one hand, you start asking yourself if those extra three or four minutes are really that important, but on the other hand, it's kind of wishful thinking. You try to think it's not that big of a deal. It may be that he needs to play fewer games. Maybe he needs to play 75 games instead of 82. Now, I'm not going to hold him out, but usually that kind of happens normally. You sprain an ankle, you miss a couple of games, there's kind of a natural order of things. We just have to take it game by game, but that's why I mentioned Dragic's development and why that's so important to us. It fits right in with what Nash is doing." HoopsWorld

Marcus Jordan stuck to his guns and wore his father's iconic Nike Air Jordans, a decision that has cost the University of Central Florida its six-year, $3 million exclusive contract with adidas. Adidas spokeswoman Andrea Corso said in an e-mail to the Orlando Sentinel, "The University of Central Florida has chosen not to deliver on their contractual commitment to adidas. As a result we have chosen not to continue our relationship with them moving forward." Orlando Sentinel

NBA star Rashad McCants says there was nothing real about his stint on former girlfriend Khloe Kardashian's reality show. The shooting guard said Khloe and sister Kourtney, who claimed he cheated on Khloe, "made the whole thing up." McCants said a "Kourtney and Khloe Take Miami" episode -- where they were seen hacking into McCants' voice mail and listening to suggestive phone messages apparently left for him by a female fan -- was staged. New York Post

He said the curvy sisters did not have his current phone number and he and Khloe "had already called it quits" in January, before the segment was even taped. Meanwhile, Khloe wasted no time finding herself another NBA star to play ball -- she wed the LA Lakers' Lamar Odom in September, after a monthlong romance. Not surprisingly, the reality show cameras caught every moment. Reps for E! and Khloe did not return calls or e-mails for comment. New York Post

The IRS and state of South Carolina claim old school NBA star Alex English, assistant coach of the Toronto Raptors, owes more than $127,000 in delinquent taxes, according to public records. English, however, disputes the debt. Detroit News

Sacramento Kings forward Andres Nocioni was arrested early this morning on suspicion of drunk driving. Nocioni, 29, was arrested by Sacramento Police and booked into Sacramento County Jail at 3:30 a.m., a posting on the Sacramento County Jail Web site shows. He was released this morning on $1,482 bail. A Sacramento police spokesman said that at about 2 a.m. an officer noticed a motorist southbound on 15th Street near L Street whose vehicle was weaving within its lane. The car turned and headed west on L Street and was stopped by the officer near Ninth and L streets. Sacramento Bee

The Kings have had no comment on Nocioni's arrest, and the player offered no comment when he was released from jail this morning. If convicted of driving under the influence, Nocioni could face sanctions from the NBA, based on precedent from earlier this season when Phoenix guard Jason Richardson was suspended for two games by the NBA after pleading guilty to DUI charges. Sacramento Bee

Geoff Petrie: “The Sacramento Kings are extremely disappointed in the poor judgment which led to the driving under the influence arrest of Andres. He has apologized to the organization and his teammates. We will wait for the outcome of the judicial process and the NBA’s decision on potential fines and or suspension. This experience now becomes a life lesson learned the hard way.“ Kings.com

Andres Nocioni: “I want to apologize to the Kings organization, my teammates, my coaches, the fans, the city of Sacramento and my family. Drinking and driving is something that shouldn’t be taken lightly. I made a mistake and I’m very sorry for my lapse in judgment.” Kings.com

Well something quite relevant has happened between then and now: Desmond Mason averaged 2.3 points on 27.5 percent shooting (11 of 40 overall) in nine games (five preseason, four regular season). While the Mason signing was largely about adding his perimeter defense, there was certainly the hope that his athleticism could translate into some added scoring as it has for most of his career. That shooting percentage is especially alarming if you could get your hands on a Desmond Mason shot chart, as most of his misses came from close range and he has struggled mightily to finish even the easiest of looks. All of this, I'm being told, doesn't bode well for Mason considering all signs point to the Maloofs preferring not to have a 15-man roster (they have 15 now). And as a reminder, it looked like Andres Nocioni was going to be taking Mason's spot in the starting lineup tonight even before Udoka was added. Sacramento Bee

A quick bit of perspective on the Kings' signing of Ime Udoka today that my sources with knowledge of the situation say is a non-guaranteed veteran's minimum deal ($1.03 million) for the rest of the season (fully guaranteed on Jan. 10)... The succession of non-interest to interest can be found on some of my old Twitter feeds, as the Kings went from not inquiring about him after he was surprisingly cut from Portland on Oct. 22 to possibly postponing talks to giving the thumbs down on Oct. 23. Sacramento Bee

Yaroslav Korolev- Surely this has been one of the stranger career paths we’ve followed since the inception of this site back in 2004. From top-rated European prospect, to incredibly premature NBA draft entrant, to NBA lottery pick, and then being waived just two years later, you would never guess that Korolev is just 22 years old. He spent last season glued to the bench at Dynamo Moscow, again putting good money is his bank account, but wasting yet another important year in his development. With the goal of reversing that trend and making a run back at the NBA, Korolev has made the surprising decision to sign with the D-League. Based off what we’ve seen in the numerous times we’ve seen him play recently, the NBA dream is not a very realistic one at all, but it’s quite possible that Korolev will prove us wrong. DraftExpress.com

Amara Sy- Fresh off an impressive season playing for French champions ASVEL-Villeurbanne, it can’t come as anything but a surprise to see a European passport holding, 28-year old in his prime willingly sign a $19,000 contract. Sy is reportedly that confident in his ability to show his stuff to NBA decision makers, though, and likely feels like this is his last opportunity to give it a go before resolving himself to his fate. Sy is a 6-8, long and super athletic combo forward who has made strides with his offensive game over the past few years. It will be interesting to see how his game translates to the D-League setting, and whether or not he’ll be tempted by a European team buyout if that callup doesn’t come as quickly as he hoped. DraftExpress.com

Were you worried about another team offering Rondo a big contract in 2010? Danny Ainge: A lot of the negotiations and what number we decided to go to were based on trying to predict the future the best we can. We felt, first of all, that Rondo is young and getting better. He had a great training camp. He improved on a lot of the areas that we discussed in the offseason. I saw great signs from Rajon. Second of all, there’s a lot of money out there and there’s a lot of teams preparing for the 2010 free agent market. Danny Ainge: Third, this summer as a lot of you are aware with all the trade rumors, we discovered that even though we weren’t really close to doing a deal for Rajon, we discovered that there is a great deal of interest for him and there’s a lot of teams with cap space, with money that have him high on their list. All those things are factors. WEEI

Can money change a young player? Danny Ainge: I have seen it on occasion, but I’m not worried about Rajon. He loves to play. He’s a basketball junkie. And he’s great competitor. I’m not worried about that at all. He’s a kid who’s very confident in himself. I think he’s going to better as a result of this contract as the pressure is relieved. Even though there’s pressure with any new contract I still think the burden of always thinking about it, it will help our team a lot to not worry about that. WEEI

Asked for his thoughts on returning to Houston, Artest said he regrets the one season he spent with the Rockets last year. Artest helped lead the Rockets to the second round of the playoffs, but he thinks playing alongside Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady hurt his free-agent value. No team offered him more than the mid-level exception, so he signed a five-year, $35 million contract with the Lakers this offseason. "Personally (the year in Houston) was great, but financially I wasn't able to reach my full potential in my last go-round possibly," Artest said. "Financially it didn't work out for me. I felt I got kicked in the (butt) with a boot." Riverside Press-Enterprise

Asked what he learned from the experience of free agency, Ariza said: "That it's cut-throat. It doesn't matter who you are, there are no friends in business. You've got to look at it as business. I was (surprised), but there's nothing I can do about it. Everything happens for a reason and I'm here and I'm happy to be here." He said he harbored no ill will toward the Lakers. "If I was a person who looked to get revenge on people, it would be like that, but I'm not like that," he said. "It's a basketball game I want to win, definitely, but right now I don't feel any extra pressure or emotions to go out and win or show them they made a mistake. "I said, `Thank you for the opportunity."' Los Angeles Daily News

As happy he is for his friends, Barnes admits being "bitter" about the Suns' about-face regarding their style of play. "It's frustrating, very frustrating," Barnes said. "Everybody's talking about this team being old and doesn't have it. It's the same team we had last year, and now they lead the league in scoring, shooting and 3-point percentage. That's what I thought I was going into." Arizona Republic

Barnes landed on his feet - with a winner and for more money (a two-year, $3.2 million deal). He received his second start Wednesday. "I thought Shaq (O'Neal) and Amaré (Stoudemire) got attention, but Dwight (Howard) gets all five guys trying to stop him," Barnes said. Barnes is happy with how things turned out but wishes there had been interest from the Suns after he averaged career highs in points (10.2) and rebounds (5.5) with them. "Some things were said and done, but then when it came down to it this summer, they showed absolutely no interest," Barnes said. "I'm a new guy, and we don't even make the playoffs. I can see from a business standpoint that I'm expendable. "That first half of the season, with Porter trying to change everything, put a (damper) on my season and the team's. Getting Alvin (Gentry) back at the end was great. No disrespect to Porter, it was just the wrong coach and the wrong system." Arizona Republic

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Q. Are you surprised that what you said about not wanting to be a reserve made such big news? Iverson: Anytime I say something that anybody don't agree with then, yes, it's going to be a big deal. That's what y'all love, right? There ain't no good story if it's a positive story about Allen Iverson. You don't want to talk about me doing charities. You want to talk about me blowing up or something like that, right? It sells doesn't it? (Not necessarily) Iverson: In this country it does. Memphis Commercial Appeal

Q. Do you regret saying those things after the first game? Iverson: I came here to help these guys win basketball games. It's a young team. I see a lot of talent. I just felt like I could help and I'm going to continue to do that. I make mistakes. When I'm upset I say things that I don't mean sometimes. But it's frustrating to not have that come-off-the-bench thing never come up my whole career and then once it came up last year it seems like it's on everybody's mind. Memphis Commercial Appeal

Q. Do you understand what Hollins is trying to do by gradually bringing you along? Iverson: I understand what he's doing. But he's seen the things I've done. He knows I've never come off the bench in my whole career. He knows that's not something I'm accustomed to. He knows that's not something I would want to do. ...Everybody knows that's not something I want to do. And I know people are watching my every move and watching to see if I'm sitting over there pouting. My son is at home watching the same thing. I don't want to be the guy who is a distraction to this squad but everybody knows I'd be fake if I said, 'Yeah, I'm so happy with everything that's going on.' It would just be too fake so I wouldn't even play that game. Memphis Commercial Appeal

No one, Iverson said, should be surprised by his frustration, even Grizzlies coach Lionel Hollins. “The focus is on it because everybody in this whole world knows that I have a problem with it,” Iverson said. “That’s why it’s an issue. It’s easy to say I’m selfish. My response to that is it’s something I’ve never done. And if we had success with us doing it than obviously I’d want to do it because we are winning basketball games. But if we had no success when we do it, than obviously I would have a bigger problem from the beginning. “This media thing is so big. Coach played the game before. He’s seen the things that I’ve done. He knows that I’ve never come off the bench ever in my whole career. So he knows that’s something I’m not accustomed to or something I would want to do. He listens to talk radio and TV, what people say, family members, friends – everybody knows that it’s not something I want to do.” Yahoo! Sports

“My frustration is that I have to talk about Allen Iverson at every press setting,” Hollins said. “I want to talk about the Memphis Grizzlies and us as a team. And even when Allen was out, I was happy to talk about Allen. So, that’s my frustration. I just want to talk about the Memphis Grizzlies. If Allen plays well and you guys want to ask me about Allen, that’s great. Or if he plays poorly and you want to ask me how poorly he played, that’s great, too. “But what he says and what he’s thinking? My job is to coach the team as a unit. I have to make decisions and all the players in that locker room are not going to be happy about it. But it’s my job to do the best that I can and if they don’t feel like I’m doing it than ownership is going to get rid of me and that’s the way it’s always been through history.” Yahoo! Sports

“I talked to [reporters] for 30 minutes [in Sacramento], and the only thing that came out of it was about my butt being on the bench. Worldwide, it’s the negative comments. If I talk to somebody for 30 minutes and I’m borderline negative on anything I talk about, they’re going to write that story about that quote that I made. They’re not going to write anything about anything else. I would think at this point in my career that stuff would get old. But it don’t. “As bad as people want me to be some selfish guy or selfish person, I signed here and came here to help these guys win basketball games. It’s a young team. There is a lot of talent on the team, and I just feel like I can help, and I will continue to do that.” Yahoo! Sports

Why is the league investigating trash talking in regards to Rondo and Chris Paul? Danny Ainge: I have not heard a word from the league so I don’t know where that’s coming from. So you don’t even know if they are investigating? Danny Ainge: No I don’t. I haven’t heard from them. They may have called Rajon and they may have called Chris Paul to get their stories. That’s sometimes as far as an investigation goes, to see if there’s a reason to have an investigation. Any time there’s things like this that are publicized it’s important for the league to check into it, but I’m sure there’s going to be nothing [there.] WEEI

According to two league sources, the NBA will upgrade Shaquille O'Neal's crushing personal foul against DeShawn Stevenson to a flagrant foul. With the Wizards leading 41-28 with about seven minutes left in the second period, Stevenson was driving to the basket when O'Neal stepped up and knocked Stevenson on his back. Stevenson was on the ground for several seconds, writhing in pain, before eventually getting up and making both free throws. Washington Post

Grant Hill knows a thing or two (or three or four) about injuries. So he thought he'd impart his wisdom on Jameer Nelson last summer. He said he called Nelson before the finals to advise him not to play if he wasn't 100 percent. "Put that on the record," Hill said in the visiting locker room at Amway Arena. "You can ask him. I told him not to play, just from my own experience. Not so much from a basketball standpoint. "Maybe I shouldn't have, because you don't want to plant that seed in somebody before they're going out to play. But I said, 'Look, I've been out there when [I'm] not right and even when you are right, it's a process when you miss that much time. So, you're going to second-guess your shoulder and your confidence and all that.'" Orlando Sentinel

Hill said the problem when coming back from injuries mid-season, or late in the season, is that everybody else has been playing all year and is in shape like they have been. That can hurt a player's confidence, Hill said. "It's best to start when everyone else starts," Hill said. "You have the momentum of the summer. But the only reason why I told him that was I just felt that if something had happened to him and he got hurt, then I would have felt horrible if I hadn't told him. . . ." Orlando Sentinel

Pacers All-Star forward Danny Granger said he didn't talk to the media after Tuesday's loss to Denver because he was "frustrated." It was only the second time in Granger's five-year career that he didn't address the media after a game. The Pacers offense, which is supposed to be their strong suit, has sputtered this season. "I wanted to get out there and watch the game and see what's going on," he said. "We have a lot of offensive weapons. We're not using all of our abilities. We're standing, letting the defense zone up on us. When we do that, it's easy to guard us. We're not taking advantage of our strengths." Indianapolis Star

Said Roy about what's wrong with the Blazers right now: "I don't know. If I knew, I would try to correct it." Oregonian

Miller’s shot should begin to fall as the season unfolds — he is known for being a very reliable player who works himself into shape. But in the meantime, McMillan said that he wants the 10-year NBA veteran to create offense by pushing the tempo, engaging in pick-and-roll sets and posting defenders up. "I want him very involved," McMillan said. "To the point where I want him pushing and handling the ball probably 90 percent of the time he’s in." Columbian

McMillan said he is comfortable with Miller in the role of a scorer or a facilitator. Either way, McMillan simply wants Miller to be more aggressive. "I want attacking," McMillan said. "If that means getting to the basket, yeah. If the defense collapses, we have shooters around with that group." Columbian

Mike Trudell: Quick elevator convo w/ Ron. Artest agreed that Gasol is "easily" a top 10 NBA player, can't wait to play w/him. Twitter.com

But once the game tipped off Wednesday night, a different story emerged. Artest spent much of first half trash-talking Ariza and trying to get under his skin, with the two earning offsetting technical fouls just 2:49 into the game. Other shenanigans, perhaps, went on behind the scenes. Ariza claimed Artest had tried to put his hands on his neck, while Artest counterclaimed that Ariza had shot elbows at him. "I got hit with about three elbows," Artest said. "If you throw an elbow into Ron Artest's chest, do you know who you're hitting?" ESPN.com

Only this time he didn't chase down Ariza the way he did Kobe Bryant in last year's playoffs. "You know if somebody hits me, I'm going to react," Artest said. "But I give up, I just give up. I'm not fighting anymore. You could elbow me, smack me, use me as a punching bag. I'm not reacting anymore, I'm tired." Surprisingly, it was Ariza who spent much of the game seemingly determined to show his former employers what they were missing. While Artest rarely forced the issue, Ariza spent much of the first half searching out shots that weren't there, finishing 5-of-21 from the floor. In the end, he was turned aside one final time in the final seconds, with Derek Fisher's strip in the waning seconds of overtime allowing L.A. to preserve a 103-102 victory. ESPN.com

The Minnesota crowd - as friendly a group as exists in the NBA - will always love the Timberwolves’ first true star, Kevin Garnett. The Target Center fans cheered his introduction as well as his first shot in the Celtics [team stats]’ 92-90 win last night over the home team. But the forward later made it clear that sentiment matters little in his makeup. “It’s easy to come in here and focus, because they don’t have any of my old teammates here now,” he said. “My history from here has passed. I did take a moment tonight to look around, but there are so many changes here that I can’t relate to, so I have no reason to.” Boston Herald

When Nuggets guard J.R. Smith returns from suspension Tuesday at Chicago, he will not immediately start, coach George Karl reiterated Wednesday. "Right now, I'm not a big believer that starting him is as important as some people are writing," Karl said. Smith, who served the fifth of a seven-game suspension Wednesday at New Jersey, has traveled with the team on the current six-game road trip. "There's a rustiness that comes with not playing in NBA games that he's going to have to fight through," Karl said. "We have not had a lot of practices, either. He's been playing one-on-one with my assistants and shooting 500 shots a day and running to try and stay in shape. That's different than being jumped on a double team or being physically guarded by Bruce Bowen or something like that." Denver Post

Exchange of the day: Reporter: “Will Terrence (Williams) get much time tonight?” Frank: “You’re not his agent, are you?” Newark Star-Ledger

Over and over again Dwight Howard gets hacked. And over and over again Howard says in the locker room after the game that he needs to get his frustration under control. He fouled out last night. Picked up five fouls tonight. Got his third technical (making him $3,000 lighter collectively). The fines gets steeper the more technicals he picks up. Players get charged $1,000 each for the first five technicals, $1,500 each for technicals six through 10, $2,000 for 11 through 15 and $2,500 for 16 or more. Sixteen technicals also gets a player a one-game suspension. "It’s not a concern I mean, get a tech, you get a tech," Howard said. "Can’t do nothing about it. It’s going for a good cause." Orlando Sentinel

Howard said at times he's getting better at it. Other times he feels like "enough is enough." But when he's not in the heat of the moment, he knows that won't fly. "I think when I’m frustrated out there, the refs feed off that," Howard said. "They know that they can get me going. The other teams know that also." As for the refs, Stan Van Gundy said there was a bit of a double standard with the way fouls are called in the paint and on the perimeter. "I just think there’s two different standards," Van Gundy said. "I had a referee very recently, very candidly tell me because of the strength of the bigger guys they let them play more. So they get pushed and grabbed. My point is Lebron’s a pretty strong guy. Dwayne's a strong guy, they dont' let people bang on them. ... Little bit of a double standard. The league likes perimeter play." Orlando Sentinel

Kevin Durant: Still a little frustrated about the game but we have 78 more! I work hard so it'll pay off!! Thanks again 4 the love and hate! Twitter.com

Playing for Duke, Shelden Williams was familiar with the idea of Ubuntu, but had never heard of it until he joined the Celtics. Now on his fourth NBA team, he's sees something in this team that he has not seen in the NBA before. "Everybody is sacrificing for a greater achievement. Everybody has one goal, one mind, and that's something that fits basketball so well because you have five different players out there on the court and there could be different agendas. But when you have all that out of the way, out the window, and you're just concentrating on that prize at the end of the tunnel, I think that's a great accomplishment for our team to believe in that." Celtics Blog

"We got a talented team. I know guys want to be in there. I'd love to be in there, Sheed [Rasheed Wallace] would love to be in there, but that's part of being a good teammate- cheering for the next person. Whatever Doc rolls with that's what we roll with, and that's when Ubuntu comes in play." "I was curious about Sheed, what kind of teammate he was going to be," Perkins continued. "He's turned out to be an excellent teammate, more than I expected." Celtics Blog

"Last year wasn't too much fun," Stoudemire told HOOPSWORLD of the disappointments the team has endured the last couple of seasons. "I think the year before that we were still having fun out there. We're back to it. I think (Head Coach) Alvin Gentry has done a great job of keeping our spirits up and guys really getting involved in our offensive and defensive strategies. Everybody is enjoying it and we get along very well off the basketball court, so I think all of that is kind of tying in to our play out there." HoopsWorld

"We don't want to put that kind of pressure on ourselves," STAT said of a return to elite teams in the NBA after the team started this season 4-0. "Orlando, Boston and the Lakers are well established teams and they have been in the playoffs for years and have been in the Finals and won championships. We don't want to give ourselves that much pressure, but I do think that we are on our way to being a successful team and getting back into the playoffs and trying to push the envelope there and go a little bit further." HoopsWorld

When Jennings returned to the U.S. for workouts, things took a downturn. Several GMs told me he struggled in workouts against some of the other top point guard prospects. Early on, Jennings performed badly on a psychological test administered by teams, though later it came to light that Jennings hadn't taken the test seriously and had just rushed through the answers. Still, the impression wasn't good. That plus some trash-talking and off-putting interviews led to a moment, just hours before the draft, when his agent, Bill Duffy, was concerned that Jennings might fall out of the lottery altogether. ESPN.com

Duffy couldn't get a team to commit to Jennings and eventually decided to pull Jennings from the NBA green room to avoid a potential embarrasment. Just hours before the draft, things started to turn Jennings' way. The Bucks had been on the fence between Jennings and Jrue Holiday. For much of the past month they had been leaning toward Holiday, but in the final 24 hours they began to have a change of heart. "Jennings has so much upside," a Bucks source told me hours before the draft. "Sometimes you have to gamble a little. The great teams take calculated risks. I think we need to take a calculated risk." ESPN.com

At 17.8 points and 10.5 rebounds, Deng is averaging a double-double. After not running for six months as he recovered from a stress fracture in his right tibia, Deng also hasn't missed a practice or game, quieting, at least for now, critics who called him soft. "I'm not frustrated when people hold high standards," Deng said reflectively Wednesday. "My only frustration came when people questioned my injury. That's the only time I really felt like it wasn't fair. I knew I was injured. I knew time would tell. But that was the worst feeling, that people thought I was faking it or something." Chicago Tribune

It’s also become clear that shooting the three successfully is vital in this NBA. Deng says he can make the shot, but remains more comfortable just inside the line. “I think we have guys who shoot the three (well),” said Deng. John will shoot the ball better. Pargo. Kirk (Hinrich) will shoot the ball better. And I’m not afraid if it’s the right shot to take I’ll shoot it. But I try to stick with my game. I feel we have enough shooters on this team. “When I’m in the gym I take a lot of threes,” Deng says. “I know Scott Skiles made a point of me coming off the three. The only reason I really came off the three was because of my wrist surgery. My rookie year I shot a lot of threes until I had my wrist surgery. That limited my range and I took a lot of midrange shots and went away from the three. It fits my game better. I feel more comfortable inside the line. I practice it. If I need to take it I’ll take it. But it’s not the focus of my game.” Bulls.com

Gasol said he hopes to practice today. But as far as playing Friday night when the Lakers host the Memphis Grizzlies at Staples Center, Gasol shot that down. "I'm far from playing on Friday," he said. The Lakers play again Sunday night, but Gasol wasn't "sure about that either." Gasol, out for a little over three weeks, said he did "a little bit of work on the floor" during Wednesday night's game between the Lakers and Rockets and that it turned out "pretty good." The 7-footer sat out only one game last season. Los Angeles Times

He could be ready to play Friday against the Memphis Grizzlies, his former team. He is expected to practice today with his teammates, assuming the Lakers conduct a formal workout after a late-night flight from Houston to Los Angeles. At this point, conditioning is the Lakers' main concern about Gasol, who last played a game in an exhibition Oct. 9 against the Golden State Warriors at the Forum. He practiced only once with teammates but suffered a setback Oct. 14. "Oh, he'd love to play against Memphis, I'm sure, but we don't know about his availability yet," Lakers coach Phil Jackson said. Los Angeles Daily News

Medical personnel from near and far checked the MRI taken of Pau Gasol's injured right hamstring and everyone agreed it was nothing more than a strain that now has healed. He was cleared to resume normal basketball activities. Gasol had doctors in his native Spain also check the results of an MRI taken Monday, which confirmed the original diagnosis of a strained hamstring. A recent sonogram appeared to indicate there was a tear, but the MRI exam ruled that out. The 7-foot Gasol was not ready to return to the Lakers' active roster, however. He sat out his fifth game to start the season Wednesday and worked out on the Houston Rockets' practice court while the Lakers faced the Rockets at the Toyota Center. Los Angeles Daily News

Andrew Bynum suffered what's initially being called a sprained right elbow on the Lakers' final possession of overtime on Wednesday when he was fouled going up for a shot. The injury didn't prevent Bynum from sinking the second of two free throws to break a tie at 102, but he will have an MRI on it on Thursday and struggled to get dressed after the game. "I can't really lift my arm right now. I have to get it checked out," Bynum said. "I swear I hope it's not serious." Riverside Press-Enterprise

It turned out that Andrew Bynum suffered a sprained right elbow when Houston's Chuck Hayes fouled him in the closing seconds of overtime tonight. Bynum went to the free throw line and made one of two free throws, giving the Lakers a 103-102 lead that held up. Bynum later said, "The elbow sucks. I can hardly lift it up. We'll take (X-rays) and see what they say. They took a whack at me and that was that." Los Angeles Daily News

So Yi Jianlian was superbly definitive in explaining he is out for "about four weeks, maybe five, maybe three" weeks with a sprained right knee as the Nets' early season situation continues moving from terrible to disastrous to catastrophic. They're 0-4, five men are down and the Denver Nuggets are in tonight. The bright side? Everyone will be watching the Yankees. "I just want to get back to the court as soon as possible," said Yi, who noted that in "a couple of days" he can start riding a stationary bike. New York Post

Howard said his shoulder is "very,very sore" but nothing is torn in it. "Couple times I thought it was going to come out but they said it’s strong enough to withstand anything," Howard said. "Felt great tonight just trying to play through it. They did some strength tests and said I had older woman strength." But seriously, Dwight. "They did a lot of tests and said if there were any problems you wouldn’t be able to do certain things," Howard said. "Hopefully I can heal. "I’m going to keep drinking the Krypton juice, hopefully that heals me faster." Orlando Sentinel

"Sometimes it's just frustrating," Brendan Haywood said last week, when Caron Butler hurt his knee. "It feels like we're cursed." Well, that was last week. Then came Wednesday night's loss to the Heat, when Mike MIller went down with a sprained AC joint in his left shoulder--"Felt like it slid a little bit on me and went numb," Miller said, describing the injury. Washington Post

"Any time somebody goes down for our team, you get a little scared, because sometimes little things that don't seem like they should be big injuries end up turning into season-[ending] injuries," Haywood said on Wednesday. "If you would have seen my injury in training camp last year, there's no way you think I'm out for the season. That's like a routine blocked shot. You know, a couple years ago when Gerald Wallace falls into Gil's knee, it doesn't look like he really falls into it that hard, but he ends up being gone for a year and change. So these type of things keep happening. Even Antawn's injury, you're first you you see it, you're like, 'Ok, it's a sprain.' Then he's out for the first month of the season or however long he's out. So these type of things keep mounting up, and you just ask yourself why." Washington Post

The ankle injury that caused Rose to miss almost the entire preseason is progressing nicely. ''Physically, I think he's fine,'' Del Negro said. ''Conditioning is the issue. The way we need him to guard the ball, the way we need him to push his body and the way we need him to push the offense, that's why he needs to continue to work after practice and get better every day. ''I still need to monitor his minutes [during games] and try to build it from there.'' Chicago Sun-Times

D’Antoni’s video analysis and an interview with the Knicks broadcaster Mike Breen will be part of his weekly program on MSG, which will make its debut Friday at 7 p.m. before the Cavaliers-Knicks game. A televised coach’s show is an old concept and not usually the most compelling or objective programming ever devised. It is undeniably a promotional vehicle, aimed directly at fans, and it skirts the regular media. It has been a staple for college football and basketball coaches, but only two other N.B.A. coaches have TV programs: Byron Scott of the Hornets and George Karl of the Denver Nuggets, according to the league. New York Times

The significance of the show is that a Knicks coach is actually doing one. D’Antoni is believed to be the first, at least since the MSG Network has existed. Pat Riley didn’t want to do one and Jeff Van Gundy would not be ready for TV until he stopped coaching the Houston Rockets. Larry Brown might have done well with his own MSG reality show, but considering his blabby reign, careful Garden officials might have let him talk only with a pair of socks in his mouth. New York Times

Huge names will be at the top of the Frisco Development League team, led by Hall of Famer Nancy Lieberman, who will serve as head coach, the club will announce Thursday. Joining her will be longtime NBA coach Del Harris, who will serve as the team's general manager and Spud Webb, one of the best players ever to come out of Dallas who will be the team's president of basketball operations. Fort Worth Star-Telegram

And that’s exactly what they did Wednesday when their latest effort — a book titled "When the Game Was Ours", written by veteran journalist and former "Boston Globe" writer Jackie MacMullan — was released. The book chronicles one of the two great rivalries in NBA history. Only Bill Russell vs. Wilt Chamberlain can be compared to Bird vs. Magic, and it can be argued that the latter was more significant because it occurred during the explosion of cable TV. And it was the warmup act for Michael Jordan, who dominated the 1990s and propelled the NBA to its greatest heights. The fascination with Magic vs. Bird continues and the principals are grateful for the interest. "I’m still amazed after all these years that people bring up games that I played years ago," Bird said Monday in an hourlong teleconference to promote the book. "This has always just been a dream to me to play the game that I loved and people remember it and still enjoy talking about it." Johnson agreed — sort of. But then again, both players are aware of the impact they made and there is no false modesty. "You still can’t believe it," Johnson said, "but at the same time I guess we can believe it. It’s something that people really respect — the way we played. We were about winning, we were about making our teammates better, we were about playing the game the right way." Boston Herald

Laker reserve guard Sasha Vujacic has purchased a unit at the W Hollywood Residences. The condominium, in the $350-million development at the landmark intersection of Hollywood and Vine, has two bedrooms and 2 1/2 bathrooms in about 2,100 square feet. The purchase price was not available but a comparable unit is listed at $2.1 million. His west-facing condo has views of Century City, West Hollywood and Beverly Hills. He will be among the first owners to move into the building when the W Hollywood Hotel and Residences opens in mid-January. Los Angeles Times

Vujacic, 25, should feel right at home. He grew up living in a condo, although perhaps not this posh. Amenities for the 143 residential units include concierge service, a rooftop fitness facility, a residents-only rooftop lap pool, valet and self parking, housekeeping services, and pet walking, feeding and grooming. The 15-story building has a restaurant, a nightclub and shops, as well as 305 hotel rooms. The shooting guard joined the Lakers in 2004 and last year signed a three-year deal worth $15 million. Los Angeles Times

Due to the devastation of war and genocide, many southern Sudanese Christians have not been able to attend school because one has to be Muslim or convert to Islam in order to receive an education. Growing up Christian, Bol himself was never able to go to school. An American coach saw Bol playing basketball in Khartoum and convinced him to come to the U.S. on a basketball scholarship. “When I came to this country, I knew nothing,” Bol said. “After receiving the scholarship offer, one of my cousins told me I should go play in America. I asked him, what is America and where is it? After I came here, I learned that education is very important.” “That’s why America is strong, because of its education,” Bol continued. Campus Times

On average, only two percent of children in South Sudan graduate from high school, and an estimated 85 percent of the population of South Sudan is illiterate. Bol said those who don’t finish school go home to no job. A few Sudanese-born young men who are studying in the United Stateswere in the audience at Tuesday’s talk. “I want you to study, get an education here and go back and help the people at home,” Bol said to them. Campus Times

Arthur Triche: I've omitted posting this prior to tonight's game, but this is the last for @ajchawks @sekousmith01. He moves on to NBA.com next week. Twitter.com

Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling agreed to pay $2.73 million this week to settle a federal case alleging he discriminated in the rental of apartments he owns with his wife in Southern California. The settlement is “the largest monetary payment ever obtained” by the U.S. Justice Department, according to a news release from the organization. It stems from allegations Sterling’s company targeted and discriminated against blacks, Hispanics and families with children in renting apartments in greater Los Angeles. The settlement must still be approved by a federal judge but should also resolve two additional tenant-filed suits alleging racial discrimination. “The magnitude of this settlement should send a message to all landlords that we will vigorously pursue violations of the Fair Housing Act,” said Thomas E. Perez, the assistant attorney general for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. Yahoo! Sports

The NBA said it has no plans to investigate or comment, according to a spokesman. Other owners have been silent. The NBA Player’s Association has had no reaction and did not respond to messages. The players themselves have, best I can find, said nothing. Yahoo! Sports

Apparently, Sterling is so cheap he won’t even spend money to defend his reputation against a racial discrimination charge. If you’re innocent (and rich), you’d think squashing the possible assumption that you’re a despicable racist is a project worth dropping some cash on, but hey, this is Donald Sterling. You also wouldn’t think someone could run the Clippers like he has. Since Sterling made no admission of guilt or liability in the settlement, the NBA’s ability to take official action was greatly reduced. This isn’t league business and there are no criminal charges. Yahoo! Sports

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