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Wednesday, November 18

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The decision rests with the team president, Donnie Walsh, and ultimately with James Dolan, the Madison Square Garden chairman. There are strong indications that Coach Mike D’Antoni is already sold on the idea. New York Times

Allen Iverson will become a free agent Thursday evening and he might become a Knick soon after that. With the team in a free fall, and no other help on the horizon, Knicks officials are seriously considering Iverson as a quick fix. The matter was still being deliberated on Wednesday, but one team official said the chances were at least 50-50 that they would pursue Iverson. New York Times

Another person with close ties to the team put it in stronger terms. “It’s a given,” said the person, who was not authorized by the team to discuss private deliberations. “They’re going to make the biggest play for him.” New York Times

Knicks guard Larry Hughes went nostalgic at this morning's shootaround at Conseco Field House, recalling his days as Allen Iverson's partner in crime with the Sixers in the late 1990's. They were known in those days as "The Flight Brothers'' with their fancy airborne passes lighting up Philly, back when both were younger and more athletic. "He's one of my good friends still,'' Hughes said. "I had fun playing with him. We kept in contact over the years. I had fun playing with him. I wouldn't mind playing with him again.'' "Any talent is good,'' Hughes added. "You can never have too much talent. It's about putting all the pieces together. A team can never have too much talent." New York Post

Q: Now that Allen Iverson and the Memphis Grizzlies have parted ways, is he a possibility for the Miami Heat to sign? -- Gideon. A: Not now. Not with the team at 7-3. And likely not after stories continue to surface about his treatment of the Grizzlies' coaching staff. For now, stability is the Heat's focus. South Florida Sun-Sentinel

We asked an NBA scout to speculate about some potential contenders: Knicks: "For anyone looking at Iverson, you have to ask if you're bringing him in because he can help you win or because he's a marketable item, somebody who will draw fans. He can still score, but at what expense to team play? In a season in which New York is lacking direction, it could turn to him as a one-year relief for the fans, somebody who may, at least, entertain them. "If there's any type of system in which Iverson could score effectively, it would be a wide-open system like New York's. He would be allowed to do whatever he wants. He could play at a fast pace. Playing in that open style would give him more opportunities to create and flow in transition, where he is most effective." Heat: "They don't have a deep backcourt. They could have interest as a team that could use a little more scoring or an added piece off the bench. SI.com

Mavericks: "They might be able to use the help with Josh Howard's health already in question. But whose minutes would Iverson take? J.J Barea's? Rodrigue Beaubois'? Not Jason Terry's, because he's been an excellent fit for that team." Hornets: "With Chris Paul out with an ankle injury, Iverson could help them stop scuffling. The issue there is that a lot of things they've done seems to be financially motivated. And who's confident that Allen Iverson can come in and make the difference and make a marginal team a playoff team? Those days are over. Would he work well with Paul? Who has Iverson ever worked well with? But he could help fill a few of their gaps." SI.com

Alex Kennedy: Antonio Daniels' agent, Tony Dutt, is in Orlando and expects to meet with the Magic tonight. Twitter.com

While the Orlando Magic traded for a replacement when point guard Jameer Nelson went down last season, general manager Otis Smith said Wednesday he's not inclined to do so this time. Nelson underwent surgery Wednesday to repair torn cartilage in his left knee. He is expected to be out four to six weeks. He had shoulder surgery last February that kept him out more than three months before he made an unexpected return for the NBA Finals. "If he were going to be out longer it might be different," Smith said. "The way we play, inside-out with a lot of pick-and-rolls, I feel very comfortable with what we have." Orlando Sentinel

Instead of signing former camp invitee Tony Gaffney or bringing in a veteran free agent, I'm hearing that the Lakers are content to stand pat for the time being. The Lakers had spoken to Gaffney's agent this week upon learning that Luke Walton would miss at least the next six weeks with a pinched nerve in his back. They don't see the need to add to their already bloated payroll right now, however, instead preferring to either give Adam Morrison Walton's minutes or rotate Kobe Bryant to small forward and play Shannon Brown more frequently at shooting guard. "We felt like at that position we were a little overloaded," Lakers coach Phil Jackson said. "I'm hoping to get Adam some minutes." Riverside Press-Enterprise

Marc J. Spears: Ellis has not asked for trade, but is unhappy. Agent Fried, in Oak 2 promote boxing match, has no meeting set with RIley yet but could meet. Twitter.com

About the shopping of Ellis … I am convinced, thanks to a few insiders, that the Warriors dangled Monta Ellis in trade talks. He is certainly not untouchable. But I’m told it’s not because they want to get rid of Ellis specifically. He just happens to be perhaps their best asset. So in their quest to land a difference maker, he’s on the table. Now, a few in the organization are telling me that Monta needs to get his act together or he could be shipped. They certainly don’t want him to become the next Stephen Jackson. RILEY: “We’re business as usual. Is Monta unhappy right now.? We’re 3-6. So he’s not a happy guy. There are a lot of guys in there that aren’t. We’ve got a chance to resurrect things here and to push things in the right direction and that’s got to be our focus. Would we trade somebody? Hell yes. We’re 3-6 and I’d be stupid not to look at improving this team. Are we going to have a fire sale on somebody? No. We’re not doing that. Are we always going to be looking at our roster? I sure am.” Ellis did say he has “no problems” with Nellie. Contra Costa Times

Alex Kennedy: Anthony Randolph is unhappy in Golden State and wants a trade, according to a source close with the team. Twitter.com

Los Angeles Lakers coach Phil Jackson doesn't expect LeBron James to leave the Cleveland Cavaliers via free agency next summer, but if he does, Jackson would expect James' destination to be one of the NBA's top three markets. But then Jackson crossed his squad off the list. "I don't see LeBron changing venues," Jackson said on "The Waddle & Silvy Show" on ESPN 1000. "And if he does, I would say it's going to be one of the big three. It's going to be Chicago, New York or L.A. And L.A. is definitely out of it if Kobe Bryant is here. "[James'] marketing, his financial capital -- if that's what his goals are -- those are the places he could come. So Chicago has the edge in that territory. But the reality is they built a team around him. He's comfortable there. There's something he identifies with in Cleveland and the Akron area. It's going to take something special to get him out of there." ESPN.com

If LeBron James truly believes he can help the Cleveland Browns, coach Eric Mangini has an orange helmet waiting for him. "I think he should come on down," Mangini said. The NBA superstar, who was an All-State wide receiver in high school, said Tuesday night that if he put the time and commitment into it, he could be a good football player. "If I put all my time and commitment into it, if I dedicated myself to the game of football, I could be really good," he said Tuesday night, "no matter what team I was on." ESPN.com

Browns nose tackle Shaun Rogers isn't convinced James, as great as he is, could step into the NFL and be able to handle the pounding. "I heard that comment," Rogers said. "I have mixed emotions about that. A great athlete? Yes. A football player? No." Rogers then looked into TV cameras. "Yeah LeBron, I said it," he said. "It's a punishing game. I just don't think you can step off the basketball court after not going through this year in and year out and just play football. From that standpoint, I just don't think it's possible. You have to weather and condition your body to take this punishment." So what if James had a year to train? Could he do it then? "Yeah, he might make a heckuva tight end," Rogers said. "I'd like to see him out there running down the seam." ESPN.com

Word out of Cleveland is that the Cavs were not happy Jackson went to Charlotte. They wanted him pretty bad. But they wanted too much. The Cavs were offering Delonte West and Wally Szczerbiak, who is a free agent and would’ve had to be signed and traded. Neither would’ve played. The Warriors do not want Delonte West and would have told him to stay home. They don’t want to get rid of Jack and bring in another potential headache. And Szczerbiak isn’t even healthy right now. Plus, the Cavaliers wanted a first-round pick, though they probably would’ve backed off if the Warriors pressed. Problem is, the Warriors didn’t need to press because of Charlotte’s offer. Contra Costa Times

Raja Bell is having surgery. They won’t know how long he’s out until they go in and see. If the tear of his ligament is slight, they will repair it and he will be out 4 or 5 weeks. If it is severely torn, they will repair it and he will have to be out 4 or 5 months. The Warriors knew this. They would’ve done the trade even if they knew he was out. RILEY: “I’m happy with the trade. I know what I went through. I know what the market was. And I like Raja Bell. If he can play, it’s a plus for us. We will determine in the next few days what is going to happen with him.” Contra Costa Times

The Bobcats made a significant bet that Stephen Jackson will work out here. He's owed nearly $28 million over the next three seasons. Had the Bobcats stayed with what they had, they would have owed Vlade Radmanovic about $6.9 million next season and Bell nothing (his contract expires after this season). This is consistent with Michael Jordan's strategy since he started shaping the Bobcats' roster. Jordan doesn't give a lot of interviews, but when he does speak he's pretty candid: He's said repeatedly that trading for existing contracts is a more reliable way to upgrade talent than hoarding cap space to pursue big-name free agents. Charlotte Observer

Bobcats GM Rod Higgins joined WNFZ in Charlotte to talk about why they decided to trade for Stephen Jackson, how much of a risk it was for them to take, the baggage that he brings to Charlotte and whether or not this makes them a playoff team in the Eastern Conference now. On the timeline for the Stephen Jackson deal to get done: “Well the conversations that I have throughout the league are ongoing and I talked to those guys probably the last three weeks about different combinations. Once we put our heads together over the week, it went really fast. We talked on Friday, then on Saturday it got more serious, and then on Sunday things just really took it to a high level of speed. We were able to come to a deal yesterday morning. I think the thinking from our standpoint is getting another player that can come in and start for us right away. He arguably had his best season last year and coming to our team he could conceivably be our best player right now. I think basketball wise it just really made sense for us. Stephen’s qualities are something that we can definitely use: his scoring ability, his passing ability, his grittiness, his toughness and being able to defend. I think he and Larry (Brown) will get a chance to work together. I think it’s a win-win for us in terms of our basketball situation.” Sports Radio Interviews

But at the same time, Orlando officials appreciate Carter's willingness to take a step outside the spotlight. It's a sign of a more mature player, they say, one who has already established himself as a prolific scorer and All-Star. Now 32, they see someone who is feeling the urgency to be more than a great scorer or dunker. They see a guy playing with purpose, with an eye on one of the final prizes that has eluded him. And that desire has made Carter comfortable in a lower-profile role. "He's more of a team guy than he's ever been," said Magic general manager Otis Smith. "I don't think that he was ever going to be a disruption to this team. He knew from Day 1 that we were built around Dwight, the inside-out approach. He knew from Day 1 that there were enough bodies to get the job done. He's just an extra piece." SI.com

But like Paul Pierce in Boston -- whose success since the Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen trades has redefined a career packed with team struggles -- Carter's time in Orlando could define his legacy. One championship may be enough to silence the me-first criticisms. A couple years of success without being the headliner could reshape his image as an exceptional individual who repeatedly fell short of true greatness. Carter understands what is at stake. But it's all hypothetical without the Magic's success. So that is where Carter is now placing his focus, and leaving whatever individual payoff may come to take care of itself. "The opportunity is here and now," he said. "And I'm hoping that I can have the opportunity to play for a championship from here on out. This is it." SI.com

Carmelo Anthony has catapulted himself into the early MVP conversation, averaging 29.9 points while leading the Nuggets to an 8-3 start. An NBA scout breaks down how Anthony's game has grown since Denver's appearance in last season's Western Conference finals: "He's slowly becoming a better and better professional. He looks like he's stronger, he looks like he's in better shape and he's playing as aggressively as I've ever seen. He can go and get a foul anytime he wants; he's always the aggressor with the ball. The unique thing about him is that he has the skill level of someone 6-3 and he's 6-8. He seems to have a better understanding of what he has to do to attack a certain matchup. "It's the little things: confidence, winning, making the game more important. When you get players of his caliber in a situation where they get a taste of the conference finals, you're usually going to get the best out of them. George Karl has done that with a lot of guys and he's doing it now with Carmelo." SI.com

The Stuckey/Bynum debate is going to rage on the entire season. I compared career numbers above, simply because with this season only 11 games old, I felt like the sample size is way too small. But let's be real: to this point in the season, Bynum has out-played Stuckey by a wide margin. That could certainly even out as the season progresses, but to this point, it's been pretty glaring to anyone who has watched the team. Who knows how the Pistons truly envision Bynum. It makes perfect sense to keep him in the role he's in, as a ball of energy off the bench who changes the pace of the game, who fearlessly attacks the basket and whose effort can never be questioned. But at the same time, if you're Will Bynum, you certainly want the chance at a starting job in the NBA, right? He's young and still relatively unproven, and most young and talented guys don't necessarily aspire to being sixth men, especially with free agency looming and several teams that will have cap space. Booth Newspapers

Jamison is ready for the task. "It's just certain things out there that you know, with me out there, things are going to be done differently," the 12th-year veteran said. "The energy hasn't been there, playing smart down the stretch, things of that nature. Our defense has been good in stretches, but offensively, the turnovers and things have been killing us the last couple of games. ... "Things like that you can change, but for us it's something that needs to be changed very quickly. ... I think guys are anxious to see myself and everybody out there healthy at the same particular time." Washington Times

Bryant has been working overtime during this time Gasol has been resting his hamstring, but don’t think for a moment that Bryant is resentful. Bryant has not ceased appreciating all Gasol has done to change Bryant’s Lakers life, and the two have a healthy relationship — even though they are very different people. Orange County Register

Ron Artest on him throwing Trevor Ariza’s shoe in the stands: “Well what happened was…obviously I didn’t know his shoe would come off that’s the first thing conservative reporters. I didn’t know his shoe was gonna come off. I don’t speak to his feet so I don’t know what his feet are thinking, I don’t know what his toes are thinking, I don’t know what he’s thinking. Then his shoe comes off and I’m like okay a shoe is not supposed to be on the basketball court without somebody standing inside of it. So I said alright, I’m just gonna buy me some time. I really didn’t know whose shoe it was, but I said it has to be one of the player’s shoe. As soon as I toss it off the court, not throw into the stands which some people said, it’ll buy me some time. What happens is I come back down, Trevor is trying to put his shoe on and I politely hit a three in his face.” Sports Radio Interviews

On some of the bad stuff that has happened being his fault: “A lot of stuff is my fault. Some things weren’t, but there were a couple things that were. It’s not like I don’t care. I’m interested in people’s opinion, I’m interested definitely. Like this one lady came up to me and said ‘Ron Artest I’m glad you’re in LA and I hope you can keep your head together.’ I told her get outta my face. She tried to get my autograph and I said no get outta my face cuz you’re already judging me already. She said I’m sorry, but after she left I still didn’t sign nothing for her. She judged me right away so she was trying to be friendly, but she judged me. Those are they type of people that I don’t really connect with right away. I understand, but I just don’t connect with those types of people right away.” Sports Radio Interviews

So the new thing now is that "Gilbert Arenas" is somehow failing, and that "Agent Zero," represented as a Lil Penny-esque bobblehead in the above video from Gil's Web site, needs to return to save the day. "Man, you're just gonna disrespect your boss after I made you a superstar, boy?" Agent Zero asks Gilbert in the video. "You're just lame without Agent Zero, you understand me? Regular Gilbert is about as entertaining as a plant....Need I remind you that it was I, Agent Zero, who was hitting all those game-winning shots?" And so on. I don't know about all that, but at least one therapist somewhere in the D.C. area better be making a killing off this stuff. Also, it sure is tough to capture the past, isn't it? Washington Post

Gilbert has also promised to start Tweeting, provided he can get a million followers. I mean, Shaq has 2.5 million followers and Dwight Howard has 1.2 million, so it's possible. Gilbert, on the other hand, has about a thousand as I type. Some work to be done. (Sign up here, @Gilbertarenas.) (Gilbert, of course, put out this challenge through the Twitter account of JaVale McGee, who has about 2,000 followers. Interesting strategy. Gil confirmed this challenge via The Wash Times's Mike Jones.) Washington Post

Kevin Durant would appear to be the perfect first lieutenant in the LeBron James crusade. KD, after all, first picked up a basketball when the Bulls were dominating the basketball world, is close to James and happens to be a Nike guy. If anyone believes in the sanctity of No. 23, it ought to be Durant. Surprise, surprise. "I have a lot of respect for Michael Jordan and LeBron is one of my best friends, so whatever he wants to do as far as his own number I'm behind. But I also know who came before me," Durant said. "Nothing against MJ, but if you retire his number around the league, what about Bill Russell and Oscar Robertson and Elgin Baylor? And all of the other great players who went before? "If you're going to do that for Michael, you should do the same for the rest of those guys. Whatever happens, happens. I just don't think guys like Russell and Robertson and Chamberlain should be forgotten." NBA.com

Magic swingman Vince Carter (No. 15): "Michael Jordan is definitely one of the all-time greatest. I'm old enough to have played against him when he was in Washington. I was in a position for his last All-Star Game, I gave up my [starting] spot so he could start. That was my way of honoring him as one of the greatest to ever play. I grew up watching him playing here in Orlando and rooting for him. To have that opportunity [give up All-Star start] was a great honor for me. That was my tribute, my moment and I stay out of the rest of it with the number.'" NBA.com

Travis Outlaw undergoes successful surgery on his left foot. Expected out 3 to 5 months. Oregonian

Magic point guard Jameer Nelson had successful arthroscopic surgery on his left knee Wedesday morning, according to GM Otis Smith. Orlando Sentinel

Guard Shaun Livingston underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left knee Tuesday in Birmingham, Ala. Dr. James Andrews performed the surgery, removing staples originally placed in Livingston’s knee during reconstructive surgery 2 1/2 years ago. "This is a little, minor setback,” said coach Scott Brooks. "He should be fine pretty quick. I like the toughness he has displayed coming back from a devastating injury. He was playing good. He just wasn’t in the rotation.” Oklahoman

An MRI exam taken on the right knee of Denver Nuggets forward Chris Andersen showed no structural damage, the team said Wednesday. An examination by Dr. Steve Traina and subsequent MRI exam revealed moderate patella tendinitis, with Traina deeming Andersen day-to-day. The forward has recently been experiencing soreness in his right knee. In 11 games this season, his eighth in the NBA, Andersen is averaging 5.1 points, 7.0 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in a little more than 21 minutes per contest. TSN

Gasol said the hamstring felt “great,” even though it is tight and needs to warm up to loosen up. He said it’ll probably take a game or two for his conditioning to return and his rhythm for the game to come back, too. “I’ve been wanting to play since Day One, but the muscle wasn’t ready; it wasn’t healed,” Gasol said. Gasol said he has been “grumpy” and “cranky” without basketball the past month or so. But now? “I’m a happy man.” Orange County Register

Mike Trudell: Jackson added that while Gasol will start, it's a possibility he wouldn't finish games until he's fully conditioned. 14 minutes ago. Mike Trudell: Phil said he would monitor Gasol's conditioning as it goes, and said he'd return to the starting lineup. Twitter.com

Ron Artest: PAU GASOL MIGHT BE BACK!!!! EVERYBODY CROSS YOUR FINGERS TOES AND EYES. Twitter.com

Back from a weeklong training session at the Peak Performance Project in Santa Barbara, Calif., Kyle Korver said Wednesday he was encouraged about making his return from left knee surgery in a matter of weeks. Asked how close he was, Korver answered: “A lot closer than I was a week ago, for sure. It’s hard to really say. Just as I keep doing more stuff, see how it responds. But I definitely made a lot of progress in the last week.” Korver added that he was hoping to return in “two weeks, tops” - - he didn't rule out the possibility of playing in November - - which would be ahead of schedule after he underwent arthroscopic surgery Oct. 28 to remove a bone spur from his knee. He played in only one of the Jazz's preseason games before the surgery. Salt Lake Tribune

After winning the 2009 FIBA Americas Championship this past summer in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Anderson Varejao and the Brazilian national team will roll into the 2010 FIBA World Championships in Turkey as one of the favorites to take home the title. Although Varejao, 27, may have to wait to see whether he'll be on the same team as LeBron next season, he's familiar with the joy of playing for his country. "I enjoy playing for my country," said the 6-foot-10 forward, whose wacky hair might give Manny Ramirez's locks a run for his money. "Playing for Brazil has been very important for me." ESPN.com

Brazil, along with Puerto Rico, Argentina and a surprising Canadian team, advanced to next year's world championship. Left out was a strong Dominican Republic team that boasted three NBA players in Al Horford, Francisco Garcia and Charlie Villanueva. "They had a good team but didn't qualify," Varejao said. "I think one of the most important things is not only being a good team. In all, the team has to be together for a while and [play] for one another. I don't know what happened, but I thought they were going to qualify." Some teams dissuaded or disallowed players from competing in this past summer's FIBA qualifying tournaments. Dallas barred Jose Juan Barea (Puerto Rico) and Dirk Nowitzki (Germany), and San Antonio did not allow Manu Ginobili to suit up for Argentina. Varejao, though, is thankful the Cavs allowed him to play. "There are two sides to it," he said. "The side that is good, which maintains your body in good physical condition. But the other side is that during the [NBA] season, you can't control it. You can overcharge your body and not play like you want to. [But] I've been playing for a long time." ESPN.com

Yao Ming: Yesterday I announced my Foundation and the Museum of Fine Arts will throw a celebrity gala on January 30th in Houston. bit.ly/3fpWjY. Twitter.com

A decade ago, the N.B.A. and its players were embroiled in a labor dispute, culminating in a lockout which nearly led to the cancellation of the 1998-99 season. With the current collective bargaining agreement set to expire in 2011, the parties once again have begun to lay the groundwork for the negotiations toward a new agreement. The Los Angeles Lakers’ Derek Fisher, a veteran of the 1998-99 work stoppage and now the president of the N.B.A. Players Association, is the players’ chief representative. Fisher was upbeat about the discussions when recently asked about it, but cautioned that they were still in the preliminary stages. “Right now I can’t say there’s really anything heavy that’s happened,” he said. “There hasn’t been a negotiation that’s taken place. It’s been more an opening of the conversation, exchanging information, and setting the table for negotiation.” Still, Fisher said he considered the mere fact that they started so early to be progress. “As far as we’re concerned, it’s a big positive that we’ve even started the conversation, and that we’re not going to wait until the 11th or 12th hour.” New York Times

While there are still 19 months until the current agreement expires, Fisher understands the importance of the work that lies ahead, and appreciates the benefit of starting early. “It’s really important to do the work necessary to get a deal done,” he said. New York Times

The uniform scene has certain rules. Rules such as, "simple designs are better than busy designs," "avoid gimmicks," "stay away from slang and abbreviations," and "purple sucks." OK, that last one is a certain uniform columnist's personal rule, but you get the idea. But rules are made to be broken. And the New Orleans Hornets are breaking a slew of them, in style. Here's the deal: The Hornets just unveiled a new Mardi Gras uniform, which they'll be wearing for four games in February. And as basketball uniforms go, this one is totally the bomb. Yes, it's super-busy. Yes, it's purple on one side and green on the other. Yes, it has a city abbreviation on the front. Despite all this -- indeed, because of all this -- it's an amazing design. Let's tick off the details: ESPN.com

The first 5,000 fans who walk into Amway Arena tonight to watch the Orlando Magic play the Oklahoma City Thunder will receive a Vince Carter bobblehead doll. The Daytona Beach native took his first look at the doll after this morning's shootaround at RDV Sportsplex. So, what does Carter think of his plastic likeness? "Eh," he said. "It's closer than some of the other ones I've seen. It's not bad." Orlando Sentinel

Now, O'Neal is branching out yet again by taking on the art world. The Cleveland Cavaliers athlete is curating a gallery show in New York that is appropriately titled "Size DOES Matter," which explores the idea of scale in contemporary art, according to a Bloomberg report. The show is scheduled to open in February at New York’s Flag Art Foundation, an exhibition space in the Chelsea neighborhood. “It was a little harder than I thought it would be," O'Neal told Bloomberg. "When you think about what each of the artists put into their work, what they are expressing and want to share with the world, you feel bad about having to narrow it down.” "Size DOES Matter" will feature 52 works by 39 artists, including five special commissions. One of the featured pieces will be the large-scale sculpture "Big Man" by Ron Mueck, pictured above. The show will also feature work by Jeff Koons, Chuck Close and Tim Hawkinson. Los Angeles Times

Former Seattle SuperSonic Rashard Lewis is back playing basketball and is now a successful home seller. Lewis sold his home at 9830 SE 35th Place on Mercer Island late last month for $3,350,000. The three-story, six-bedroom, six-bathroom 19-year-old house has 7,000 square feet on a 0.41 acre lot. The buyers were Michael C. and Margaret K. Kwan. Puget Sound Business Journal (Seattle)

Sources indicate that Nets president Rod Thorn won't make any decisions on Lawrence Frank until the team gets back to full -- or close to full -- health. Thorn has stood behind Frank for this long, so he's not going to push him out at a time when his best player, Devin Harris, is injured -- not to mention Courtney Lee, Yi Jianlian, Jarvis Hayes and Keyon Dooling. But Frank grates on players' nerves even in the best of times, and he will be coaching for his job once the Nets get back to full strength. CBSSports.com

Byron Scott was the first coach fired this season, but he certainly won't be the last. Who's next on the hot seat? Clippers boss Mike Dunleavy, league sources agree. The Clippers are one of the lowest-scoring teams in the league, recently lost three of four at home -- with the lone victory coming against Memphis -- and have settled into what has become their annual malaise. They're 4-7, and things aren't looking up until No. 1 overall pick Blake Griffin makes it back from a fractured kneecap and shooting guard Eric Gordon comes back from a groin injury later this month. The clock is definitely ticking on Dunleavy. CBSSports.com

Golden State's situation has stabilized for Don Nelson with the trading of Stephen Jackson. League sources say the planned transfer of power from Nellie to lead assistant Keith Smart is on the backburner for now. CBSSports.com

Sources also indicate that Indiana's Jim O'Brien is safe, even if the Pacers return to their expected level of mediocrity after an early spasm of overachievement. The Pacers have won four in a row -- including a victory against the Celtics -- after starting 0-3. Plus, three of those victories have coincided with the debut of first-round pick Tyler Hansbrough, who has been impressive. O'Brien is still holding out hope for a productive return of Mike Dunleavy (Junior, that is) at some point before the New Year. CBSSports.com

The Heat, which figures to have more than $15 million of salary-cap room, is looking for a superstar to pair with Dwyane Wade. And Wade, who talked last week about possibly luring James to South Florida while also mentioning Bosh, is positioning himself as a recruiter. "Anything is possible, I guess,'' Bosh, the Toronto star who can become a free agent next summer, told FanHouse in an interview before Tuesday's game at Denver about the possibility of going to Miami. "I guess that seems to be an attractive place, you know, playing with Dwyane and playing in Miami and everything. I guess if they had the right chemistry, the right guys, that they could persuade guys to get there. But we'll see.'' FanHouse

Bosh said he doesn't plan to make any decisions until after the season. Feeling fine about that is Raptors general manager Bryan Colangelo, who said the decision has been made to not offer Bosh an extension during the season because there's no need to put any extra pressure on him. FanHouse

"Much like those other teams that have discussed it with their respective free agents or potential free agents, all three of the players in question (Cleveland's James, Wade and Bosh) negotiated for flexibility for a reason to exercise that,'' Colangelo said in an interview with FanHouse. "The contract (extension to Bosh) has not been offered, it has not been discussed. It's been a point of the discussion from a standpoint of one of the options that is there. FanHouse

Colangelo let it be known Bosh's best option would be doing business with the Raptors, which would enable him to earn the biggest possible salary. Even a sign-and-trade would fulfill that. "We're still the best partner for him to get the deal whether it's staying with us or getting it somewhere else or playing it out somewhere else,'' Colangelo said. "So we're the conduit. We're the best partner. We're not going to put the pressure on him to make a decision right now. It's really not the right time even for us. He's playing at an all-time level. ... I'm happy for him. I'm happy for us because we're in a better position to win basketball games.'' FanHouse

While Bosh won't a sign a contract extension during the season, he was asked about the chances of signing one just before the June 30 deadline. Colangelo, pointing to Washington's Antawn Jamison doing that at "the 11th hour'' in 2008, doesn't rule that out as a possibility. "I just will discuss those things when they get closer,'' Bosh said. "I'm just trying to concentrate on winning basketball games and playing good so that people will actually want to sign me.'' FanHouse

Ellis said he learned of the meeting Tuesday night and doesn't know what it's about. "Whatever they're meeting about, they're meeting about," Ellis said. "I'm not feeding into it. ... I've been saying it (since) training camp. What else you want me to do? I play for the Warriors. The Golden State Warriors. And I'm going to continue to do what I do to help Golden State win." Contra Costa Times

After Tuesday's 114-108 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers, Warriors guard Monta Ellis was faced with the same, obvious question. With Stephen Jackson traded to the Charlotte Bobcats, does he see an opening for him to increase his role? "I told you all," Ellis said after totaling 23 points and eight assists, "I'm not putting any more on my back." Contra Costa Times

"I've realized that people are going to talk," Ellis said. "With freedom of speech, they can say what they want to say, but I won't let it get to me and I'm not feeding into it. ... "I've been saying since training camp, 'I'm a Warrior.' What else do you want me to do? They keep on printing (I might be traded), but I don't pay attention to it." San Francisco Chronicle

Donyell Marshall: Warriors are having a fire sell. Just read Monta Ellis is next to be traded. He would be nice in the Sixers Offense. Twitter.com

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Brown said he spoke with Iverson's agent, Leon Rose, and exchanged texts with Iverson after the Grizzlies and Iverson agreed to terminate his one-year contract. Brown reiterated at practice what he told the Observer late Monday night: That while he'd happily coach Iverson again, signing Iverson doesn't make sense relative to the guard-filled roster. That was true in the summer and still is today. "He was coming with us but, again, it wouldn't have been fair," Brown said of the off-season discussions with Iverson. "We drafted a young guard, Gerald Henderson, who we all love. We had Raja Bell. We had Raymond Felton, we had D.J. (Augustin). Two of those guys would have been put in an uncomfortable position" by Iverson's presence. Charlotte Observer

"If we had a need for him, if he could be one of our three guards, I wouldn't hesitate," Brown said. "But we don't have that right now. My goal is that somebody else might realize what he can bring." Charlotte Observer

Alex Kennedy: Otis Smith isn't ruling out signing Iverson. Says they will evaluate options and says, "He's still out there, isn't he?" when pressed on AI. Twitter.com

So the front office is faced with the first true test of its convictions. All signs indicate that the Knicks will pass on Iverson — a team official called a signing unlikely — but they will first spend a few hours weighing the risks. “You got to look into it and see if it makes sense,” Coach Mike D’Antoni said. New York Times

Asked to identify the factors that matter most in considering a signing or a trade, D’Antoni first mentioned 2010, saying, “We’ve come too far to mess that up.” But cultivating the Knicks’ recent draft picks is also a critical concern. “It has to be,” D’Antoni said. “There’s a lot of guys that we need to develop.” New York Times

"He's been a force in this league for God knows how long," D'Antoni said before flying to Indianapolis. "I'm not taking anything away from him. At the same time, there's a lot of organization stuff to talk about. "I think it's what Donnie suggested," D'Antoni added. "We'll look into it, see if it makes sense. If it does, the organization will do whatever it can do to make us better. He has unique ability." New York Post

Howard Beck: AI to Knicks? As unlikely as unlikely gets. They won't say no outright out of respect for Iverson and agent Leon Rose. Twitter.com

When asked if Iverson would help the development of Chandler, Gallinari and Douglas, Walsh admitted it was an issue. "You consider everything if you're thinking about a guy. That's what we got to think about and talk about." Walsh said he and D'Antoni will discuss the matter. "Mike's my partner in this," Walsh said. "And I always listen to what my coaches say. We'll talk about this, about what's best for the team." New York Post

As soon as the Lakers learned Luke Walton would miss at least six weeks as a result of a pinched nerve in his back, they immediately began looking into bolstering their bench in case more injuries strike. Forward Tony Gaffney's agent said Tuesday that the Lakers called the previous day to inquire about possibly bringing him back. Gaffney, the last player cut by the Lakers during training camp, is playing professionally in Israel. "There's nothing imminent, but it's a possibility," agent Sam Porter said. "They're over the luxury tax obviously and they're trying to keep payroll down as much as possible. Maybe they try to go without adding a player, but they did like Tony a lot." Riverside Press-Enterprise

The Toronto Raptors announced on Tuesday they have been awarded forward Pops Mensah-Bonsu on a waiver claim, signing the Londoner to a non-guaranteed deal despite interest from the New Jersey Nets and an un-named Russian side. And the GB international went straight into action against the Denver Nuggets, claiming 5 points and 4 rebounds in 6 minutes in a 130-112 loss. Brit Ball

According to two sources, there has been no discussion from the Celtics' side on this deal, and one of those two sources said the Celtics have not reached out to Sacramento about inquiring about Nocioni. The issue for Boston is the length of Nocioni's contract. He is signed through 2012 with a team option for 2013. This is no way the Celtics, with decisions regarding Ray Allen and having just committed $55 million to Rajon Rondo, are going to take on that kind of money. Boston Globe

Celtics president Danny Ainge did meet with Allen and Scalabrine following yesterday’s practice to discuss the rumors but would not comment on any potential trades. Scalabrine, Allen, and Eddie House are attractive trade pieces because their contracts are expiring. And the Celtics could draw considerable interest from teams looking to clear cap space for those three players. So this won’t be the last rumor. Boston Globe

The source said the deal, which would have sent Sixers center Samuel Dalembert to the Kings, was discussed before the start of the NBA's regular season. The source said the various contract numbers all worked, but nothing ever came of it. The specifics had the Sixers acquiring Tony Allen and Brian Scalabrine from the Celtics, and Kenny Thomas from the Kings. The Celtics were to add Andres Nocioni from the Kings, with the Kings landing Dalembert and Boston's J.R. Giddens. Philadelphia Daily News

And while a league source confirmed the Kings and Philadelphia have discussed a deal involving Thomas and Dalembert, the deal appears to be dead for the foreseeable future largely because of the Kings' lukewarm interest in the eight-year veteran who has two years and a combined $24.9 million left on his contract. Yet if it's up to Marc Cornstein, the talks won't stay quiet for long. Dalembert's agent, who is clearly on the lookout for a better situation for his client, said Tuesday that his client would be a good fit for the Kings. Sacramento Bee

"I think it would be a good fit if he was here," said Cornstein, who also represents Kings point guard Beno Udrih and is in Sacramento today. "He can run the floor well, and this is a young running team. He can block shots, he can rebound. Those are his strengths. Those are the things he brings, and I think the skill set that he brings are things that the Kings can use. If he were to get here, I think he'd be a very good fit." Sacramento Bee

"The goal right now is to try and get us back over .500, and that's my goal, too,'' Dalembert added. "I want to get back to the state of mind the way we usually are, happy to come in to practice. Whatever happens, happens. At the end of the day, I don't hold the key or control anything.'' Philadelphia Daily News

Adrian Wojnarowski: After turning down a workout with Grizzlies, overweight free agent Mike Sweetney's close to signing a deal in China, league source says. Twitter.com / November 17

Warriors coach Don Nelson said that trading Jackson was better for everyone involved and he’s glad it was done sooner rather than later. ‘’It’s good for us because we can move on. I think the last thing you want to do is have an unhappy guy all the way to the trade deadline and being forced into doing something,’’ he said. Akron Beacon Journal

Brown has a big enough problem as Jax rolls into that NBA ghost town of Charlotte, bringing his baggage from the Bay Area. Don Nelson didn’t trade Jackson as much as he dispatched him to the worst possible gulag in the sport. Here’s your trade, Jax: Pack for Charlotte and report to the anti-Nellie: Larry Brown. From the free-wheeling, I-could-give-a-bleep coach in Nelson to the tightly wound, obsessive Brown. “I give those two less than a month before it goes bad,” says a Western Conference executive who has history with Brown. “Larry grates on the good guys really fast – never mind a guy like Jack,” says a former assistant coach. “This won’t go well.” Yahoo! Sports

Former Cav Wally Szczerbiak, who has moved back to Cleveland, was at The Q to see the Cavs play the Warriors and was a guest in Cavs owner Dan Gilbert's suite. Despite rumors, Szczerbiak said the Cavs have not talked to him recently about being in a sign-and-trade deal. The team still has his rights. Cleveland Plain Dealer

Perhaps filming that Gatorade commercial after a grueling practice on Monday took a bit out of Wade. Especially if he had to film several takes during the shoot at AmericanAirlines Arena. The man simply had nothing left on Tuesday. Wade was 6 of 19 from the field and had six turnovers in 40 minutes. He scored 9 of his team-high 22 points from the free-throw line. He added seven assists and six rebounds. But credit Thabo Sefolosha for at least making Wade work hard. There are going to be nights when Wade goes for that fourth-quarter switch and can't flip it on. This was one of them. Miami Herald

Grant Long, a member of the Heat's inaugural team during the 1988-89 season, certainly didn't show much love for Miami's current superstar. Long, now a commentator for the Thunder's television broadcast team, said he doesn't consider Wade as one of the top five players in the league. Asked to give his fav five of sorts during the broadcast, he named Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Dwight Howard, Tim Duncan and Paul Pierce as the five best and most complete players in the league. "I can't put him in my top five," Long said. "I want two options in a guy. A guy who can drive (or) shoot when the game is on the line. Right now, I don't go to Dwyane Wade. Right now, he's primarily a driver." Miami Herald

Russell Westbrook and Jermaine O’Neal got into it late in the first half, exchanging words and shoves after Westbrook’s offensive foul on Mario Chalmers. It was an odd sequence that looked to have started with O’Neal trying to hold up Westbrook after bodies collided before then shoving him away. Westbrook took exception and charged O’Neal but was restrained by Dwyane Wade and Udonis Haslem. Oklahoman

Kendrick Perkins freely admits that the Celtics have not cured the ills caused by three losses in five games with just two practices. What’s more, the burly center and team conscience believes the Celtics are lacking the focus and concentration necessary for a dominant season. Boston Globe

There was once talk, although faint, of reaching 72 wins. Now the goal is to dominate opponents defensively, something the Celtics used to do regularly. The Celtics spent the past two days trying to regain their sharpness, but Perkins, along with coach Doc Rivers, walked away unimpressed. “I think our energy’s been high, [but] these past few practices haven’t been good, I don’t think,’’ Perkins said after yesterday’s workout. “They haven’t been our best practices. We’ve been turning over the ball, just being sloppy the last two practices. “I thought as far as Doc and the coaching staff, they had the right game plan for practice. As a team, we haven’t had the perfect execution for practice. We just gotta get back on the right track.’’ Boston Globe

In Anthony's eyes he's still growing. "For me, it took me a couple of years to figure that out, everything from top to bottom," Anthony said. "How you approach the game to your attitude, practice, the locker room, the shoot-around -- just everything. Not saying I haven't done it before, but it's more to it." Los Angeles Times

When Nuggets forward Carmelo Anthony woke up Tuesday morning, the blood splatters on his pillow looked like something out of a CSI episode. Once the bleeding stopped, the mind-numbing pain of a migraine set in, forcing him to miss the morning shootaround. The short-term remedy was a dose of Excedrin and some fitful hours of sleep leading up to Denver’s game against the Toronto Raptors. “Second day in a row that it did that,” Anthony said. “I had to pull over on the side of the road (while driving to practice Monday). Then the migraine came after my nose stopped bleeding. It was tough. I haven't got one of those in a long, long time.” NBA.com

Asked if he ever considered sitting out, Anthony shook his head. “My legs could work. As long as I could run up and down that court, I was good.” Teammate Kenyon Martin was among the many people impressed with Anthony's ability to play through the pain. Martin also has battled migraines in the past, saying they make him nauseous and prompt him to retreat to a dark, quiet place. “It's no fun,” Martin said. “I know exactly how he feels. Maybe he needs to get a migraine more often. He came out cooking in the first quarter.” NBA.com

Either Conley delivers stronger performances or a proven, veteran and true point guard will receive the keys to the team. "In this league, you always hear footsteps," Griz coach Lionel Hollins said. "There's always somebody over there on the bench that wants your job, and if you don't play well they will eventually get it. "Mike just has to continue to improve. He's got to be better defensively. He's got to be better at leading and directing. He was much better at those things last year. He's got to get back to being that and then get better from there." Memphis Commercial Appeal

Conley, though, is aware of his foibles. "I need to be more consistent and more aggressive at certain times," Conley said. "I hope they still believe in me. I struggled in a few games but the (Minnesota game last Saturday) was a good game to get my feet under me. Everybody has a lull during the course of a season. But we're all trying to do whatever we can to win games." Memphis Commercial Appeal

So now the Grizzlies are moving on, with a home game tonight against the Los Angeles Clippers and a revised marketing plan. And while the basketball side of the organization has not done the business side any favors this season, John Pugliese, Grizzlies senior director of marketing and communications, sounded stoic and even optimistic when asked about this latest hurdle. "Our campaign was not focused around Allen," he said. "It was focused around the young core of talent we had. So from a campaign standpoint, nothing will change. We have a loyal group of fans who are in this 'Griz Country' and part of 'Griz Nation,' and we've gotten a lot of support in the last day." Memphis Commercial Appeal

Still, the Grizzlies had designed a slogan that played off Iverson's nickname, "Answer the Call." Except Iverson is no longer calling. The Grizzlies are not offering ticket or merchandise refunds to disgruntled fans. At the same time, Pugliese said his marketing team caught a break with the timing of all this, considering new billboards are scheduled to go up Friday. O.J. Mayo, Gay and "animated elf characters" will pitch holiday ticket packages, Pugliese said. All of the advertisements will be Iverson-free. Memphis Commercial Appeal

"There are some things that are out of our control," center Marc Gasol said. "We're strong enough and should be mature enough to know that things like that happen everywhere. Some players are unhappy and some players don't like sitting on the bench. It's a normal situation on every professional team." Memphis Commercial Appeal

Dave McMenamin: Just spoke to Gilbert Arenas. He is now on Twitter: @gilbertarenas. He will start tweeting once he hits 1 million followers. Make it happen. Twitter.com

Mike Jones: traded texts w @gilbertarenas. yes, he'll tweet if a mil follow. but he won't bring back blogging on the relaunched gilbertarenas.com. Twitter.com

So might we see you go from Sixth Man of the Year one season to Defensive Player of the Year the next? Jason Terry: Ha! I don't know, I wouldn't go that far. But I'm definitely going to try to get back to back Sixth Man. NBA.com

You mentioned college, where you gained a reputation for your "rituals" or superstitions. Still have any? Jason Terry: No doubt. You've got to remember, I sleep in the opposing teams' game shorts the night before the game. So I've collected over the years every team's game shorts. Did it in college. Slept in my uniform the night before the Final Four game and we won, so I've been doing it ever since. NBA.com

Paul Coro: Quote of the a.m. Shane Battier to @Jonathan_Feigen: "3/4ths of the world is covered by water. The rest is covered by Chuck Hayes." Twitter.com

As Andres Nocioni detailed the right hip pointer he suffered by -- what else? -- diving for a loose ball, someone jokingly asked if he's ducking close friend and former Bulls teammate Luol Deng. "Yeah, I don't want to play because I'm really scared," Nocioni said, smiling. Chicago Tribune

Kings coach Paul Westphal laughed when asked if Nocioni's profane tendencies toward self-flagellation had improved Westphal's Spanish. "When the worst thing you can say about somebody is he might be too intense at times, that's not a bad thing at all," Westphal said. In his first season with the Kings, Westphal said he admires Nocioni's versatility, defense and toughness. Chicago Tribune

Did the Lakers send a championship ring to Kwame Brown? "What?" Brown responded when asked the question Tuesday night. Did you get a ring from the Lakers? "Man, you know the answer to that," Brown said, smiling. "Why should I get one? I wasn't here." Los Angeles Times

True, but Brown played a role in the Lakers winning the NBA championship last season. After all, Brown was the trade bait the Lakers used to acquire Pau Gasol, who played a big role in the Lakers' championship. The Lakers sent Brown, Javaris Crittenton, Aaron McKie and the draft rights to Marc Gasol to the Memphis Grizzlies for Pau Gasol in February of 2008. So, Brown was told, the Lakers got Gasol because of him. "That's wasn't because of me," Brown said, laughing. "I didn't have nothing to do with that." Los Angeles Times

LeBron James watched the Cleveland Browns get shut out by Baltimore on Monday night and came to one simple conclusion: He could help. "If I put all my time and commitment into it, if I dedicated myself to the game of football, I could be really good," the Cavaliers superstar said before facing the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday night. "No matter what team I was on." ESPN.com

Gasol is expected to return Thursday against the Chicago Bulls after sitting out 11 games because of a strained right hamstring. "Sounds good to me," he said Tuesday. The Lakers' forward-center shot with the team at Tuesday morning's shoot-around and reported only a small amount of pain. "A little sore here and there, but the good thing is the hamstring has responded well," he said. "It's really promising." Los Angeles Times

Lakers coach Phil Jackson couldn't resist having some fun at Pau Gasol's expense when asked if he was a concerned the Spaniard was a little "gun shy" to test his strained right hamstring. "That he's a hypochondriac that might be a baby and not come out and play, is that what you're trying to say with that question?" Jackson said, smiling. Riverside Press-Enterprise

Jackson actually asked Gasol if he could play Tuesday against Detroit, but the big man said he didn't feel ready yet. If all goes well at today's practice, Gasol said that Thursday against Chicago was "still a possibility." Not quite done ribbing Gasol, Jackson wryly suggested that the two-time all-star had gotten hurt while dragging an injured kid away from a fatal car accident in an episode of CSI Miami that aired Monday evening. Riverside Press-Enterprise

Newly-acquired Raja Bell told The Chronicle on Tuesday that he will have wrist surgery, a decision that adds to the Warriors' injury woes and could cost the guard the rest of the season. Bell, who was picked up from Charlotte in the Stephen Jackson trade Monday, will go back east for surgery to repair a partially torn ligament in his left wrist. He'll miss four or five weeks if the wrist is in decent shape and probably the rest of the season if screws are needed for the repair. "I'm going into it, assuming it will be a big surgery," Bell said. "If I wake up and it's not, it's icing on the cake. I'm prepared for the worst-case scenario, and I'll go from there. San Francisco Chronicle

There were a couple of murmurs in the room and finally one of his teammates asked, "You OK?" Said Rush: "No." Rush then told his teammates that he had a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee, which puts him out for the rest of the season. Conclusive word came less than an hour later when the MRI test result came in and confirmed what Rush feared and had told the other players. Los Angeles Times

"I've never felt pain this bad like this before," he said after returning from the hospital. Los Angeles Times

The Warriors learned Monday that swingman Kelenna Azubuike is out for the season and that guard C.J. Watson tested positive for swine flu. According to a team source, an MRI on Monday showed the injury Azubuike sustained Saturday at Milwaukee will require surgery, which means the patellar tendon was torn in his left knee. The surgery will be scheduled this week. Recovery time for this type of surgery usually is five to six months. Contra Costa Times

Lakers forward Luke Walton said the pinched nerve that will sideline him for at least six weeks is a result of him returning too quickly from a similar injury during the preseason. The soreness and stiffness came back last week and got "worse and worse," to the point where he cannot even bend down to tie his shoes anymore. "The last time they wanted me out longer, but as soon as the back started feeling good I was begging them to let me start playing," Walton said. "I'm going to let them tell me when to play this time because the last time I rushed it a little too quickly." Riverside Press-Enterprise

Thunder guard Shaun Livingston is undergoing an arthroscopic procedure today on his left knee to resolve swelling, the team announced Tuesday. Dr. James Andrews will perform the surgery in Birmingham, Ala., removing staples from Livingston's knee that originally were placed during Livingston's knee reconstruction on March 13, 2007 but have recently caused swelling. Oklahoman

Center Aaron Gray, who is out with a lower left leg stress fracture, has been hospitalized because of fluid build up in his right knee -- a condition called cellulitis. Gray was taken to a suburban Chicago hospital following Monday's practice session at the Berto Center and remained there Tuesday morning. Gray was expected to accompany the team on its Western road trip, which begins Tuesday night at Sacramento, but obviously didn't leave with the team. The Bulls are hopeful he can join the team later in the five-game Western trip to continue his rehabilitation from the stress fracture. Chicago Sun-Times

Lisa Dillman: Kareem Rush telling me in lockerroom he just knew it was a bad knee injury: "I’ve never felt pain this bad like this before.” Twitter.com

Controlled demolition has begun to bring down what's left of Reunion Arena in Dallas. Crews on Tuesday began the final demolition process, on the roof and columns, of the former home to the NBA's Dallas Mavericks and the NHL's Dallas Stars. Houston Chronicle

Milwaukee remains a viable market for the NBA, with or without a new arena, provided the league adequately controls costs, according to Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban. “If we can control our costs as a league, I think Milwaukee is a very viable city for the NBA with or without a new arena,” Cuban told a crowd at Turner Hall Monday night during the inaugural Milwaukee Bucks’ speakers’ series. “If we do a good job of controlling those costs, it’ll be easy. If we don’t, it’ll create a different set of challenges.” Milwaukee Business Journal

Speaking of Pau, I spoke to him pregame about his appearance on CSI. I expected him to play the typical NBA player making a cameo - but he actually had a dramatic role on the popular procedural. He said that he was on Numbers last year in that jock/NBA superstar role but wanted to try something more substantial. He felt it was something he could do without making a fool out of himself - otherwise he wouldn't have pursued it. He's not sure if that's specifically what he wants to do after his NBA career but it's something he enjoys and takes seriously. HoopsWorld

Gasol also said that his Spanish singing commercial was a lot, lot harder than CSI. He had to sing a song popularized by a female - and look like he was having fun doing it. Meanwhile Phil Jackson said he watched the episode of CSI and couldn't believe people watched that sort of thing. HoopsWorld

Rudy Fernandez: Just wanted to send an encouragement message to Paul Allen. Twitter.com

Baron Davis: Just read about Paul Allen, hope he gets better... Sending prayers. Twitter.com

Kenny Anderson: Yo my prayers go out to Paul Allen and family,just got diagnosed with non hodgkins lymphoma form of cancer,thanks for signing me in 1997. Twitter.com

Converse lost Dwyane Wade’s endorsement and now the North Andover sneaker manufacturer is making a full-court press to stay out of the NBA star’s legal woes. The company has asked a federal judge in Boston for a protective order so it won’t have to respond to a subpoena from L.H. Equity Investments, a Florida firm that’s suing the Miami Heat guard over a failed restaurant venture. Boston Herald

Converse has been asked to “produce a witness for deposition examination as well as documents responsive to a broad area of inquiry,” according to a filing by the company’s attorney, Brian Haney of Cooley Manion Jones in Boston. Haney noted that Converse is not a party to the lawsuit, which was filed in April, and shouldn’t have to take on the “burden and expense of discovery,” especially given that a motion by Wade’s attorney to dismiss the case is pending. Boston Herald

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