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Monday, January 4

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On Sunday, the Wizards remained pessimistic in the extreme about Arenas' future. Even if the local and federal governments don't bring indictments -- and no one has the slightest inkling about which way that will go -- the Wizards not only think the league will ultimately throw the book at Arenas, but more than one employee believes that the incident will be the catalyst for wholesale housecleaning, on the court and in the front office, by the new ownership group led by Ted Leonsis, the billionaire owner of the NHL's Washington Capitals. NBA.com

The Rockets, as of Sunday night, according to a source, were still "sifting" through offers for Tracy McGrady, and weren't anywhere close to a deal. Part of the issue is that McGrady's high-profile management team of Arn Tellem and Bob Myers is also working the phones, trying to come up with something for their client, and the two sides likely have different trading partners they consider promising. Add in developments like Washington's sudden dilemma with Arenas -- which quelled for now any chance of talks going forward with Houston on a deal that would feature Butler -- and the Rockets are in wait mode. NBA.com

The two sides also have to finesse the whole notion that McGrady's next destination is not likely to be his last. Would a team trying to do a deal for him release him immediately, so that he might be able to sign with a playoff contender that wouldn't have to pay his close to $23 million tab? Some probably would, but some wouldn't. If he wants to play in this year's postseason, he has to find exactly the right fit, even if it's just temporary. Yet another reason this will take longer than you'd think. NBA.com

Daryl Morey on what went into the decision to explore trades for McGrady: “I don’t think it’s unusual but I can understand why people look at it that way. As far as staring at what coach and I were staring at, we were taking the best approach that we thought was fair to him and the team. I think coach covered it pretty well. Understandably he was looking to play more and I think also understandably coach felt like he couldn’t make any commitment to how much more. He needed to see how he was playing and how the team was playing before he could grow his minutes. That wasn’t something that worked for Tracy in a contract year. When he felt he had to have a hard commitment or otherwise wanted to be moved, I think we got together and we made the decision that it might be best for everybody that we look for trades.” Sports Radio Interviews

On how active they are in their talks: “It’s pretty active. We went from not really focused on moving him, we were fielding calls to, in fairness to him, we’re now looking more aggressively. It’s been pretty active since we made the decision. I think it’ll heat up now for a week or so as we try and feel out what opportunities might be out there. That said, there’s nothing close right now. We’re gonna be more aggressive. The reality of the league is not much happens before the deadline because everyone just waits everyone out. Some deals get done early and if something makes sense for both sides than we will obviously do it, but I think things are difficult to get done early because teams always try to add a little more, a little more versus just doing a deal that makes sense. It often takes a team a deadline to get the other side to get back to what is a fair deal.” Sports Radio Interviews

Brian Windhorst: Chance Cavs will make roster move this week. 4 guys with nonguaranteed deals leaves them in position to make a minor trade. Twitter.com

Mark Woods: GB F Pops Mensah-Bonsu linked with Real Madrid and CSKA Moscow. Told both stories are "nonsense". Twitter.com

Jonathan Givony: Gabe Pruitt doesnt look like he wants to be here,which seems to be a bit of a theme today. Someone should tell him his career is on the line. Twitter.com

The Warriors likely won’t request another exception now. Since the league obviously won’t allow them to carry a non-guaranteed injury exception past Friday, they would have to cut another player in order to sign, say, Cartier Martin. Even to a 10-day. The problem with the other players the Warriors could feasibly cut (Speedy Claxton, Devean George, Raja Bell) is they are more valuable as expiring contracts in a potential trade. The trade dealine is just over a month away. Contra Costa Times

Chris Ballard: A shame that Rod Benson - who I used to play IMs against at Cal - is shuttering his ever-entertaining blog to focus on reaching NBA but here's to hoping he gets his shot, esp. now w/ 10 days. Heard an asst. GM mention Rod's name just last week. Twitter.com

Gilbert Arenas: NY post should eject Peter V FROM WRITNG EVERY AGAIN..how do u and ur partner tell 3 stories and all 3 r not true.the blind leadin the blind Twitter.com

Gilbert Arenas: peter one question on ur article...it sayin that i took out a loan from JC to pay javale...HUH..thats like jordan farmer givin kobe a loan. what the hell i need a loan from a teammate who on his rookie deal?and 60,000 mannn this price keeps rising.i hope u meant 60 dollars. Twitter.com

Gilbert Arenas: Peter sum advice from a formal blogger...People like the truth u cant make the movie Gigli seem like its Avatar.so regroup and try again tmw Twitter.com

Kenneth L. Wainstein, a partner in the Washington, DC office of O'Melveny & Myers LLP and attorney for Gilbert Arenas, stated today: "This afternoon, Gilbert Arenas voluntarily met with federal prosecutors at the United States Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia and detectives of the Metropolitan Police Department to explain the circumstances surrounding the presence of his unloaded firearms at the Verizon Center last month. Washington Post

From the outset of this incident, Mr. Arenas has been fully cooperative with the investigation. He acknowledged his possession of the guns when questioned by Washington Wizards team officials; he immediately offered and relinquished the guns to Wizards security personnel; and he had me proactively reach out to the U.S. Attorney's Office and make an immediate self-disclosure about the guns. Consistent with that cooperative approach, Mr. Arenas felt it important that we meet with law enforcement at the first possible opportunity so that he could tell the full story. Over the course of a two-hour interview this afternoon, Mr. Arenas answered every question asked of him. Washington Post

"I take responsibility," Arenas said. "If I have to deal with the police, the investigation, the DAs, that's what I have to deal with. I have to deal with that on Monday. I've got to put it in their hands, tell the story, and then see what they say." NBA.com

In the meantime, the Wizards don't see a scenario under which Stern will show leniency. And no matter whether you think Arenas is a loon, he remains Washington's best player, and without him, the Wizards would almost certainly be doomed to another appearance in the Lottery, and another wasted season for the likes of Antawn Jamison and Caron Butler. NBA.com

Former Wizards beat writer Mike Jones, on his blog, and the Washington Post's Michael Lee both reported that a frustrated Crittenton threw one of Arenas' guns across the locker room after Arenas had laid out three guns near Crittenton's locker and taunted him to pick one up. It was an extension of an argument that began between the two on the team's plane from Phoenix Dec. 19, when a source told me that Arenas failed to pay a $25,000 debt to Crittenton. (Jones says the amount wasn't $25,000, and was owed not to Crittenton, but to another teammate: Javale McGee.) NBA.com

A plan is in place to convene a grand jury to determine if NBA star Gilbert Arenas and teammate Javaris Crittenton will be charged with crimes for their alleged Xmas eve locker room gun-toting showdown ... law enforcement sources tell TMZ. TMZ.com

We're told, in addition to weapons charges, Arenas and Crittenton could be charged with criminal assault. As for their interview with cops, a rep for the U.S. Attorney's office is present and the case could go to the grand jury as early as today. TMZ.com

And there’s been no mention of Wizards President Ernie Grunfeld reportedly telling the league about guns being in the locker room but failing to reveal a confrontation involving the guns, along with the potential consequences any truth to those allegations in the New York Post may entail. “There won’t be any,” a league official said, speaking on condition of anonymity, specifically about Grunfeld Sunday afternoon. “Whatever has been reported accurately was already revealed to us by Ernie. We have no issue with anything involving Mr. Grunfeld.” Stephen A. Smith

Statement From The Pollin Family: "We want to take a moment to address our Wizards fans and the public. The situation involving an incident in the locker room is troubling to our family, our organization and our fans. We know our fans are frustrated and angry. The fact that guns were brought to the Verizon Center is dangerous and disappointing and showed extremely poor judgment. Guns have absolutely no place in a workplace environment and we will take further steps to ensure this never happens again. While the police investigation proceeds, we are limited in what we can say, but we want our fans to know that we will not rest until this situation is resolved and has come to a satisfactory conclusion. On behalf of the Wizards organization, we want to thank our fans for their support during this very difficult time." NBA.com

A story on Yahoo! Sports Sunday claimed that Arenas has been beligerent of late toward Wizards coach Flip Saunders, and barely spoke to him during training camp. (Maybe. I can only tell you I have not heard any inkling of that from Wizards people, big and small, and they're a pretty honest bunch. There isn't a lot of love for Agent Zero these days, but no one has suggested he and Saunders are sideways. Has Saunders been hard on Arenas at times since the summer, when they talked almost every day either on the phone or via text? Sure. He's got the ball 90 percent of the time; if he doesn't play well, the Wizards have no chance at winning.) NBA.com

Michael Lee: Flip Saunders denied a report that he has been subpeonaed to testify by a grand jury. Twitter.com

The reason I liked the deal a week ago for the Wizards was they were clearly in decline with a group that didn’t fit together. Duh, who didn’t see that with what many have said for a few years were too many perimeter shooters for one ball and Agent Moron. Yes, that’s what they called Arenas around the NBA, even before his locker room weapons incident. NBA.com

I heard the "king/prince" analogy this week, as in, Butler became the king last season while Arenas was injured, and wonders why he has to go back to being a prince now that Arenas has returned. But, another team guy pointed out, the Wizards won 19 games last season without Arenas. That's more of an issue, from what I've been told, than Arenas' relationship with Saunders. NBA.com

I asked Jamison if he either expected or wanted an apology from Arenas. "I don't think I need an apology," Jamison said. "I think he realizes that it's something he shouldn't have done, and it's a lot of attention that's not needed. So once you go through things like this, you realize it wasn't the smartest thing to do." NBA.com

Hasn't Arenas, I asked, put all of your careers in jeopardy? Jamison is 33, and running out of time to play on a contender. He re-signed in Washington, and the Wizards have (so far) resisted trade offers from the likes of the Cavaliers, because they believed they had a "Big Three" that, when healthy, was as good as anyone's. But it hasn't happened, and now it doesn't look like it's going to happen. "That's the thing," Jamison said. "Once a decision comes around as far as what's going to happen, that's when you get into the nitpicking as far as that. If he ends up missing games or whatever, that's when you realize (it). We're where we're at right now with him. I think eventually we're going to get a nice eight- , nine-game win streak. But it's most likely to happen with him on the court. I feed on that. If he ends up missing games, we've got to start all back over as far as the chemistry, trying to get things right. That's going to be difficult. Dealing with this, this is serious. And not only that, but the way fans perceive you. The way kids look up to you. He's got a lot of damage control that he's got to deal with." NBA.com

Some highlights from James, who began by addressing Arenas' tweets as a way of dealing with the controversy: "That’s his own situation. However he feels like he needs to cope with it, that how he feels he needs to cope with it. But that doesn’t necessarily mean that, we’re not the ones to judge. Whatever’s going to happen is going to happen. What he did he did, but at the end fof the day we all got issues we have to face... "I’m in his corner until whatever happens, that’s my teammate, that’s my brother here. Everyone’s quick to judge, but that ain’t the issue... God is the only judge in any situation, and whenever anything happens in life, the focus always has to be on him... Washington Examiner

Caron Butler, who was again complimented by Saunders but simultaneously has become the subject of trade speculation and rumors, said, "Just control what you can control. The only thing, as a player, that you can control is, the time that practice starts, coming an hour early, getting your treatment, getting a lift in, going out there, leaving it all on the court, talking to the media, saying all the right things [smile], getting in your car and getting on the plane, going to philly and playing hard out there." Washington Examiner

"It ain't the situation, it ain’t the person and so my thing was just we can’t judge what he’s done. So many times, people call him stupid, ignorant, you know happens, well, why should an athlete carry guns and all the other issues, but what people don’t understand is that we are victims as athletes... "We’re a team. We’re going to stick together in good times. We’re going to stick together during bad times. If you have an issue with one of your co-workers, on the next two days that you go to work, is there going to be a problem? I’m pretty sure you’re going to do what you have to do, and they’re going to do what they have to do. There’s still a job that has to be done every day." Washington Examiner

There is at least one person still willing to offer a spirited defense of Arenas. Very early Monday morning, Arenas's former agent, Dan Fegan, called after I'd texted him to see if Arenas had reached out to him. Arenas parted ways with Fegan in 2006, two years before re-signing with the Wizards for $111 million. I hadn't reached out to Fegan to see if he had an axe to grind; I was just curious if Arenas had asked his advice or counsel on how to handle things. (He hadn't.) "I would venture a strong guess that it was humor," Fegan said. "He's an off-center kid who has a huge need to be loved. But he doesn't pull guns on teammates ... this is a guy that licked all the powder off of the donuts (while in college) and put talcum powder on them. I've represented hundreds of guys, and there are only about five of them I would turn to if I was in trouble or needed help. This is one of the guys that you could do that with." NBA.com

"There's no way," Fegan said. "It makes great copy, but it's unfortunate, because it's at Gilbert's expense. They're struggling right now, and because Gilbert's not Kobe, he's taking the heat. He's the 10th leading scorer in the league after a two-year hiatus, and in a few weeks he could be top five. It's absurd that they're talking about that." NBA.com

The Knicks' Larry Hughes didn't exactly deny a report alleging that he was once "cleaned out" of $17,000 by Gilbert Arenas playing cards. "I'm not sure what they're referring to," he said Sunday night after the Knicks clobbered the Pacers. "If they said poker, no, because I don't play poker. But I do play cards. But I have no idea what they're talking about (with that number)." New York Daily News

All jokes aside, 2010 is here and two of my three goals have come to fruition. There's just one more left to handle and that's associating myself with those three letters. N-B-A. I've been working on it for a couple of years now and I've been close, but never crossed the line. Slowly, I've been trying to eliminate the reasons why. I put on weight this offseason. I've refined my offensive game. I've refined my defensive game. I've done the training camps and competed with and against the best. When I was in camp with the Pacers, they asked me to stop blogging while I was there and I did that, too. Yahoo! Sports

There's really only one more thing I can do and that's to take it a step further. I'm taking a step back and quitting the Yahoo! blog game. I would consider it more of a Brett Favre retirement, but still, I'll be away from the blog as long as I'm in the NBA realm. It just seems that I'm closer than ever and I'm no longer going to give anyone a reason to scratch me off their list. Yahoo! Sports

Lakers forward Pau Gasol sustained a mild to moderate strain in his left hamstring, according to an MRI exam Monday morning. He is doubtful tomorrow against Houston (in other words: he ain't playing) and is day-to-day after that, according to the Lakers. Gasol was seen by team doctor Steve Lombardo a day after being able to play only seven minutes against Dallas. Los Angeles Times

Dave McMenamin: Ron Artest said he looked into T.J. Ford's previous head injuries to learn about how a basketball player deals w/ playing after a concussion. Twitter.com

No one was hurt in this one. The game, which featured Sean Williams, along with Terrence Williams, Tony Battie, Bobby Simmons, Trenton Hassell and Hayes, ended and everyone went his separate way. Hayes stayed out a little longer and shot free throws. He’s ready to come back and tomorrow night against the Bucks should be his return. The Nets have missed his leadership and shot-making ability. “I’m excited,” Hayes said. “It feels good after, what, 32 games, something like that. It’s good after all this time to finally get back.” Bergen Record

Rockets guard Chase Budinger began traveling with the team and went through a shooting drill before the game in New Orleans, but he is expected to be out for the rest of the week with a sprained left ankle suffered Dec. 19. “I told him we would wait and get it 100 percent, try to get some practices in,” trainer Keith Jones said . “I don't want to put him back for a game. Coach (Rick Adelman) would want him to practice first.” Houston Chronicle

But somehow, Del Negro has survived, but that doesn't mean he's out of the woods, even taking his team's four-game winning streak into considering. One gets the impression that he's one more embarrassing loss from getting shown the door, which in most cases would be a huge distraction for an NBA team. Not this one, apparently. "We're not worrying about it all," said Bulls Player of the Month, Derrick Rose, who averaged over 20ppg in December. "That's in the front office, and they have to make that decision. We're just trying to play basketball right now." HoopsWorld

"We're going to play hard no matter what's going on," said guard John Salmons, adding, "I think it shows the character of the team that we've stayed focus regardless of all the rumors and stuff that's going on." HoopsWorld

Celtics head coach Doc Rivers was not on hand for today's practice at the Sports Authority Complex in Waltham. Celtics spokesman Jeff Twiss said Rivers had to attend to personal matters but would rejoin the team tomorrow with the Celtics heading to play Miami on Wednesday. Boston Globe

Cuban reached an agreement to pay $285 million for the Mavericks on Jan. 4, 2000. The Mavericks' rise from league laughingstock to one of the NBA's elite since then has been a wild ride, with Cuban leading the way in his uniquely brash, charismatic, energetic, occasionally obnoxious, always heavily involved manner. "Ten years? It seems like 50," commissioner David Stern said with a chuckle. ESPN.com

And Cuban has had a blast along the way -- his primary goal in the first place, along with winning a championship. "I saw it just as a dream come true and a way to have fun," Cuban said, "which is the way I still look at it." ESPN.com

Cuban, who made billions in the Internet bubble, has never treated basketball like his other businesses. It's a high-priced passion for him. It's a bonus if he makes a profit, which the Mavericks have done for only one season during his tenure. ESPN.com

"Mark came along when this franchise really needed a shot in the arm," said Mavericks president of basketball operations Donnie Nelson, an assistant coach under his father when Cuban bought the team. "Nellie and I had battle fatigue like you wouldn't believe. Mark was the fresh troops on the horizon, the cavalry coming to the rescue." ESPN.com

Cuban was so frustrated and distraught after the Finals that he seriously considered selling the team that offseason. He claims that he would have if he'd gotten a good offer. It took about a year "before I got back to trusting the NBA again," Cuban said. Maybe Cuban has mellowed some since those Finals. After all, he's been fined only twice for a total of $50,000 in the last two-plus seasons. He picks his battles with the league more carefully and has become more patient with the bureaucratic process, having learned what to expect. ESPN.com

During his decade in the NBA, Michael Doleac kept in touch with physicist Richard Ingebretsen, one of his old University of Utah professors, seeking counsel on a possible future career as a scientist or a doctor. "He was asking me for articles on science. He wrote chapters in the textbook I use with my undergraduates," Ingebretsen says. "I sat down with him and told him that his life's great work was helping young people, not in basketball." Salt Lake Tribune

Doleac retired from professional basketball in 2008 and returned to the U. in the fall to pursue a master's degree in physics. He has since signed up for a new program designed to shepherd those with an affinity for math and science into teaching careers. "When you're done playing, it's an eye-opening experience. What are you going to do? You don't have any other skills," says the 7-foot Doleac. "This is all brand new. It's cool and unnerving at the same time. What I do have is the interest and motivation to learn and teach this stuff." The program is known as SMART, an acronym for Support and Mentoring as an Alternative Route to Teaching, an initiative of the U.'s new Center for Mathematics and Science Education. Salt Lake Tribune

TrueHoop reader Neil is currently reading the book on the American Basketball Association -- Terry Pluto's hilarious and amazing Loose Balls -- and has made me aware of a relevant chapter from the Pacers' history. Some edited excerpts: Pacers trainer Dave Craig: "The more those teams won, the wilder some of the guys got. In the early 1970s, [Mel] Daniels, [Roger] Brown, [George] McGinnis and some of the other guys started to think they were cowboys. Mel was from Detroit, but when he went to college in New Mexico, he got interested in horses. ... Then they started dressing like cowboys, and I'm not just talking about hats and boots. They wore pistols and holsters like something out of 'Gunsmoke.'" ESPN.com

Craig: "These guys were playing 'Cowboys' as if they were kids. They would hide behind corners, or climb on top of the locker, draw their guns and do the 'Bang, bang, you're dead' routine. Finally, I told [Pacers head coach] Slick [Leonard], 'We've got to get these guns out of the dressing room before somebody gets hurt.' Slick thought the whole thing was pretty funny and said, 'Nah, those guys are using guns that aren't loaded.' But one day, the guys were messing around and one of the guns went off. Thank God no one was hurt, but then we had to pass a rule that if you brought your gun to the game, you had to check it at the dressing room door." ESPN.com

Pacer Bob Netolicky: "People who didn't know us thought our locker room was a little spooky, what with all the guns hanging on the wall. I mean, you'd walk into our dressing room and run into Mel Daniels holding a .45 -- it makes you wonder." ESPN.com

T.J. Ford is on the trading block, which is and isn't news. It might be news to those of you hanging onto him in fantasy leagues clinging to the hope that he'll soon get his starting job back from Earl Watson, but it isn't news to anyone in an NBA front office. The Pacers have been trying to trade Ford for "years," an NBA source told ESPN.com Sunday night as Ford sat out the entire 48 minutes as Indiana was steamrolled 132-89 by the New York Knicks. "Not weeks. Not months. Years," the source said. ESPN.com

It is a far, far fall for a player who started 25 of Indiana's first 30 games, a fall that appears will remain permanent barring an injury to Watson or Price. The source cited above said Indiana has practically given up hope of trying to trade Ford, who is making $8.5 million and has a player option worth another $8.5 million for next season that he is so certain to exercise that we'll go ahead at this early date and name him to the starting five on the 2010-11 dead money team. Chances are, it'll be money that will still be on Indiana's cap a year from now, when "expiring contract" will be required to always appear in the same sentence with the words "T.J." and "Ford." ESPN.com

The failures of the team have the front office considering dramatic roster changes. A league source said on Sunday that the Wizards have been in communication with every team in the league about possibly making a trade. While the same source added that the Wizards are not looking to have a "fire sale," the organization is considering any deal that could improve the fortunes of a hobbled franchise. Caron Butler and Antawn Jamison have been targeted, according to multiple league sources, but the Wizards are also considering moving Arenas, whose off-court antics -- including recently storing guns in the locker room -- have begun to wear on some within the organization. Washington Post

The Wizards are weighing their options with Arenas, but one scenario that has not been ruled out is voiding the rest of his deal, according to multiple league sources. The Uniform Player Contract includes a provision for terminating a player's contract if he commits an act of "moral turpitude," which is a serious transgression, such as violent crime. But the NBA players' union would fight any attempt to have a guaranteed contract voided, under any circumstances, a league source said recently. And there is also the risk of alienating Arenas, who could end up remaining with the Wizards. His contract appears difficult to move in tough economic times and teams are reluctant to take back long-term deals. Washington Post

That doesn't exactly sound like a team that wants to hang onto a certain player. Wizards president Ernie Grunfeld, according to sources, was the person who reported this gun incident to the league, and already has begun looking into voiding Arenas' contract. Voiding the contract would mean getting out of the remaining four years and roughly $80 owed to him following this season. And if Arenas receives a serious charge from D.C. law enforcement, the Wizards certainly would have grounds to do so because of the "morality clause" which gives a team permission to terminate their contract with a player over a breech of contract. However, a source close to Arenas told me that say he didn't receive jail time and the Wizards did still try to void his contract, the guard would fight tooth and nail, getting the players union to battle on his behalf and taking further legal action if needs be in an attempt to making that happen. If Arenas is charged with a felony, however, he doesn't have much of a leg to stand on. Mike Jones Sports

Two league insiders say the Wizards as of late have considered trading Arenas despite his hefty contract. The guard was always seen as unmovable because of that deal, but Grunfeld has proven himself to be creative when it comes to wheeling and dealing, so nothing's impossible. The main challenge would be finding a partner that would want not only Arenas' contract but also his strong personality and off-court distractions. Mike Jones Sports

Now you can take this a couple of ways: 1) A front office member or team insider is frustrated and the dirty laundry is beginning to be aired as the Wizards and Arenas head closer to divorce, or 2) Arenas has an enemy who wants to make him look bad, or 3) An opposing team is trying to further stoke the fire in hopes of improving the chances of a trade happening. I was at training camp and didn't sense problem there, and haven't during the first three months of the season, in which Saunders has routinely either defended Arenas or find more delicate ways to discuss the guard's shortcomings. In a text message reply to me about the report today, Arenas said "I don't know. Me and Flip talk every day and I've never talked back to Flip yet." Mike Jones Sports

Is this a deal that makes sense for the Bulls? Probably. Although Hinrich can play both guard positions and Butler is more of a small forward, Butler can play shooting guard and split minutes with John Salmons. Jannero Pargo and Mike James could play point guard for the few minutes that Derrick Rose is out of the game. Butler is a better scorer and the Bulls are in need of offensive production. He's averaging 17.2 points (to Hinrich's 8.6), but is only shooting 30 percent from three-point range (to 36.1 percent for Hinrich). Another factor is Butler has just one year remaining on his contract following this season, while Hinrich has two years left. That could an important factor moving forward as the Bulls try to re-sign Rose and center Joakim Noah. Stay tuned. This rumor could happen, although nothing is close right now. Chicago Sun-Times

By Wednesday, the 76ers must decide to either retain or waive Allen Iverson. Last night, Sixers coach Eddie Jordan said he expected the 34-year-old point guard to remain with the team for the rest of the season. In the NBA, partially guaranteed contracts such as Iverson's become guaranteed Jan. 10, with a 48-hour waiver period preceding it. Because Jan. 10 falls on a Sunday, the date has been moved to Jan. 8, with teams needing to waive a player by the start of the 48-hour period - this Wednesday. "Nothing is etched in stone," Jordan said of retaining Iverson. "But I think it's going to happen." Philadelphia Inquirer

"His performance has been very good for us, on the floor and off the floor, in the locker rooms, in the huddles. He's been great for us, he really has been." Philadelphia Daily News

The New Orleans Times-Picayune reported Sunday that "veteran shooting guard Morris Peterson has been out of the rotation since Jeff Bower took over coaching duties for (fired) Byron Scott last month, and his future with the franchise is uncertain because he could be traded before next month's deadline." The Times-Picayune also reported that "backup center Hilton Armstrong also has lost his spot in Bower's rotation because of inconsistent play. With his inability to fill expectations, Armstrong could be another player the Hornets could be looking to trade." The Jazz bid for Peterson before he signed with the Hornets, and Armstrong worked out for Utah in his draft year. Jazz general manager Kevin O'Connor suggested Saturday he's spoken with multiple teams about trade possibilities and could make a deal as soon as Tuesday, but it's unknown if New Orleans is a team with which he's talked. Deseret News

For all the furor presently surrounding the Jazz, a milestone is expected to pass quietly this week with undrafted rookie Wesley Matthews soon to have his contract guaranteed for the rest of the season barring major roster upheaval. Matthews, who made the roster out of training camp after injuries to C.J. Miles and Kyle Korver , has averaged 8.1 points, started 19 times and is one of three rookies ( James Harden and Ty Lawson are the others) to play 20 minutes a game for a winning team. The deadline for contracts to be guaranteed is Sunday, but a nonguaranteed player would have to be released by Wednesday in order to clear waivers by the weekend. Matthews is making the rookie minimum $457,588. "The Jazz have taken great care of me in giving me this opportunity," Matthews said, "and to make it guaranteed, hopefully, it's just icing on the cake." Salt Lake Tribune

Oden and Przybilla are done for the season, while Batum and Fernández aren't expected back until late January. Outlaw, according to Pritchard, is still eight to 10 weeks away from playing. Aldridge isn't expected to miss more than a week after his injury. McMillan's heel injury required surgery, and he was on crutches when his team played against Sacramento on Dec. 15. The safe assumption is that Pritchard is answering all calls involving big men of any respectability. That could include Kings forward Sean May, who virtually applied for the job before signing with the Kings and falling out of coach Paul Westphal's rotation. May, who has played 15 minutes combined since Nov. 7, worked out for Portland as a free agent during Las Vegas summer league. At the time, Pritchard was quoted as saying he "did a nice job." Sacramento Bee

Kenny Thomas also could be an option, as the Kings veteran forward has an expiring contract worth $8.7 million and has shown this season that he still can defend and rebound (see his 18-rebound outing in 27 minutes at Phoenix on Dec. 5). Pritchard, however, insisted he's in no rush to make a trade. "You're never forced to do anything," he said. "No one in this league does anything they're forced to do. I like what I've seen in our young bigs … I really like what I see in those two guys, and I want to see what they can do over the course of a 20- or 30-game span." Sacramento Bee

The Portland Trail Blazers have recalled rookie guard Patty Mills from the team's NBA Development League affiliate, the Idaho Stampede, Blazers general manager Kevin Pritchard said Sunday night. Mills is expected to join Portland for Monday's road game against the Los Angeles Clippers. Mills poured in 38 points, hit 7 of 10 3-point attempts and added 12 assists in his first game for the Stampede, a 123-109 road win over the Reno Bighorns on Friday. Mills then recorded 22 points on 8-of-12 shooting and knocked down 4 of 5 3-point attempts during Idaho's 109-108 victory over the Bighorns on Sunday night. “He looked fantastic (Friday). And that’s nice to see,” Pritchard said Saturday. “He’s not shy. He’ll put it up.” Columbian

The simmering feud between Arenas and backcourt mate Javaris Crittenton began on Dec. 19, when both lost big bucks to center JaVale McGee in a card game as the club flew home from Phoenix, according to MikeJonesSports, a blog by a former Washington Times sportswriter. Arenas' loss totaled $60,000, sources told The Post. New York Post

Reached by phone yesterday, McGee -- a bench-warming, 7-footer and son of Olympic gold-medal-winning basketball player Pamela McGee -- refused to discuss the incident. Meanwhile, Crittenton -- who along with Arenas faces possible gun charges -- has hired a lawyer. "My job is to protect Javaris' interest in connection with the ongoing investigation," said the lawyer, Peter White. "I know of no evidence that Javaris did anything wrong in connection with this incident, and I'm confident he'll be cleared of any wrongdoing when this is completed." New York Post

A day after acknowledging “bad judgment” for bringing guns to the locker room, embattled guard Gilbert Arenas was not talking after practice. The Washington Wizards star is to meet with law enforcement Monday. Arenas is being investigated by federal and local authorities. AP

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Gilbert Arenas: why would i owe sumbody money and pull a pistol out sounds a little backwards. Twitter.com

Jackson said he believes in the Constitution and upholds peoples’ right to bear arms, and he understands that some NBA players have grown up in violent environments, where guns are the norm. But he certainly backs the NBA’s policy about carrying guns to games and practice. “Guns attract violence, there’s no doubt about that,” he said. “and that violence is death usually.” Orange County Register

The commissioner could hand Gilbert Arenas a severe punishment whenever he decides to take action, but it seems clear Stern can't convince NBA players not to carry firearms. As far as they're concerned, players have the right - and maybe even the need - to own weapons, as long as they're doing it legally. "We're grown men. We protect our families. We protect our homes," said Knicks guard Larry Hughes, who isn't licensed to own a gun. "Whatever the case may be, whoever is bearing arms, I hope everything is done, you know, legally, but you have that right." AP

New Jersey Nets guard Devin Harris told reporters he believed as many as 75 percent of the league's players own guns. "I don't know because I don't know every guy in the NBA. I don't know what every guy personally has," Indiana Pacers guard T.J. Ford said. "As a society, I think a lot of people have protection within their home. But I don't think it's just an NBA thing. It's just a lot of regular people have protection in their home. "Obviously it's not a problem if you have a license to carry a weapon. I think that's the ultimate key. If you have a license, can't nobody dispute the reason why you have a gun." AP

On Sunday, Arenas found himself involved in another controversy after a report in Yahoo Sports claimed that he had a rift with Coach Flip Saunders, adding that he "barely spoke to Saunders" during training camp, has become "increasingly belligerent and defiant" with Saunders in the past few months and became a disruptive force in practice. Saunders vehemently denied the validity of the report. "That's not true," Saunders said. "He's never backed away from any challenge when I've jumped him for taking a bad shot. He's never shied away from criticism. I think our communication has been good. . . . The situation that's happening, people try to lump a lot of things together. That's not fair to him." Arenas also disputed the story, saying he and Saunders have a great relationship. He said that he has never complained about sitting in the fourth quarter of games or being substituted. "I've never said not one thing about anything. Me and him have a great understanding," Arenas said, adding that the two often share Mountain Dews after practice. Washington Post

Prior to practice on New Year's Eve, and before the Gilbert Arenas media-market saturation, Flip Saunders pulled Caron Butler aside for a conversation. "We had a talk about how he's played and how I thought he could play," said Saunders, "Maybe I've given him too much credit, been soft on him. But I said that's not going to happen anymore." Saunders wouldn't go into details about his issues with Butler, but on the court, Caron has often looked for his own opportunities instead of trusting the offense and has lacked a full commitment to defense. Butler responded with what Saunders called his best practice since the coach was hired last April. ESPN.com

I asked Hawks star Joe Johnson, one of the 2010 free agents, if Atlanta's homecourt advantage has gotten any better as the team improved. He didn't try very hard to sugarcoat the answer. "Don't get me wrong, it's the home team and I enjoy playing there and I enjoy when the fans do come out," Johnson said. "But by no stretch of the imagination have we got one of the best home crowds. We don't. I can't really even say it's getting there. "In the playoffs, yeah, they're there. Throughout the regular season, it's not much of a big difference from what it was. It's different, but it's not that big of a difference than what is was when I first got there." That comment alone doesn't mean anything, but it shows that players do appreciate fan support. The Bulls have a remarkably loyal following, having led the NBA in attendance the last decade despite making the playoffs just four out of 10 years. Arlington Heights Daily Herald

Whether or not the Bulls make the playoffs this season, free agents should appreciate the potential of the roster. The Bulls have three pretty good pieces locked in for the near future with Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah and Luol Deng. New York improved in December, but some of its better pieces will be in limbo next summer. David Lee, Al Harrington, Chris Duhon and Nate Robinson all have expiring contracts. Arlington Heights Daily Herald

Nelson went after his team today, turning what was initially scheduled to be an off day into a grueling two-hour practice. They ran a bunch of defensive drills, including taxing one-on-one post-up defense drills (one player would have to guard each player in the group consecutively, one-on-one in the post). They even ran a three-man weave. The players were visibly feeling it. A few balls were slammed, a few expletives were shouted in frustration. Corey Maggette and Monta Ellis got the night off. Maggette showed up on the court halfway through practice and sat on the side and watched. Ellis apparently came and lifted weights, but stayed in the locker room area. Nelson was so disappointed in the effort during Saturday’s loss at Portland that he put it on them at practice. During practice, he went off on them about his disappointment, two players told me. He shared some of his frustrations during his post-practice interview. Contra Costa Times

Here is the transcript: So, what made you torture the team today? Don Nelson: They deserved it. You hadn’t planned on practicing today, right? Nelson: No, I hadn’t. We needed to get some work done. Mostly on the defensive side? Nelson: 100 percent. Feel good about what you saw? Nelson: We needed to do what we did. There was some slippage. Only had 7, 8 guys and it was hard to do much. It looked like Curry took a pounding. That’s good for him, right? Nelson: He’s gotta toughen up. They all do. They’re too soft. Gotta toughen up. Our centers are back now, time for them to step up. Contra Costa Times

Heat guard Dwyane Wade said Sunday it's a ``Catch-22'' to have second-year forward Michael Beasley on the court during a game's closing minutes because Beasley doesn't fully grasp ``on-the-fly'' adjustments. ``He's still learning the NBA defensive thing down the stretch,'' Wade said, adding, ``Sometimes Coach [Erik Spoelstra] has to make adjustments on the fly. Michael has not had enough NBA experience to where he understands it yet.'' Beasley, at 15.7 points per game, is the Heat's second-leading scorer after Wade (26.4 ppg). But Beasley, who can score from inside or outside, is considered a late-game defensive liability. Beasley's late-game absences might be the No. 1 personnel gripe among fans as the Heat (16-15) carries its season-worst three-game losing streak into Monday's game against Atlanta (21-11) at AmericanAirlines Arena. Miami Herald

So allow this beat writer to be his advocate. Yes, his offensive skills have diminished and everyone knows it, even the big guy. He can't get up in the air, move laterally or finish like he used to. But he's still way more efffective than the Cavs are letting him be. In the loss to the Bobcats, Shaq got just five shots. He made four of them. He even made two of his three free throw attempts. It was the 11th time in the last 14 games he's not gotten at least 10 shots. It was the eighth time he hasn't gotten more than seven. And there were stretches in the fourth quarter when he was being guarded by Boris Diaw. The Cavs have been winning and there aren't really major problems right now. Their biggest offensive issue is when they stagnate and making sure Shaq gets more touches probably isn't the greatest answer to that. But there's little doubt that they aren't using this massive weapon enough. The last five times he's got more than 10 shots, he's averaged 14 points. Cleveland Plain Dealer

Kobe Bryant scored 15 points, and the Lakers didn't even need that to plant, by far, the worst loss of the season on the Mavs, who'd lost by 16 twice before. "It's just embarrassing, and we all own it," coach Rick Carlisle said. "They played great, and we played terrible. It was atypical of the year so far, and it's very disappointing. It's the first time all year when we didn't put up the fight we needed." Dallas Morning News

Perhaps the most interesting moment took place after the game. With Allen Iverson almost dressed by his locker in walked in Denver Nuggets forward Carmelo Anthony. The two greeted each other as if they were still teammates. Iverson asked about Melo's family and Melo returned the favor. Melo told Iverson that he hoped to miss only a couple of games as a result of his current injuries. Iverson then asked how Melo's relationship was with head coach George Karl and Melo smiled and simply played coy. Iverson later checked in to see how assistant coach Tim Grgurich, always a favorite of the players, was doing. As the assembled media gathered around Iverson waiting to speak with him, Anthony yelled: "I'll be in the hallway, Chuck." After speaking with the media for about five minutes Anthony and Iverson resumed their conversation. It was as if they were still teammates. HoopsWorld

The last time Duncan came off the bench was on March 18, 2004, his first game back after missing three straight with irritation in his left patella femoral joint. This time, Duncan is completely healthy. Since a team spokesperson said no official reason was given for coach Gregg Popovich's decision to sit Duncan at the start, speculation centered on the Spurs captain's having played more than 36 minutes in Saturday night's game against the Wizards, in Washington, D.C. San Antonio Express-News

Slowly but surely, he's also becoming more comfortable on the defensive end of the floor as well. "He's grown in that area as well," Del Negro said of Rose's defense. "[It's] just that offense is more recognized because of the numbers and things. He's still got to grow in both areas and he's supposed to -- he's a young player. But he's definitely improved in a lot of areas. "He still has work to do defensively, as well as offensively and that's the great thing about it. He hasn't come close to reaching his level of play, and I think he's just continuing to improve. The way he's handling the pick-and-roll stuff and taking more command of the team. And getting to free-throw line now, and all the things we've worked on with him -- it just takes time. You're seeing some of that hard work that he puts in come to fruition in the game." ESPN.com

He finished with only six and shot just 2-of-11, but he remains the most popular Knicks player - even among other popular New Yorkers. Shown on TV at halftime, actor Dustin Hoffman unfolded a picture of Robinson to show the camera. "I'm so glad they put Nate back in," Hoffman said during a halftime interview. Canadian Press

Teammates joked that he'd secretly shed some tears of joy upon surpassing Vince Carter's franchise points record. But if you watched Bosh closely you know that he neither cried nor smiled. And even when the crowd of 18,323 rose in unison to offer the all-star forward a standing ovation for his seven seasons of knee-buckling effort, Bosh scarcely acknowledged the fuss. It was only after it was over – after the Raptors secured a 91-86 win over the San Antonio Spurs to punctuate their best player's record-setting evening – that Bosh finally acknowledged the relative gravity of the moment. Toronto Star

Evans' charge is to figure out the NBA game, to dominate like he did back home in Chester, Pa., and at the University of Memphis, while always sticking to the script. The plan first calls for a Rookie of the Year Award, to be followed by NBA championships, league MVP trophies and two maximum-salary contracts over a 15-year career. This is, they all agree, Evans' basketball destiny. Most immediately, the plan calls for Evans to focus solely on basketball and avoid the pitfalls that have derailed many young NBA stars before him. So far, so good. "We do it so he will be the best basketball player he can be," says Reggie Evans, Team Tyreke founder and at age 37 the second-oldest of four Evans brothers. "This is his dream. It's all about him. But you've got to make him comfortable and make sure everyone around him is on the same page he's on." Sacramento Bee

Team Tyreke acknowledges the negative perception often tied to NBA players with entourages, with the local example being former Kings point guard Mike Bibby and his "Team Dime." But this team is different from the NBA norm. These are mostly relatives, not friends. Aside from Peterson and Davis, Team Tyreke consists of three brothers – Reggie, Doc and Pooh – and a cousin, Temetrius. While Reggie and Doc handle the business side, Pooh oversees the basketball progress from afar. He has the best basketball résumé of the bunch, having played point guard at Cheyney University of Pennsylvania. Only Peterson draws a salary, which is rare among Tyreke's new NBA peers. Though professional athletes are known for spending incredible amounts of cash, there have been countless examples of athletes living beyond their means by supporting multiple generations of family members as well. Sacramento Bee

But, if a real center is to be named, it would be hard to go wrong with Kaman. He's leading all NBA centers with a scoring average of 20.3 points while grabbing 9.2 rebounds a night. "Obviously, I would want (an All-Star berth),'' Kaman said. "I've got to just keep playing and, if the team comes up [an improved record], if I'm there, I'm there. If not, I'm not. I can't control it. I just have to keep playing hard.'' There have been no complaints recently in that department. In his past 10 games, Kaman has averaged 23.9 points and 10.4 rebounds. "If their record was better, I think more people would notice him,'' said Boston coach Doc Rivers, who watched Kaman score 27 points and grab 12 rebounds in the Clippers' 92-90 win over the Celtics on Dec. 27. "It's not, so people don't and that's the way it goes. But he's a terrific player and makes tough shots.'' FanHouse

“J.R.’s going to be more aggressive the next game,’’ Rivers said. “I thought he had some shots. He got to the point, ‘Am I making a mistake?’ I told him, ‘The mistake is not shooting.’ Because he’s a good shooter and I thought he had a couple of them.’’ Hudson, a blur of strength and speed still transitioning from bulk scorer at Tennessee-Martin to point guard in the pros, was taken with the 58th overall pick in the 2009 draft. The way he rushed upcourt and fired a transition pass to Eddie House on the wing against the Raptors was similar to the 0-to-60 style Rondo plays. But Hudson said, “Rondo’s [are] big shoes to fill. I can’t go out there and try to do Rondo’s stuff. I’ve just got to go out there and try as hard as I can.’’ Boston Globe

Months ago, in the middle of a sweltering hot Las Vegas summer, Geoff Clark walked away from a Trail Blazers' Summer League practice and made a bold prediction about two second-round draft picks. "Those two guys are going to have looooong NBA careers," said the Blazers' assistant athletic trainer, pointing in the direction of Jeff Pendergraph and Dante Cunningham. Oregonian

Kevin Pritchard looked a little scared as he thought about what it would be like to actually play against Jeff Pendergraph. Who can blame him? “I would get worried when I would play against those guys because they would rather hit you than play basketball,” said Portland’s General Manager of the Blazers’ rookie power forward. “We knew he was tough, but he’s a legit tough guy. He’s not going to back down from anybody. He likes being physical.” Beyond The Beat

Pendergraph has easily become a feel good story in Portland, aside from quickly establishing himself as a fan favorite after returning from hip surgery in September. He went from a second round hopeful out of Arizona State, to holding it down at the Las Vegas Summer League, to damaged goods, only to work his way back into becoming the scrappy power forward we’ve seen flex and scowl these past couple weeks. “I was broke," Pendergraph continued, knowing just months ago that he wasn't even sure if he'd play at all this season. From broke to beasting, Jeff is showing he can be more than a quick fix in the paint for Portland. Last week at home against the Clippers, he nearly matched – or in his eyes, would have surpassed – his personal best in rebounds. Pendergraph once pulled down 19 rebounds as a Sun Devil. He finished with an NBA career-high 14 rebounds versus the lowly Clips. Beyond The Beat

Whether he was in a jersey and shorts or a shirt and tie, he was still the leader of the Celtics. As his teammates revealed to WEEI.com, his presence alone helped them in ways that only a captain can. Ray Allen: “Just having that conversation with him on the bench, just shooting back and forth ideas about things that were going on in the game. He might say something that we need to do because it's a different vantage point from the sidelines. Sometimes they see everything and sometimes they see nothing. Because what I see, you see a little gap and you take it and then you make a pass and it closes up. The coaches don't see anything but a jumble of guys and hands and legs. So it does vary and it's good for him to give that perspective.” WEEI

Florida guy Vince Carter had to learn how to deal with all that cold when he moved to Toronto and was used to it by the time he went to New Jersey. “The whole shoveling thing is what burns,” Carter said last week. “I’m all for it raining every day and you give it a couple hours and it’s rather dry. When it’s 10, 12 inches out there, it’s not going to go anywhere you have to shovel it out of the driveway. I remember my first experience it was a lockout year so it was like January. The first day I got there it was a blizzard, snowstorm out there. I remember calling coach, I said, ‘Do we really have to go to practice?’ He said, ‘I expect to see you there you’ll be fine. I said all right it is what it is. I learned how to drive on it real quick. “I don’t plan on driving anywhere in Minnesota. Or going outside. I’ve gotten spoiled in what, two and a half months of this great weather? The whole snow thing — they can have it now.” Orlando Sentinel

Los Angeles Lakers forward Pau Gasol left Sunday night's game against the Dallas Mavericks after straining his left hamstring. He was not expected to return. Gasol, who missed the first 11 games of the season with a right hamstring strain, left the game with 4:48 remaining in the first quarter when he strained his left hamstring in an unrelated injury. A team spokesman said Sunday night that Gasol would undergo an ultrasound test on Monday. "Anytime Pau has an injury, we're very concerned," Lakers coach Phil Jackson said after the Lakers beat the Mavs. "He complained before the game started he was feeling some tightness." ESPNLosAngeles.com

Although the prospects don’t appear good, Jackson refused to toss Gasol into the injury heap just yet and Kobe Bryant insisted Gasol “will be fine.” “Any time Pau has an injury, we’re very concerned,” Jackson said. “Obviously we thought that the initial one in the preseason was very slight because there was no activity and there was no significant impression that he’d have a pull. “So obviously it’s something that we have to take seriously.” Orange County Register

Backup center/forward Sean Marks said Sunday he could be sidelined up to a month because of a strained plantaris muscle in his lower left leg. Marks suffered the injury during a shootaround last week at the Arena. It happened after he was close to being medically cleared to play after missing nine games with a strained right shoulder. Marks has not played since a Nov. 25 game against Milwaukee. He has played five games this season, averaging one point per game. New Orleans Times-Picayune

Anthony said after the game his injury was more serious than first thought and he doesn't know if he will play Tuesday against Golden State. "I'm hopeful," he said. "I think it was worse than a lot of people expected." Denver's rotation got even shorter when reserve forward Chris Andersen left the game with a sprained ankle midway through the second quarter and did not return. "You've got your leading scorer down, your leader, and now your energy guy," guard Ty Lawson said. "It's tough." ESPN.com

Andersen left the Pepsi Center in a walking cast. Coach George Karl said Andersen would probably sit out Tuesday and against Cleveland on Friday. "He'll probably be out this week, but we'll know more tomorrow," he said. ESPN.com

Ron Artest has been cleared to practice Monday, 10 days after suffering a concussion in a fall Christmas night. Now, someone needs to let him know. Maybe it was the bump on the head, but Artest seemed clueless about his status before Sunday’s game against Dallas, saying he wasn’t sure when he would resume full practices or games. Artest participated in non-contact drills Saturday but took part in the team’s pre-game shoot around Sunday. “I could play, I could have gave effort (in recent practices or games), but it probably wouldn’t be good,” Artest said. “I could play now, I feel great, but the brain, it’s like a computer (that’s) not rebooting no more. It could be over.” Orange County Register

Artest said he feels ready to return to the court, but is being cautious. "I could play now," Artest said. "I feel great to play. But the brain, it's like a computer, it's not rebooting no more." The Lakers' upcoming schedule has them playing the Clippers in Los Angeles on Wednesday and Trail Blazers in Portland on Friday. With Artest out of the lineup, Kobe Bryant's playing time has increased as he has absorbed some of Artest's minutes at small forward. "He takes it as a challenge," Artest said. "Me being out is a challenge for him right now. He's not going to say, 'I can't wait for you to get back, Ron.' He's going to say, 'We don't really need you right now, Ron.'" ESPNLosAngeles.com

Alan Hahn: “That’s an unwritten rule in our league, you never lose your spot coming back from injury,” Hughes said. “I feel like that’s what happened.” Twitter.com

Steve Blake was released from the hospital Sunday after recovering from pneumonia. The Blazers' reserve guard did not travel with the team to Los Angeles, but could rejoin the team later in the week. Oregonian

The bug that has made Spurs guard Manu Ginobili lose sleep and feel achy for three days has begun to work its way through the team. Several of Ginobili's teammates have reported symptoms similar to those that have deepened Ginobili's voice and given him headaches. Among the newly afflicted are Matt Bonner, still on the injured list with a broken bone in his right hand, and reserve forward Marcus Haislip. Starting point guard Tony Parker also was sniffling and coughing after Sunday's game against the Raptors. Ginobili managed to play more than 30 minutes in the Spurs' 91-86 loss on Sunday but said he looked forward to getting back to San Antonio for some needed rest. “I'm going to get plenty of rest and try to sleep,” he said. “I need to sleep. I don't know what the hell is going on, but I can't sleep well, and I really need to. “I may see the doctors when I get back home. It depends on how I sleep tomorrow and how I feel; if I wake up and feel better.” San Antonio Express-News

Ginobili isn't happy that his newly afflicted teammates are blaming him for their maladies. “Basically, half the team is suffering from this cold, and everybody is blaming me because I was the first one,” he said. “Everyone is blaming me, but I don't know how I got it.” San Antonio Express-News

Raptors coach Jay Triano said he expects point guard Jose Calderon will return to the lineup Wednesday at Orlando. Calderon (sore left hip) has missed 12 of the past 13 games. AP

Now, with Germany having been named a wild-card entry into the World Championships, Kaman said he's ready to play in Turkey under one condition: Nowitzki, Dallas' star forward who carried the German flag in the Opening Ceremonies at the 2008 Olympics, must also commit. "If he plays, I'm going to play,'' Kaman said in an interview with FanHouse. "I think that if we have Dirk it will give us a chance of winning and advancing to the later rounds of the Championships ... I'll base my decision on what Dirk does ... I want to play, but I also want to win, and the chances are a lot better if Dirk plays.'' Nowitzki is undecided, and it could be a while before he makes up his mind whether to play. But perhaps Kaman can work him over if he's on hand when the Mavericks play host in February to the All-Star Game. FanHouse

Actually, that's already happening. Every NBA scout I've spoken with in the past month insists Wall will be the No. 1 pick in June's draft, regardless of which team gets that pick, but that the second spot remains up for grabs. Could be Derrick Favors or Evan Turner, Al-Farouq Aminu or Xavier Henry. But based on talent and physical gifts, it ought to be DeMarcus Cousins, a 6-foot-11, 270-pound forward with an NBA-ready body. When he's focused, Cousins is college basketball's best big man. But when he loses focus, he's the sulking giant with an attitude problem on the verge of doing something stupid and costly, and there's no good way to predict which version will emerge in any given game. CBSSports.com

Soon-to-be New Jersey Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov is hosting Russian leader Vladimir Putin at his $30 million French Alps chalet as a thank you for officially clearing his name. The billionaire Russian invited Putin to stay at his chalet in Courchevel after the Russian prime minister secured an apology from French authorities for dragging Prokhorov's name into a prostitution scandal. Now Prokhorov -- Russia's richest man -- and Putin have returned to celebrate in the same resort where the false claims were made, and to ski on mountains that will be closed to the public amid tight security. New York Post

A source told Page Six: "Putin arrived on Saturday with an entourage of 100 people. He is staying at Prokhorov's chalet, which is surrounded by a ring of tight security. "Prokhorov invited him as a thank you for officially clearing his name. It is intended to be a very secret and private visit." Our source continued: "Putin is also a very keen skier, and entire runs and lifts will be closed for him. He and Prokhorov are so close that Putin is rumored to be lining him up for a political role. At the very least, we expect to be seeing Putin on the sidelines at a Nets game." Prokhorov, worth about $9.5 billion, was arrested in January 2007 in Courchevel as he celebrated the new year with friends and some beautiful young women. He was held in a Lyon jail for four days over allegations that he hired Russian hookers for his guests. New York Post

Three years after his arrest in the ski resort of Courchevel on charges of pimping, Mikhail Prokhorov, Russia’s richest man, has received an apology from the French authorities for embroiling him in one of the most ill-judged sex scandals of recent times. Prokhorov, 44, and worth an estimated £5.8 billion, was celebrating new year with close friends and a posse of beautiful young women when police woke him at a luxury hotel in January 2007. He was held in a Lyons jail for four days on charges of soliciting for prostitution. Furious at the “ludicrous accusations which damaged my reputation” he launched a multi-billion-dollar lawsuit against the French state and demanded an apology. It finally came last month during a meeting between French and Russian officials, presided over by prime ministers Vladimir Putin and Francois Fillon. London Times

Prokhorov said: “That puts an end to this affair. I said from day one that this case was groundless and am now satisfied with the explanations given to me.” French police were reported to have become suspicious at the number of single women who had joined him and his friends in Courchevel. In all 26 people were detained. London Times

Their biggest fan admitted Sunday he's even taken aback by the Grizzlies' recent play. "They have surprised me a bit," Griz owner Michael Heisley said. "It's still early. But if we don't get hit with injuries, we have an outside chance of making the playoffs." Memphis Commercial Appeal

The Chicago-based billionaire said he's encouraged by the team's player development and chemistry. He stopped short of saying "I told you so" with regard to Zach Randolph, whose offseason arrival via a trade at Heisley's behest was met with a great deal of cynicism. The veteran power forward has become the heart and soul of the team with his leadership and eye-popping statistics. "Everybody told me he was a black hole," Heisley said. "I think we understand he's not a black hole at all. He ought to be an All-Star. ... I'm very happy with all of my guys. Quite honestly, if we play .500 ball for the whole season I'll be very, very happy." Memphis Commercial Appeal

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