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Saturday, January 9

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Teams also remain in hot pursuit of Caron Butler. Someone told me on Friday that the Wizards were talking with the Houston Rockets about using Butler as the key piece in a deal for Tracy McGrady's expiring contract, but the talks came to a halt after Arenas's "bang-bang" performance in Philadelphia. Washington Post

I'm not sure what other pieces were included in the discussions to match up McGrady's $23-million salary, but I've been informed that it wasn't Mike James, since Houston has declined any deals involving him. A league source said any deal involving McGrady probably won't get done until closer to the trade deadline. I also heard another rumor involving Butler and the Los Angeles Clippers, with the Wizards getting back Marcus Camby and his expiring contract. Since no player on the team is untouchable, I was informed that Brendan Haywood, Nick Young or anyone else could be had right now, but the Wizards don't want to take back salary. The team is not hesitating in its attempts to toss a grenade on the roster. Washington Post

For those wondering how the Arenas suspension affects the Wizards' plans, let's be clear -- they are probably just as aggressive, if not more, in attempts to make wholesale changes. From what I hear, the offers that they are receiving right now are not good enough to make them budge, since so many teams are attempting to raid them for nothing. But I spoke to one league source who said that the Wizards would be very active between now and the Feb. 18 trade deadline. Washington Post

One NBA executive said the Washington Wizards continue to listen to offers for forwards Caron Butler and Antawn Jamison. The source said that the Cleveland Cavaliers are willing to give up center Zydrunas Ilgauskas, but Washington doesn’t appear interested in that deal. If the Wizards eventually have the opportunity to void Gilbert Arenas’ $111 million contract and Butler and/or Jamison are moved for expiring deals, the Wizards could start from scratch with plenty of cap room in the heralded 2010 free-agent market. Yahoo! Sports

Agent Arn Tellem, who represents Tracy McGrady, planned to meet with team president Donnie Walsh after last night's game to discuss the T-Mac sweepstakes. Tellem, who attended the game with Mets general manager Omar Minaya, said he believes any deal will not come until February. New York Post

Walsh flew to Houston with the team but not to meet with Tracy McGrady, who is training in Chicago. Walsh met with agent Arn Tellem on Thursday night at the Garden but sources believe a deal will not be done until February with any team. New York Post

Alex Kennedy: Arn Tellem, McGrady's agent, met with Donnie Walsh on Thursday night. One league source believes signing Jonathan Bender, whom Tellem also represents, could have been a favor to increase New York's chances of landing McGrady. Twitter.com

The Houston Rockets have continued to be patient with their attempts to trade Tracy McGrady. “It’s probably something that might take to the deadline,” Rockets GM Daryl Morey said. “That’s just how the league works. Teams don’t want to move until they are almost forced to move. But I think there are enough teams that are interested. We’re hoping that something happens to help him out and help us out.” Morey said he hopes to acquire an “elite level” player for McGrady. Yahoo! Sports

The Dallas Mavericks and New Jersey Nets have reached a verbal agreement on a trade that will send reserve forward Kris Humphries and exiled swingman Shawne Williams to the Nets and bring forward Eduardo Najera back to Dallas for a second stint after the Mavericks acquired him in the 2000 draft. ESPN.com

NBA front-office sources told ESPN.com on Friday night that the Nets agreed to use a trade exception to absorb the $2.4 million expiring contract of Williams, which clinched the deal. Dallas sent Williams away from the team last season over concerns about his professionalism and did not let him return this season. Sources said both teams have signed off on the swap but formal NBA approval is not expected before Monday when the league office reopens. ESPN.com

Sources said the Nets will waive Williams as soon as they get him and must also release another player -- all signs as of Friday night pointed to former first-round pick Sean Williams -- to create the required roster space to make the trade. ESPN.com

Adrian Wojnarowski: The Nets will lose a little money on the deal, but want Sean Williams out of locker room, sources say. Twitter.com

Adrian Wojnarowski: Nets trying to unload Josh Boone to save some money, but nothing yet. NJ wanted Joey Graham's non-guaranteed deal in Denver, but no shot. Twitter.com

Sources said that the Nets thus continue to explore their trade and buyout options with several players on their bench -- Josh Boone, Tony Battie, Keyon Dooling and Trenton Hassell are among those that have been shopped recently -- to open up roster spots for fresh blood from the D-League. ESPN.com

Chris Douglas-Roberts: I think we just traded for my college teammate Shawne Williams. Uh ohhhhhhh. Memphis callaboooooo! Twitter.com

His high level of play lately is good news for the Warriors both on and off the court. With the Feb. 18 trade deadline just over a month away, Maggette is providing general manager Larry Riley exactly what he needs — a reason for a team to take on Maggette and his contract, which has three years and more than $30 million left on it. A couple of league executives and a Warriors source confirmed Maggette's value is on the rise. Teams in need of a boost from a proven veteran scorer might be more willing to take on his contract. Contra Costa Times

In heard it through the grapevine news, the Warriors plan to call-up Cartier Martin this weekend at small forward spot they've been looking to fill for the past couple of weeks. Ridiculous Upside

Considering that Miller is one of the NBA’s most mild-mannered players, it says something that he became frustrated enough to bark at McMillan in front of other players and coaches. Miller departed quickly from the practice facility afterward and skipped a scheduled players union meeting. He attended the team’s shootaround, where he spoke with reporters. Miller’s agent, Andy Miller, has spoken to his client about the incident and does not plan to request a trade. “I was disappointed to learn of [Thursday’s] events,” Andy Miller told Yahoo! Sports. “I’m hoping over the next day or so we can find some common ground. I think he is handling it like a professional. Andre’s only objective since Day 1 is to help this team win and it is still to help this team win.” Yahoo! Sports

Zydrunas Ilgauskas is bracing himself for the storm. For at least the next six weeks he has a new attachment to his name when it comes to clandestine trade talks and media reports: expiring contract. Players with that designation are the center of the NBA's universe at this time of year, trade season. "I'm sure there are going to be some teams that take a very hard look at me," Ilgauskas said before the Cavs took on the Denver Nuggets to begin their five-game Western trip Friday night. "Because so many teams are trying to dump salary, I know the talks are going to pick up." Cleveland Plain Dealer

So by trading for a player like Ilgauskas, who makes $11.5 million this season, for a player with a long contract can save a team tens of millions in the future. In Ilgauskas' case, the offer is potentially even sweeter than normal. According to a source, Ilgauskas' payment schedule included half of his salary paid last summer and the rest of the $5.75 million spread out over payments during the season. That means a team that would trade for Ilgauskas would be left with a relatively small prorated portion to pay off Ilgauskas' remaining salary. Cleveland Plain Dealer

The Knicks and Darko Milicic could be headed toward a buyout. Milicic, who has already stated that he plans to continue his career in Europe next season, was conspicuously missing from Thursday night's game against the Bobcats. The 7-footer has become such an afterthought that the Knicks did not even bother to reveal that he did not show up for work. Milicic's agent, Marc Cornstein, confirmed that his client was missing due to "personal reasons" and said that Milicic would rejoin the team today. Knicks president Donnie Walsh would not rule out the possibility that Milicic may not finish the season in New York but quickly added, "He practices hard and kept himself in shape. New York Daily News

Adrian Wojnarowski: Memphis has been awarded Lester Hudson off waivers, a league source tells Y! Sports. The Celtics let the rookie point guard go this week. Twitter.com

Hudson was inactive for the game against Utah but traveled with the Griz to Charlotte where they'll play tonight. "He's a proven commodity as a scorer," Wallace said. "We've talked a lot about adding offensive firepower. We're also taking a look to see if he's somebody who can be a fit long term." Memphis Commercial Appeal

Still, the Blazers are hesitant about breaking up their young core. “You build a deep team and you plan ahead, but you always have to keep your long-term future intact,” Pritchard said. “We are not going to jeopardize anything to hurt that. That’s the [overriding] thing. “The challenge is always are you doing something for a quick-term fix, or are you doing something that really helps you long-term? Whether it works or not, you don’t know. But we’ve always said, ‘Let’s sacrifice today for tomorrow.’ We feel comfortable doing that. Our owner? That’s what he wants. So that trickles down to everything I’m speaking.” Yahoo! Sports

An NBA source said the Sacramento Kings will likely take on an expiring contract from a team looking to lower its tax bill in hopes of picking up an extra second round draft pick. Yahoo! Sports

Silence is golden for the Washington Wizards' Javaris Crittenton. Crittenton has escaped suspension largely by keeping his mouth shut during a probe of allegations he brandished a gun against teammate Gilbert Arenas in a Dec. 21 locker-room face-off, sources tell The Post. New York Post

Confronted over the incident, Arenas handed over to Wizards security four guns he allegedly used to menace Crittenton. He has even apologized to the Wizards' ownership and to NBA Commissioner David Stern. But Crittenton denies brandishing a loaded pistol at Arenas, those around him say. And if he did have a weapon, he hasn't turned it over to Wizards security or police, say sources. Whether the NBA acts against Crittenton depends on the outcome of a police investigation, sources say. New York Post

Michael Lee: Source: The Wizards have indeed fined four players an undisclosed amount for their roles in the Gilbert Arenas Fingergungate. Twitter.com

Another GM believes the Wizards need to make changes but also said: “Don’t you think Arenas’ stuff is a little over the top? We need to give him a chance before we crucify him and burn his $100 million. Isn’t what [Cleveland guard] Delonte West did way worse with loaded guns?” Yahoo! Sports

“To be honest, it’s almost a surreal situation,” Saunders said Friday evening, before the Wizards played the Magic at the Verizon Center. “There’s no question it’s a distraction.” New York Times

The Washington Wizards continued their damage control operation Friday in the wake of Gilbert Arenas's suspension by having team captain Antawn Jamison apologize to the home crowd at Verizon Center before the Wizards' game against the Orlando Magic. Jamison took the microphone before tipoff Friday and spoke for about 90 seconds. "On behalf of my teammates, this coaching staff, we know it's been a trying week," Jamison said. "One thing my teammates and I take very seriously is that being a positive role model is something we don't take lightly. And there's been a picture that's been shown of us taking this event very lightly. This is a serious situation, it's something we take to heart. We never meants to make light of the situation. And we're going to do everything in our power, as long as I'm your captain and all these guys right here are my teammates, to make this one of the most respectable organizations in the league." NBA.com

Jamison continued: "In order to make that happen, we need you guys to continue to support us. This thing here is very embarassing for my teammates and the coaching staff, but we're going to do everything possible to make this one of the toughest places to play in, to make this an exciting place, but most importantly, a place where you can bring your kids, your families, your buddy, to come and have a good time." NBA.com

“Another use of poor judgment,” said forward Antawn Jamison, who is among the players seen smiling in the photo. Asked if the moment was initiated by Arenas or by his teammates, Jamison frowned. “You think we’re going to initiate something serious like that? I mean if you know me, you shouldn’t ask that question.” New York Times

Chris Mannix: DeShawn Stevenson on why he didn't fall down Any-Given-Sunday-style when Gil did his fake gun routine: "I like my money." Twitter.com

Larry Hughes says that his former teammate, Gilbert Arenas, has to "suffer the consequences" for bringing guns into the Wizards locker room. On Wednesday, the NBA suspended Arenas indefinitely without pay. "We all have to make smart decisions," Hughes said. "That's what it comes down to. I'm sure he understands the consequences of everything that is going on. "He said in his statement he understands a course of action will be taken. He understands he messed up." New York Daily News

In the wake of the league’s PR disaster involving Gilbert Arenas, the Nets took a proactive approach by banning gambling on team flights. Card playing is still allowed, however, so the team may have to one day address how to deal with players using chips instead of $50 and $100 bills. “No money exchange,” coach Kiki Vandeweghe stated plainly. “I think it’s a good thing. Listen, at times, obviously, it could get out of hand. But you’re better off: You can play, you can have fun, just no gambling.” Newark Star-Ledger

The Nets’ players claim that cards and gambling aren’t a big part of their culture anyway. “It’s not a problem. Guys here don’t abuse that stuff,” Bobby Simmons said. “I relax, listen to music, that’s time to get some rest,” Chris Douglas-Roberts said. “But I don’t game at all. I don’t gamble, period.” Newark Star-Ledger

Brook Lopez was the first to spot the hypocrisy, mindful that NBA locker rooms are “sponsored” by billion-dollar casinos and that David Stern is now embracing legalized gambling as a “huge opportunity,” according to a recent Sports Illustrated report. “It’s kind of a double message,” Lopez said. “You see all this Harrah’s stuff around here and you go in the locker room and they have four different basketball points having to do with gambling and 21. I guess it’s still frowned upon.” Newark Star-Ledger

One snarky twitter about the Nets’ anti-gambling stance comes courtesy of hoopshype.com: “Poor players,” the website said. “That was the only shot at winning those guys had this year.” Newark Star-Ledger

Marcus Thompson: BTW, Nellie is for banning gambling amongst NBA players: “We don’t have poker games on our flights, but we did when Jackson was here ... I don’t think I have to have a rule, because we don’t have a game right now, but maybe league ought to think about doing something.” Twitter.com

Jackson called the actions of the Nets and Wizards "a PR thing," adding that the Lakers have four or five players who gamble regularly on flights and that it's a "great release" for them. "What are these players going to do when they get to their hotels or get back to their home space?" They're going to go to their houses or their rooms and gamble," Jackson said. "I think maybe on the planes might be a better spot for them to do it because they're monitored and in the company of guys. It hasn't been a problem." Riverside Press-Enterprise

Gambling on team flights is as customary in the NBA as chest bumps. For generations, players have passed time on flights with a friendly game of poker, and given the competitive nature of the players, large sums could be wagered. This occurs on Celtics flights, but according to those involved, nothing close to the reported showdown between Gilbert Arenas and Javaris Crittenton has occurred. And as long as the players behave and keep their squabbles on the plane, Rivers has no issue with card games. “I am not going to that extreme,’’ Rivers said about banning gambling. “I think we always overreact to that stuff. Gambling didn’t cause that problem, Gilbert’s actions caused this problem. There has been gambling before I got in the league. There’s been arguments and obviously, because guys make more money now, the stakes are higher. But, having said that, our rule on the plane is they can do whatever they want as long as they keep it under control. They are going to have some arguments every once in a while, but if it divides the team, then it’s a problem.’’ Boston Globe

But FanHouse spoke to four Denver players on Friday, and none saw any reason for teams to ban gambling, primarily card games, as long as it's for small dollars. "I definitely don't think that's something teams should do,'' said Billups, one of the NBA's most respected players. "I think that when it's done in the right way, that's great camaraderie. Everybody likes to gamble whether it's any kind of card game. Whatever it is, I think that it's who you gamble with. I think that it's the stakes that you gamble for. FanHouse.com

"For our team, we gamble for small money. Just to waste time. Twenty dollars. If we gambled for $2,000, $2,500, $3,000, now that messes with your camaraderie. Now, when someone wants to get paid ... it's like 'I don't want to be around this guy.' I think it's about what you gamble for and who you're with ... We're not gambling to pay bills. We're just gambling to have fun.'' FanHouse.com

"We ain't bringing no guns around here,'' Anthony said. "So we ain't got nothing to worry about. You can't judge everybody off an incident like that.'' FanHouse.com

Suns Director of Team Security Kevin Tucker goes over gun issues with the players before the season and ensures that the players who do own weapons have them registered. Suns General Manager Steve Kerr said the staff revisited the issue Friday morning in light of the incident that led to Arenas' indefinite suspension by the league this week. "We make sure that if they do own a gun that they are aware of all the laws," Kerr said. "The vast majority of our guys don't have them." Arizona Republic

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Even the daily injury updates didn’t seem as important compared to another problem that’s simmered all season before boiling over Thursday: McMillan and point guard Andre Miller have struggled to build a productive relationship. The two clashed at the end of Thursday’s practice during a heated argument about Miller’s role. Blazers general manager Kevin Pritchard said as many as seven people talked in what he described as an open forum. But no one was heard louder than Miller and McMillan, who went back and forth at each other. A source with knowledge of the argument said Miller, who could not be reached for comment, has been frustrated for a while and became upset that McMillan called him out in front of the entire team during the pow-wow after practice. Yahoo! Sports

McMillan apologized on Friday for how he handled the incident, and Miller downplayed it, as well, telling reporters “you’re always going to have disagreements like a relationship.” Yahoo! Sports

McMillan had instructed Bayless to miss the free throw to create a putback opportunity. Miller’s season-long angst over how he’s being used – sometimes not starting games and often not finishing them – erupted. “That was a situation where I needed to handle that and handle that better than I did,” McMillan said. “We’re past that. We’ve talked and I’ve talked to the team and addressed the team about it.” CBSSports.com

Asked about his relationship with Miller, McMillan said, “Let me say this, and I hope you guys write this. Get your pens out. I love my players, OK? And not just current players, but past players, my relationship with my players are important. … I had some say on bringing Andre Miller here and so to bring these guys here and to assume that I have an issue – no, there’s no issue or no problem. … I’m OK with all of my players, so there’s no issues.” CBSSports.com

Nate McMillan: “You can go down the list of every guy that played, and they did something special. From LaMarcus having to guard Bynum. I thought Martell played one of his best games as a pro, having to just guard Kobe and keeping him in front of him and staying focused on the offensive end of the floor. He rebounded the ball. Brandon accepted the challenge tonight and stepped up and played well. Howard, again, our young guys, D.C. and Jeff came in and played with some energy. And then Bayless came in and (had) 21 points off the bench. “And my main man Miller (laughter from McMillan and the room) played great basketball. So it was good. We needed to play that way and we got that game.” Oregonian

“Everybody is a little frustrated,” Roy said. “Sometimes you get frustrated when expectations are a little too high. I mean that because you can’t overlook the fact of the guys we have out. We have to stay motivated with the guys we have and keep playing hard. I think everybody’s fine, actually. “Coach gets on players all the time. It wasn’t nothing out of the ordinary for me. It was just a practice, and guys spoke.” Yahoo! Sports

The team security staffer who left the court shielding Bryant stopped outside the locker room and stood by the door. And since he's with the Lakers on the road, city to city, night to night, I asked him why he thought the Rose Garden gave the Lakers fits. "There is not more electricity anywhere in the league from the crowd," the guard said, "well, maybe Utah is close, but Utah is an angry kind of energy." Oregonian

Philadelphia 76ers guard Allen Iverson could skip the All-Star game if he's voted an Eastern Conference starter because of his arthritic left knee. Iverson hobbled into the Sixers' locker room after their loss to Toronto on Friday night. He says he had the knee drained again before the game and it continues to give him trouble. USA Today

Allan Houston sees a difference in David Lee, and it's not the gaudy numbers. Houston sees an All-Star by his definition. Houston, now the assistant to the president, and Latrell Sprewell are the last Knicks to make the All-Star Team -- in 2001. "I only see an All-Star as someone who helps a team win," Houston told the Post. "I think the coaches vote for people who see that person helping their team in crucial situations to win games and not just a person putting up lot of numbers." New York Post

Watch a full 48 minutes of any Thunder game, and the most exciting dunk you’ll ever see is the occasional "poster” dunk over an unsuspecting defender. Thunder players fearfully avoid the gravity-defying 360 degree stuffs and reverse slams. They have yet to impress with a windmill or a between-the-legs jam. "That’s not us,” said third-year forward Jeff Green. "We just want the two points.” Oklahoman

Brooks, who proudly said he never dunked during a game during his 10-year playing career, instructs his players to refrain from risky highlight-reel finishes. His reasoning: the Thunder paced the league in turnovers last season with 16.2 per game. "It’s important that we keep everything simple,” Brooks said. "The more flashy things happen, the more likely you’re going to not have success. That’s why we don’t throw a lot of lobs.” Oklahoman

"You try a dunk in a game that you never tried before and you miss it, it can turn the game around,” Westbrook said. "360s and stuff like that, the defender basically has got to give up. You got to feel comfortable. You can’t try stuff like that when somebody’s chasing you.” Oklahoman

Chris Douglas-Roberts: Yes y'all. I'm staying in on my birthday. Not in the mood. Me & my champagne. Thinking about the Spurs. Twitter.com

Kevin Ding: PJ on KB: "He had a lot of things he likes. He just didn't make a lot of shots. ... I'm sure it (finger) bothers him." Twitter.com

Orlando Magic General Manager Otis Smith said shooting guard Vince Carter is “day-to-day” after Carter sprained his left shoulder in Orlando’s 104-97 loss to the Washington Wizards on Friday night. Carter walked out of the Magic locker room before it opened to reporters. I chased Carter down a hallway and tried to ask him about his injury. “I’ll talk to you guys tomorrow,” Carter said politely. Orlando Sentinel

Center Tyson Chandler said Thursday was the first day he could walk on his injured left foot without feeling considerable pain. Chandler is in a walking boot, but is cleared to spend as much time as he'd like on a stationary bike to work on conditioning. Chandler said before the game he still doesn't know how long it will be before he's cleared to practice, and then play. Coach Larry Brown reiterated Thursday that Chandler's absence is apparent from his team's reduced performance defending the pick-and-roll. Charlotte Observer

Warriors forward Anthony Randolph might miss a significant amount of time after injuring his left ankle on the final play of the first quarter in Friday's 108-101 win over Sacramento. After the game, the team announced that X-rays showed Randolph suffered a sprain and a possible fracture. Team sources said the preliminary diagnosis is a fracture and he'd be out four to six weeks. Randolph will have a CT scan today to confirm the initial diagnosis. Oakland Tribune

Kelenna Azubuike: Great news the swelling in my knee has gone down some so I don't have a bowling ball for a knee anymore! Twitter.com

Jerry Colangelo is willing to wait until LeBron James' free agency plays out, and is optimistic about having him play for Team USA in this summer's World Championships. Colangelo, chairman of USA Basketball, met with James on Dec. 21 when his Cleveland Cavaliers played at Phoenix. Colangelo was asked in a phone interview Friday with FanHouse whether James told him he wants to play in Turkey. "Yes,'' Colangelo said. Colangelo said James has "always been pretty consistent in his commitment to me about'' wanting to play. Asked if he's optimistic James will play, Colangelo said, "That is right.'' FanHouse.com

Colangelo said the only drawback James has expressed is he could be a free agent next season if he opts out of his contract. There have been reports James is making a movie next summer and that could limit his time, but Colangelo said James hasn't said anything to him about that and Colangelo said that's something he wouldn't ask about. "I don't know,'' James told FanHouse after Friday's 99-97 loss at Denver about his prospects of playing in Turkey. "We'll see. I might miss it too. I got a lot going on this summer. You know what I got going on this summer. I got to take care of business first so we'll see.'' FanHouse.com

Colangelo has said Utah's Carlos Boozer, Milwaukee's Michael Redd and Detroit's Tayshaun Prince, who played limited minutes in Beijing, will have competition for roster spots. Boozer first told FanHouse he is firmly committed to playing despite being a free agent next summer. Colangelo expects soon to talk with all three to see where they are at. Colangelo is unsure of the status of Prince, who missed nearly two months due to a small rupture of a disc in his lower back before recently returning. "Tayshaun has never really been hurt, and now he's struggling with injuries,'' Colangelo said. "I would have to see what his state of mind is.'' FanHouse.com

Brazil figures to be the toughest foe in the group but it remains to be seen if all the country's top players will compete. At last Cavaliers forward Anderson Varejao is in line to play for Brazil. "Unless I'm hurt, I'm going to play,'' Varejao said in an interview Friday with FanHouse. "Myself, I'm going to play.'' Varejao said top international player Tiago Splitter "is going to go for sure'' to Turkey and he's hopeful Phoenix guard Leandro Barbosa will play. However, Denver center Nene Hilario remains a question mark. FanHouse.com

Nene recently said he didn't want to discuss possibilities of playing with Brazil during the Nuggets' season. Varejao might soon talk to Nene to gauge his interest. "I'm probably going to ask him if he's going to play or not,'' Varejao said. "But I can't convince him. He has to if he wants to go, if he's healthy and everything is going well. ... If we got everybody and we get there and we play together, I believe we can do really good (in Turkey).'' FanHouse.com

Let John Wall have all the pressure. Derrick Favors will just continue watching cartoons. Wall, Kentucky's freshman point guard, is the consensus choice by scouts to be the No. 1 pick in June's NBA Draft while Georgia Tech freshman power forward Derrick Favors is the consensus No. 2 selection. But there's a world of difference between the two when it comes to hype. Google "John Wall Kentucky basketball'' and you get 685,000 results. Google "Derrick Favors Georgia Tech basketball'' and it's 194,000. "I don't really like all that pressure on me,'' Favors said recently in an interview with FanHouse. "So give him all the pressure. Let it stay like that. I don't need none of that. Just staying under the radar (is fine with Favors).'' FanHouse.com

One NBA executive said he recently asked 10 scouts to each project the 10 top picks in June's draft. The only two names provided by all 10 were Wall and Favors. "It's a two-man draft,'' the executive said. FanHouse.com

"If I'm ready, I'll go,'' Favors, averaging 12.1 points, 8.8 rebounds and 2.2 boards, said of coming out after one college season. "If I'm not, I'll stay another year.'' FanHouse.com

Chris Tomasson: Bret Adams, attorney for Nugs coach George Karl, says story in Newark Star-Ledger that contract talks have been tabled for now is inaccurate. Twitter.com

Chris Tomasson: "Discussions continue,'' said Bret Adams about contract extension talks involving George Karl. Twitter.com

Ed Stefanski, the 76ers' president and general manager, would not guarantee tonight that Eddie Jordan will remain the team's coach for the entire season. Stefanski hired Jordan on May 29, giving him a three-year contract. When asked tonight whether Jordan's job is safe this season, the GM sidestepped the question. "We're all accountable in this whole situation," Stefanski said. "It's not just the head coach; it's the coaches, the players, and myself - no one is happy." Philadelphia Inquirer

Will he coach the Lakers beyond this season? I didn't ask Jackson this question during our conversation in Los Angeles last weekend. He raised the issue himself, without quite answering it. Jackson, 64, is in the final season of a two-year extension paying him $12 million annually, a record salary for an NBA coach. He acknowledges that money will influence his decision, which is not to say that money alone will hold sway. "When this extension came along, there was no doubt about taking it at that point," he said of his current deal. "I've had a couple of situations in my own life that have changed -- my separation from a wife that raised a family for 25 years, and that was a financially devastating situation. I had a couple of financial situations that came about that changed my life in the last 10 years, as everybody has. Everybody has taken a loss [in the stock markets]." SI.com

I asked Jackson how he has been able to keep renewing the joy in his work after all of these years. "Going through the first two years of coaching, coming back with this team taught me a lot about that aspect of it," he said of 2005-07, when his young Lakers went 87-77 with a pair of first-round losses in the playoffs. "How to nurture a team through a very difficult time and still come out and be competitive and get to the playoffs and all of that stuff, and know that this is not a championship-caliber team and that I can't demand the same competency from this group of guys that I did from the others." The trick is to separate the money from the mission of creating a team that pursues goals that are larger than any one man can accomplish by himself. Which, again, is not to pretend that the money doesn't exist. Rather, its influence has a parallel existence all its own. SI.com

"Recently a reporter made mention of that," Jackson said of his salary. "I said I may not come back next year; I mean, they may not want to pay a coach to do what I'm doing, and with the NBA and other sports all feeling the pinch from this economy and television and things that all are shrinking, they may have to shrink the coach's salary. And I understand that, and that's why this is a process. But one reporter asked, 'Would you take a pay cut?' And I said back to him, 'Would you?' SI.com

Two NBA general managers predict that commissioner David Stern will push for a hard salary cap once the Collective Bargaining Agreement re-opens in the summer of 2011. The league wants to better help teams save money while leveling the playing field league-wide. One of the GMs said such a hard cap would be gradually implemented. “I don’t know where it goes, but the players have to realize that teams are losing too much money,” one GM said. Yahoo! Sports

Cavs guard Daniel Gibson got engaged to his girlfriend, singer and reality show star Keyshia Cole, over New Year's while at home in Houston. The couple is expecting a baby boy. Cleveland Plain Dealer

Longtime Seattle SuperSonics broadcaster Bob Blackburn has died. He was 85. Blackburn's wife, Pat, told The Associated Press that her husband died Friday afternoon. A year ago Blackburn fell and suffered a severe head injury requiring surgery. Pat Blackburn says her husband of 61 years bounced back but eventually fell ill with pneumonia and died. Known as "The Voice" to Sonics fans, Blackburn started calling games in 1967 after beating out more than 100 other candidates for the play-by-play job. He worked solo for much of his career before Kevin Calabro became his partner during the 1987-88 season. Calabro took over the broadcasting duties in 1992. USA Today

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