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Monday, January 11

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A basketball source has confirmed that Michael Redd suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament and torn medial collateral ligament in his left knee on Sunday night in Los Angeles. The injury will sideline the Bucks shooting guard for the rest of the season. The injury is the same one that Redd suffered nearly one year ago, on Jan. 24 against Sacramento at the Bradley Center. He suffered a torn ACL and torn MCL in his left knee on that night and was lost for the rest of the season. Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel

The dream scenario for both New Jersey and New York is LeBron and Bosh would bolt their respective teams to go to a big-market team. Privately, Knicks and Nets sources have told me that’s the only scenario in which they think they would have a real shot at prying LeBron out of Cleveland. If Bosh were to leave for the Lakers or Rockets -- teams he would be expected to sign with, given the financial advantages involved in doing so -- it would change things for the Nets and Knicks. ESPN.com

Even before the rumors surfaced this weekend, the Nets were having second thoughts about their 2010 summer strategy. A source close to the Nets’ thinking told me that they are concerned that if they don’t land LeBron or Bosh, they may be stuck in the same situation the Pistons were in last summer -- with no elite free agents on the market, the Pistons were forced to overpay role players to fill out their roster. “Because of our record we are going to be forced to overspend on guys like David Lee and Rudy Gay and perhaps Boozer if you can’t land LBJ,” the source told ESPN. “I don’t want to be like Detroit and spend just to spend.” ESPN.com

That position has prompted the Nets to begin looking at other possibilities, including using their expiring contracts at the trade deadline to bring back players that can help their team now. The same source said that the Nets might be willing to move Devin Harris, along with an expiring contract or two, if they could land an All-Star and another young asset. The source said Brook Lopez was the only untouchable on the team. ESPN.com

The Knicks haven’t gone that far yet. A source familiar with the Knicks thinking told ESPN.com that the plan, right now, is to stay the course and use their roughly $20 million of cap space this summer. They Knicks could greatly enhance their space if they could trade either Jared Jeffries or Eddy Curry for an expiring contract. Team president Donnie Walsh is trying to do both, but it’s difficult. ESPN.com

But the Knicks source also said it’s possible the Knicks may have to change their plans as well -- either trying to use their expiring contracts for talented players now or possibly putting off spending money until the summer of 2011, when both Jeffries and Curry come off the books. On the other hand, Knicks coach Mike D’Antoni, sources say, doesn’t want to wait until 2011. ESPN.com

Given the chilly winter temperatures and the unbelievable smog outside EnergySolutions Arena, I told Wade that I presumed Utah would not be on any list of possible free-agent destinations. He just laughed. Salt Lake Tribune

Michael Lee: Antawn Jamison on rumors that he'll be traded: "I don't think it's a reality. It’s just talk." Twitter.com

The New Orleans Hornets have traded center Hilton Armstrong and cash to the Sacramento Kings in a salary-clearing move, league sources told Yahoo! Sports. Yahoo! Sports

According to Armstrong's agent, Sam Goldefeder, the teams are waiting for the trade call from the league. The deal also includes cash coming Sacramento's way. Armstrong is in the final year of his deal and will be paid $2.8 million this season. He gives the Kings much-needed depth, length and athleticism in the frontcourt and is low risk because of his contract. It's a far cry from a couple months ago, when the Kings considered trading for Hornets big man Emeka Okafor and his enormous contract. More to come. Sacramento Bee

Dallas has been mentioned prominently since Bosh is from there, and I’ve heard rumblings about the Celtics to try to begin to retool without going to the bottom like they did at the end of the Bird/McHale/Parish era. NBA.com

Marc Stein: Wolves president David Kahn insists Al Jefferson has not been made available -- to anyone -- with the Feb. 18 trade deadline approaching. Twitter.com

But a source with knowledge of the Wolves’ thinking subsequently dismissed the idea that Kahn would part with Jefferson just a half-season into his recovery from a torn ACL in his right knee that limited him to 50 games in the 2008-09 season. ESPN.com

I have heard the Timberwolves have asked a number of teams if they were interested in Jefferson for an All-Star or high level big man. Coach Kurt Rambis is said to be pushing the deal because he doesn’t consider Jefferson or Kevin Love a center for his offense. NBA.com

Yahoo! Sports on Sunday reported Indiana had turned down the Wolves' offer of Jefferson for Danny Granger. "We had a talk about it last week," Jefferson said after this morning's shootaround. "He talked to us and let us know nothing like that was going on...He made me comfortable to know what I heard last night was rumors. "It's part of the NBA life. It's not the first time my name has been attached to rumors before. It doesn't necessarily mean it's bad thing. I've been in this league long enough to know this time of year, every year, there's going to be trade rumors and stuff like that before the trade deadline. You're going to hear that. That's why it didn't bother me. You see stuff like this come on TV and coming out of the woodwork, that's why it went in one ear and went out the other." Minneapolis Star Tribune

The report also quoted an unnamed league source saying that Jefferson and frontcourt mate Kevin Love were having "chemistry" and "jealous" issues. Jefferson called the claim nonsense, but used a no-nonsense word to say so. "That's (nonsense) to me," he said. "I hate to say that. Kevin is like a son to me in this league. I believe in tough love with him. There ain't no chemistry (issues), no jealousy, ain't nothing like that going on between me and him. I don't know where that came from or who made it up. That's just (nonsense.)" Minneapolis Star Tribune

Later, as Jefferson continued to speak, Love stood 70 feet away and with a smile yelled out that he was "jealous" all the media members were talking to Jefferson rather than to him. "I just thought it was funny," Love said. "Al and I haven't had any problems since I got here. It's kind of laughable to me. He has been helping me out all along. I took my biggest steps last year because of him, this summer because of him. He walked in this morning and we were laughing about it. It's one of those things speculation and rumor. There's no jealousy going on here." Minneapolis Star Tribune

Asked if trade rumors might swirl always as long as the two are together, Love said, "I don't know. That's why I get paid to play. I don't get paid to make decisions. I don't really take them (trade rumors) seriously. I heard I was getting traded in the summer. I heard everybody was getting traded in the summer. We'll see what happens before the trade deadline. "I don't think Al's going anywhere. I don't think I'm going anywhere." As Love talked to reporters, Jefferson walked by toward the team bus and yelled out to Love that he loved him. "Love you, too, man," Love yelled back. Minneapolis Star Tribune

Kahn described the report by Yahoo! Sports as "total fabrication." "I have not offered Al to anybody," Kahn said today while traveling with the Wolves on the team's four-game road trip. "As I've stated before, my preference is to go through the season and continue to evaluate the team before we do anything dramatic." St. Paul Pioneer Press

"It was very upsetting to see that Al and Kevin are at odds," Kahn said. "That's totally untrue. We're all very upset about this today." St. Paul Pioneer Press

Kahn said in interviews with media outlets Monday the team isn't looking to deal Jefferson by the Feb. 18 deadline. But that wasn't news to Jefferson. He said he had a meeting with his agent, Jeff Schwartz, in Minneapolis last Wednesday after Schwartz had talked with Kahn. "My agent came into town and I talked to him Wednesday night, and (Schwartz) said there wasn't nothing to worry about and that nothing is going to happen,'' Jefferson said in an interview with FanHouse after Monday's shootaround in Denver, where the Timberwolves were preparing to face the Nuggets. "He said he didn't think (Kahn) was going to make any moves. So when I heard (about the Yahoo!) report (Sunday) night, in case David Kahn is a big liar, I trust him and believe him. So that's why I wasn't worried.'' FanHouse

"I understand it's a business,'' Jefferson said. "I know that, if a sweet deal comes up that the Timberwolves got to take, I've got to understand that. But me and David Kahn have a great relationship. He's never lied to me. I've never lied to him. I think that's the big key to any kind of relationship is to be straight and honest. And I think he has been honest with me so far. Right now, I think if something were going on and they were trying to trade me, he would come to me and talk to me like a man like (Celtics general manager) Danny Ainge did when I got traded from Boston (in the summer of 2007). ... I understand it's a business but I trust David Kahn.'' FanHouse

While Jefferson was speaking to reporters after the shootaround, Love came up to give Jefferson a big hug. "That's (garbage) to me because Kevin is like a son to me in this league, and I give tough love with him,'' Jefferson said. "There's no chemistry (problems). There ain't no jealousy. There ain't nothing like that going on between me and (Love). I don't know where that came from or who made it up.'' FanHouse

"It's kind of laughable to me,'' Love said. "Absolutely. He's been helping me out all along. ... There's nothing between us. ... Just the fact, the whole jealousy thing. He walked in (Monday) morning and we were laughing about it. There's none of those things.'' FanHouse

According to league sources, Mario West will be on his way back to the Atlanta Hawks tomorrow. West, who played for the Hawks the past two seasons, was currently learning how to play point guard for the Maine Red Claws. He was learning to play point guard presumably because his athleticism is awesome, though it doesn't translate to him having much of an offensive skillset. If he ever were to develop into a 6'5" point guard, though, he would probably have been described as having ridiculous upside, but from what I saw in Boise last week, and judging by his 4.1 assists to 3.0 turnovers per game, I'd conclude that Mario West is not, nor will he ever be, a point guard. He does play very hard, however, which is what earned him a full two-season stint with the Atlanta Hawks after not really standing out and, actually, not getting much playing time in college at Georgia Tech, home of the Luke Schenscher. Ridiculous Upside

The Hawks are looking at three players to sign to a 10-day contract – Anthony Tolliver, Pops Mensah-Bonsu and Mario West. Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Also, Thorn said he expects to there to be some major moves around the NBA, possibly involving some of the 2010 free agents. He’s not sure if the Nets can be involved, but said they will continue to be active. Thorn said they’re currently engaged in talks about another deal and would continue as the week goes on. We’re thinking it involves Josh Boone or Tony Battie. Bergen Record

The Nets cut ties Monday with their troubled former first-round pick, Sean Williams, and sent oft-injured backup Eduardo Najera to Dallas for two backup players, Kris Humphries and Shawne Williams. The release of Williams and the minor trade had been reported over the weekend. New York Daily News

Najera's contract has another two years left on his contract, at $5.4 million, while Humphries is signed through next season at $3.2 million, and Shawne Williams doesn't have a contract beyond this season. So the Nets could pick up more cap space for the summer of 2011 if they part ways with Shawne Williams. New York Daily News

Humphries has had his problems with focus or as one Dallas writer described it: “the occasional mental lapse that drew the ire of the coaching staff.” Still, he’s nine years younger than Najera and saves the team more than $2 million in cap space over the next two years. In today’s Nets world, it doesn’t get better than that. Nets Daily

There is one surprise in this. The Nets will not waive Shawne Williams at this time. Team president Rod Thorn said in a conference call moments ago that the Nets want to get a look at the other Williams, who has been on the inactive list all season in Dallas. Thorn said one of the reasons the Nets acquired Humphries was he should help their rebounding so expect the young power forward to play. Bergen Record

"We are not going to waive Shawne Williams at this time," Rod Thorn said. "He and (Kris) Humphries will come in tomorrow and do a physical. By Wednesday they should both be here." Newark Star-Ledger

Any chance Joe Dumars wishes he had that cap room back? "No," Dumars e-mailed Sunday, and what could he say, really? But Dumars used the room he got from Allen Iverson's expiring contract to give $55 million to Ben Gordon and $37 million to Charlie Villanueva last summer, and that's locked in his team in for the foreseeable future. And that team has lost 12 straight games, including Saturday's horrifying effort at home against the equally woeful 76ers -- when Detroit trailed by 26 in the first half. It's the Pistons' longest losing streak in more than 15 years. NBA.com

Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv announced on Monday that the team has parted ways with center Maciej Lampe. Lampe arrived to the club the last summer with high expectations following a good performance with the Polish national team at EuroBasket 2009. Sportando

Chris Douglas-Roberts: I have the best agent in the world. I must talk with him! Twitter.com

Chris Tomasson: Nuggets Anthony Carter, who has right to veto trade, told FanHouse he wouldn't agree if team wanted to deal him: "I ain't going nowwhere.'' Twitter.com

Ross Siler: Jazz GM Kevin O'Connor said today that team would not try to get under luxury tax threshold "at all costs." Twitter.com

Three more members of the Washington Wizards have met with authorities concerning the Gilbert Arenas gun investigation. Caron Butler, Brendan Haywood and DeShawn Stevenson had to miss practice Monday to answer questions. Coach Flip Saunders and other players met with authorities last week. SI.com

A veteran attorney in Washington who's appeared in that court extensively over the years says the grand jury, in most cases, follows the path set by the prosecutor. The attorney spoke on background because the attorney was not directly involved in the Arenas case and could not speak to the specifics of that case. In cases similar to this one, when an incident occurred between two people with few witnesses, physical evidence becomes almost an imperative for the prosecution. The Washington Post reported last week that Arenas' teammate, Javaris Crittenton -- with whom the initial argument with Arenas began two days earlier -- took out a gun after seeing Arenas' guns near his locker, and loaded his gun. But that gun has not been located. NBA.com

DeShawn Stevenson, Arenas' closest friend on the team, made his support clear by writing "AGENT" and "ZERO" on the tape on his right and left ankles, respectively, before the Wizards' loss to the Hornets Sunday. "We just try to be supportive to Gilbert," Stevenson said Friday. "I text him a lot. I've got a close relationship with him. Just try to be positive. That's all we can do. Obviously, I'm talking to the investigators and stuff like we're doing, but other than that, just try to work our way out of this ... "I know he wants to be a part of this. He's a winner. He wants to win. But he just put himself in a bad situation, and ourselves in a bad situation. It's tough to see that." NBA.com

Did you know immediately, I asked Jamison, when you saw the picture, that it was really bad? "I definitely knew it wasn't good," Jamison said. "You can understand when people are looking at it, thinking that we're all laughing at the act. That wasn't the case at all. He said something funny before that, and during that point we was laughing, and then he came out with the act, and that's when everybody broke the huddle ... I was embarassed. I'm in it. From the looks of it, it looks like I thought it was funny. I've worked hard for my image, and I'm not taking this for anything light at all. This is a very serious situation." NBA.com

Dan Steinberg: If you try to create a customized Arenas jersey, NBA online store says it's "inappropriate, derogatory, or profane" and won't do it. Twitter.com

Dan Steinberg: Wiz Web site offers desktop wallpaper featuring Boykins, James, Oberto, Wizard Girls....but not Arenas. Twitter.com

"Right now, we have to focus on the players we have with us," team president Ernie Grunfeld said Sunday night. "We have to let the process take its course, and see where it takes us." NBA.com

How could Vescey from NY break this story and not a local beat writer? Do you think this could have been leaked by someone with New Yoek connections (i.e., Grunfeld)? This would get the ball rolling to terminate that mammoth contract. Mike Wise: The local media should have broken that story and I'm as guilty as anyone in that. We had heard the rumors, but we could not confirm anything for ourselves. It would have been irresponsible for us to report anything until we have everything confirmed. I don't care as much about being first as I am about being right. All we have left in this business is our integrity. Washington Post

Why haven't we heard anything regarding the other player involved in the incident being charged or suspended? Mike Wise: What I've heard from league sources is that Javaris Crittendon hasn't played in a game all season due to injury. What's the point in suspending him. Crittendon's lawyers have advised him to not talk about it and I doubt Gilbert would have been suspended immediately had he not publicly mocked the issue. Washington Post

Walker was one of the group of defendants who sued the NBA over the plans to merge the NBA and ABA. The historic settlement of the so-called Oscar Robertson suit (Robertson was players’ association chief) created free agency in the NBA. “You hate to see the way some players today are abusing everything we worked so hard for and gave up so much for,” says Walker, who faced an effective blackball that prematurely ended his career for his actions with the players’ association. “I wasn’t the only one. There was Oscar (never offered a coach or GM job even as he’s still a successful businessman), Joe Caldwell, Archie Clark. Guys really were kicked out of the league. For these guys like Arenas to abuse all the hard work we went through to enable them to become free agents and make all the money they do is ridiculous.” NBA.com

But Walker also wonders at the same time why their association was so silent. “This isn’t common with players,” believes Walker. “The union should have come out and said these are basically good guys working hard for the game and what you saw with Arenas is the exception, only a small percentage of guys. You let it look like this is a league wide thing against the players and I don’t believe that.” NBA.com

I had two family members mugged in D.C. One got punched, hit with a pipe and robbed; the other got grabbed from behind but he fought the guy off. Neither situation involved a gun. But, if either of them were 6-7 and 220 pounds, those incidents would have never happened. Do NBA players get approached more often by total strangers? Sure. And do total strangers sometimes want to try them? Yes. But, that usually doesn't happen at Applebee's or Ruth's Chris. Who approaches them, where it occurs, and under what circumstance are, to a large extent, up to the player. How a player chooses to protect himself and his family is entirely up to him. His legal right to do that should be supported and defended – just like any other citizen. Teams should be overzealous in their protection of their players in the workplace, and the league should enforce a zero tolerance policy when it comes to guns. HoopsWorld

You'd have thought it was the wrong end of a Game 7: Almost all the players were seated at their dressing stalls, grim dead-ahead looks on their faces, unless they were staring blankly at the floor or covering up in frustration with a hand or two to the forehead. Even inactive guys like Jeff Foster and Travis Diener were sitting stone-faced in their street clothes at least 15 minutes after the final horn of their 116-109 loss to the Timberwolves. "Do they take every loss this hard?" I asked a Pacers insider. "Oh yeah," he said. "When they win, it's like they've won a playoff game. When they lose, it's like this." NBA.com

"We didn't think they would shoot the way they did, coming off [the injuries]," Minnesota's Ryan Gomes said. "Granger came in shooting threes like he didn't miss any games, and Murphy the same way. Those guys are capable of lighting it up -- that's the way [the Pacers] play. They take open shots, quick shots in transition. Toward the end of the game, though, I think their legs got a little heavy and they weren't able to make those shots." NBA.com

Many nights this season, Tony Parker looks like he's got a piano on his back. "I just think I've played too much basketball," Parker said last week. NBA.com

"I've played five summers in a row, and I think it's about time I need a rest," Parker said. "It's going to be tough (to play). The contract's coming up, and (coach Gregg) Pop(ovich) wants me to play well every night. Sometimes it's tough, because you know you play all these championship runs, and every year I play for the national team. Every year. This year is the first year I've found my body is a little bit tired, you know? So I'll have to make some decisions, because I'm not Superman. I can't do 82 games at the level Pop wants, and then play on the national team." NBA.com

Rondo heard and read everything. Frustrated and confused, he sat down with Ainge at the Celtics’ practice facility to clear the air. “I didn’t know what to believe,” Rondo said. “I guess it’s part of the business. I didn’t get too emotionally attached. “I go out there every day and play as hard as I can. That’s all I can do. I’m not coachable? I’m not a team player? Whatever they might say, I feel like I’m going to have a job in this league for a long time.” Yahoo! Sports

After only 19 minutes, 23 seconds of playing time, there was some concern about Artest after he collided with Michael Redd in the first quarter. The incident caused Artest to ask for a rest, and his health was a topic of conversation after the final buzzer. "[Sunday] was kind of an interesting night," Lakers coach Phil Jackson. "[Artest] had banged his head and I think it affected his game, when he went down with Redd early in the ballgame, no doubt ... He asked out -- he asked out of the ballgame twice over the course of that first and third quarter, so I put Adam [Morrison] in early, and gave him a little time to recover." ESPN.com

Turkoglu, who signed a five-year $53-milliion deal US with Toronto this summer, admitted yesterday he is uncomfortable with his role at a time when just about everyone else on this Raptors roster seems to have found a comfort zone. "The things I can't do -- I don't know if you followed me much (in Orlando) and how I played there -- I just can't do the things without the ball. Even today, I had nine assists, but the things about how I play are as much about how much I get the ball and how I get myself going and my teammates too." Toronto Sun

The Cleveland Cavaliers' LeBron James and the Los Angeles Clippers' Chris Kaman today were named the Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week, respectively, for games played Jan. 4 through Jan. 10. James topped the NBA in scoring (33.0 ppg), ranked third in the Eastern Conference in assists (7.7 apg) and added 7.7 rebounds, while leading the Cavaliers to a 2-1 record. On Jan. 10, he scored 41 points and collected 10 rebounds for his fifth game of at least 40 points and 12th double-double of the season. The award is James' third of the season (Nov. 23 and Dec. 28). NBA.com

The Rondos’ superstitions also carry over to his All-Star candidacy. “We don’t talk about it,” William Rondo said. “It’s the elephant in the room. We could jinx him. If you talk about it and it doesn’t happen, you will be let down. But if you don’t talk about it and it happens, it’s meant to be.” Yahoo! Sports

If Rondo continues to play the way he has, he’ll likely be in Dallas for his first All-Star Game. Dwyane Wade(notes) and Allen Iverson(notes) lead the voting among East guards, but Iverson said he might not play if he’s selected. And Rondo certainly ranks among the top candidates at the position when the East coaches vote for the reserves. “Do I feel I’m deserving? Yeah,” Rondo said. “I don’t really compare myself to guys around the league. I think we can be the best team in the East. I feel like I’m the best player. That’s how I play. I try to play like that every night.” Yahoo! Sports

Cleveland guard Mo Williams doesn't pay much attention to all-star voting. But when he was recently told McGrady was a starter through the fourth, and final, publicized all-star voting returns, his mouth hung open. "There you go," Williams said. "I think ya'll have more knowledge about the voting than I do, so you can write the criticisms about it. But you telling me that, that's . . . wow." Denver Post

Bowen, whose 1,392,398 votes ranked eighth in the Western Conference, was not put on the all-star team by the coaches. Houston center Yao Ming has benefited from his fans in China stuffing the ballots — mainly on the Internet — though he has deserved to be an all-star starter. "Bottom line, it's biased," Nuggets forward Kenyon Martin said. "The fans, they have their certain players or whatever. I think the players should definitely have a say-so, just the peers that you play against." Denver Post

Anthony Morrow said he would win the Three-Point Shootout if he got invited. Here’s why he’s so confident. (Note: He said the racks are taller than the ones the league uses in the shootout. Plus, he had to reach back a few times for the last couple of balls. In the shootout, there is someone there to push the balls forward.) Contra Costa Times

The Denver Nuggets will have All-Star forward Carmelo Anthony back in the lineup against Minnesota. Anthony, the league's leading scorer, said after the morning shootaround that his bruised right knee is healed enough to play Monday night. AP

Chinese center Yao Ming said Monday he would not compete for the national team at the 2010 Turkey World Championships due to his foot injury. "I'm not going to have competitive games until July. I don't think so (that I'll play at the World Championships). Maybe it's a better chance for the young Chinese players to prove themselves," Yao said during an interview with sohu.com. The Houston Rockets' center injured his left foot in the second match against the Los Angeles Lakers at the semi-finals of the Western Conference last season. He is not expected to come back until next season. Xinhua

Martin Frank: Jordan on Stefanski not backing his job status: "It doesnt bother me." Twitter.com

Julian Wright: Tell me why I called room service and the lady's name was Julian too? She said, "This is Julian" I was like ugh... It through me off! She said she loves havin a man's name... The story behind it is she gave her mom a hard time, during birth so her pops got her back! Twitter.com

Former basketball star Jayson Williams pleaded guilty Monday to aggravated assault and will serve at least 18 months in prison for accidentally killing a limousine driver in his bedroom, finally closing one chapter in his troubled post-NBA life. Williams was awaiting retrial on a reckless manslaughter count but pleaded guilty to the lesser count for the 2002 death of Costas Christofi. Williams remained poised during the hearing and mostly answered "yes" and "no" questions, though he did tell the judge that had not fully checked the gun's safety before snapping it closed. "I didn't look in the direction the muzzle of the gun was pointed," he said, before admitting that his handling of the gun was reckless. ESPN.com

Griz owner Michael Heisley has initiated negotiations toward a contract extension for Hollins, who is working on a 17-month deal he signed Jan. 25, 2009. Heisley instructed general manager Chris Wallace to contact Hollins' representative last week for the purpose of determining where both sides stand. However, the Grizzlies' Chicago-based, billionaire owner made clear that he intends to keep Hollins in charge beyond this season. "I made up my mind that I would start negotiating after the start of the year," Heisley said. "I told Chris that back in September. I'm not going to discuss contract negotiations in the paper. But I'm not interested in making any changes. We're going to work on an extension for Lionel. He's earned it." Memphis Commercial Appeal

"It would certainly feel nice to have it done. It would show that I've come in and laid a foundation and built on it," Hollins said. "It would show that Heisley believes that I'm his guy, so that speaks volumes if we can come to an agreement." Hollins, 56, is the franchise's 11th coach, and his impact draws many similarities to the Hubie Brown Era when Memphis earned its first postseason berth. Under Hollins, the Griz can claim a clear style of play, chemistry and relevancy that goes with having a respectable record for the first time in four years. "Lionel's proved he can coach," Heisley said. "He's connected with the players. He has them playing together and we're winning games." Memphis Commercial Appeal

"He's a tough coach and a winner," Griz center Marc Gasol said. "He knows what it takes." Memphis Commercial Appeal

"He'd better be the guy," second-year forward O.J. Mayo said. "We have a lot more steps to go, but his foundation so far has been great. I love playing for him because he has a great understanding of how we feel having played at a high level. He's definitely the guy for this team." Memphis Commercial Appeal

"He's a coach," Randolph said, "that you can believe in." Memphis Commercial Appeal

The countdown to the end of the Chris Bosh era in Toronto has officially begun. The Rockets, who have Tracy McGrady’s insurance-protected $23 million expiring deal, are believed to be interested, and sources believe there could be legs to a scenario that would send Bosh to the Lakers for Andrew Bynum. CBSSports.com

Bynum’s base-year compensation status complicates matters slightly, but sources believe a workable deal could be consummated. The next five weeks are critical for the Raptors, who at 19-19 are still very much in the Eastern Conference playoff picture. If they fall out of contention, the temptation to deal Bosh and get something in return rather than lose him as an unrestricted free agent summer and get nothing could rise to irresistible levels. A trade would give Bosh the option of signing an extension with his new team rather than opting out of his contract and signing a new deal after the season. That option also exists with the Raptors, but there’s been no movement in that direction. CBSSports.com

Kevin Ding: Bynum on Bosh trade scenario: "I don't really care. ... It's not the first time it's happened to me, especially." Twitter.com

But executives aren’t convinced Utah GM Kevin O’Connor is resigned to the fact that he needs to deal Carlos Boozer and his $12.7 million expiring contract to accomplish that goal. CBSSports.com

The biggest obstacle to a T-Mac trade remains his $22.5 million salary and the number of players required from the other team(s) to make a deal. The Rockets are willing to take on, say, one unfriendly contract for the privilege of acquiring a top-shelf player, but not multiple bad contracts. ESPN.com

The Knicks left Houston on Saturday night without a victory and without genuine hope of winning the Tracy McGrady Sweepstakes. Rockets general manager Daryl Morey told The Post that Donnie Walsh appears a longshot to nail McGrady, with seven teams having submitted various proposals. "There might not be a fit with New York because their goals don't necessarily meet our goals," Morey said. "I think they like him but there's an issue of fit." New York Post

According to the source, Morey is eager to get either rookie, Jordan Hill or Toney Douglas, in a T-Mac deal. Neither Hill and Douglas is in the rotation and may not get in this season. Hill and Douglas are behind undrafted rookie Marcus Landry. New York Post

Still, the Knicks are pushing Jared Jeffries in a package in their attempt to also clear more 2010 cap space. Morey, too, is trying to clear cap room and has told the Knicks he's not interested in Jeffries. In fact, according to the source, the Rockets don't think Al Harrington would crack Houston's rotation. New York Post

Morey said he believes a deal for McGrady's $23 million expiring contract will occur, but not until the Feb. 19 trading deadline. McGrady is in Chicago training. "I think there's a deal to be done, probably at the deadline," Morey said. "Teams don't generally move early, especially on one this big. I think there's enough interest from enough teams who either like McGrady or are looking to save money." New York Post

An assumption in circulation all season held that Detroit would try to move Rip Hamilton before any other Piston because there isn't enough room in one rotation for Rip, Ben Gordon and Rodney Stuckey. The reality is that Tayshaun Prince would appear to be the most likely of Detroit's championship holdovers to be dealt first, since Prince possesses the more cap-friendly contract. ESPN.com

Matters are complicated by the fact that injuries have limited both Piston mainstays to nine games each this season. But it's clear that the Pistons have to make a move for a true point guard or a dependable big man ... not necessarily to bust out of this 12-game losing streak but for their long-term future. "I know there are a lot of conversations going on," one source said. "I'm sure Tay's in play." ESPN.com

But rival executives don’t believe Miller is long for Portland, and his three-year, $21 million deal is enticing because the third year isn’t guaranteed. The Blazers, who are getting excellent contributions from Jerryd Bayless and will get Steve Blake back soon from a bout with pneumonia, need a big man more than they need Miller’s drama. CBSSports.com

There are no untouchables on the Wizards’ roster, with the possible exception of JaVale McGee. Several contenders, including the Cavs, are hoping the Wizards’ desire to break with the past will compel them to make Antawn Jamison available. Caron Butler, with $10.6 million due next season, has played all season like a guy who can’t wait to be traded. But the player who could be in the most demand is Brendan Haywood, whose defensive impact and effort on both ends have not waned through all the Wizards’ misery. Add the fact that he’s on a $6 million expiring contract, and contenders in search of a big man – i.e. Denver and Portland – would seem to be good fits. CBSSports.com

I’ve been reliably assured that Chicago's Tyrus Thomas, back at last from a forearm injury, remains highly available. No trade partner has emerged for the enigmatic former No. 4 overall pick, but moving Thomas before the deadline is still Chicago's intention. ESPN.com

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Teams that finish the season having operated below the league's $71.2 million luxury-tax threshold would be in line to receive an estimated $4.4 million rebate from a tax fund. ``When you stop and think about exactly what that means, it's a $7 million swing,'' Riley said during the Heat's stop in Los Angeles to face the Clippers. ``So that's nothing to sneeze at. If you have the ability to move in that direction, then you have to do it.'' From a numbers standpoint, one potential move could involve swingman Dorell Wright, whose $2.9 million salary would essentially wipe out Miami's tax. Miami Herald

Riley might also have to consider offering a draft pick or cash to entice a team to take on a Heat contract. The predicament would certainly involve input from owner Micky Arison if such a move impacted the ability to win. ``There's three or four different options you could have. But if somebody said yes, then we will weigh it,'' said Riley, who denied speculation that a move is imminent. ``That's not true. I'm not going to get into that until the time comes, and that'll be a corporate decision as much as a presidential decision or a coaching decision.'' Miami Herald

After the Thunder used their space to acquire Maynor, whom they’ll groom to be their backup point guard, they came off the list of teams with real cap space that can be used as a home for salary-dump trades. Sacramento ($4.1 million), Memphis (about $2 million), and Portland ($1.25 million) are open for business as places where teams could send unwanted salary in exchange for draft picks, cash, or other assets. CBSSports.com

According to ShamSports.com, by playing in his 10th game of the season tonight, Jeff Pendergraph triggered a condition in his contract that guarantees his salary for next year. Blazers Edge

The Nuggets were close to a deal for a big man last week – so close that one scenario was on the verge of being presented to ownership for approval before it fell through. The deal, discussed at high levels of the organization’s hierarchy, would’ve been more than a minor deal, sources said. Denver is known to covet Jeff Foster, but hasn’t been able to agree on the particulars with Indiana. The Nuggets’ $3.2 million trade exception from the Chucky Atkins deal, which expired last week, wasn’t a factor since Foster makes $6.1 million. The Nuggets still have a $3.7 million exception from the Steven Hunter trade that expires next summer. CBSSports.com

The obstacles to a Foster-to-Denver deal, though, are considerable. Obstacle No. 1: Foster has one more season left on his contract after this season at nearly $6.7 million and has a 15-percent trade kicker in his contract. As much as the Nuggets would be thrilled to have Foster – giving them one more mobile counter to all of the Lakers’ feared size – that’s a lot to take on for a team that’s already looking at a luxury-tax payment in July of more than $5 million. Obstacle No. 2: My man Chad Ford noted in his latest chat that the Nuggets would almost certainly need to find a third team to facilitate a deal for Foster unless they were willing to surrender rookie guard Ty Lawson. And you obviously presume Denver won't be surrendering the speedy Lawson, who Chad says Indy nearly chose ahead Tyler Hansbrough and looks like an absolute steal as last June's No. 18 pick. ESPN.com

Still, Najera realizes the Nets are rebuilding. And Najera, 33, knows he doesn't have a lot of time left in his quest to win an NBA title. "That would be the icing on the cake to go to a championship (contender),'' said Najera, speaking by phone from New Jersey, where he had been sent home from the Nets' road trip. "Of course, if this opportunity (to go to Dallas) happens, then I would be really happy. But if it doesn't, I also would be happy.'' FanHouse

"I've just been told it needs NBA approval,'' said Najera, who said he has been updated by Thorn and Vandeweghe over the weekend as the league office prepares to open again Monday for business. "It would be great coming back (to Dallas) if it happens.'' FanHouse

Sean Williams, who will be waived today to make room for the two players, acknowledged that Sunday was his last day as a Net. "I’m going to have to talk to my agent and see what opportunities arise," he said. Williams also denied a published report Sunday that he was harassing a woman and involved in an altercation in a New York nightclub last month. "I really have nothing to say about the gossip that’s been spoken about me lately," he said. Bergen Record

Unicaja is close to signing former Wizard Juan Dixon. La Opinion de Malaga

Dan Steinberg: Wizards PR tells me the team hasn't changed its sign policies. "Free Gil" signs are allowed, and they've had no reported incidents. Twitter.com

When Mark Cuban bought the Dallas Mavericks, one of his first moves was to upgrade the team plane. So it was that he laid out nearly $50 million for a Boeing 757, flush with a weight room and facility for trainers to provide medical treatment. But the Mavericks' previous team plane had a unique feature as well: The front tire was painted in the manner of a roulette wheel. Why, you ask? When the players boarded the plane for road trips, an employee handed them envelopes containing their per diem meal money in cash. For a road trip of decent length, that could come to more than $1,000 per player. The players then pooled their money and selected a number to correspond with the roulette-wheel numbers on the plane's front tire. When the plane finally landed and stopped at the airstrip, an attendant inserted a peg into the tire. If the peg ended up wedged into your number, you won the pot. SI.com

And the gambling didn't stop there. There was always the opportunity to earn your money back -- or lose more -- through card games, Madden video game competitions and shooting contests. Cedric Ceballos allegedly divorced a teammate from $50,000 by hitting a halfcourt shot. The teammate turned ashen -- not because he'd just lost more money than the average American will earn in a year, but because he had to figure out a way to discharge his debt without his wife finding out. SI.com

Another story from those teams (this one apocryphal, but we'll tell it anyway): One player, signed to a 10-day contract, was a particularly easy mark. When his contract was about to lapse, players appealed to management to keep him around, citing his positive contributions to the team. Management obliged. The player was picked up by another team the following season, and to this day, it's not likely he knows that his NBA career might never have come to pass if he hadn't been such a lousy gambler. SI.com

The NBA fined the former Wolf Pack star $10,000 last week after he giggled like a school girl when Gilbert Arenas walked out for his pregame introduction with a mock gun salute, just days after reports emerged that the Wizards' point guard took out a gun in the team locker room. To McGee's credit, just about everyone in the team's huddle was doing the same thing, but it's what he did after that sets him apart. Less than 24 hours after getting fined, McGee posted the following comment on his Twitter page: "Most expensive laugh of my life...I'm scared to write lol." KoloTV

Specifically, the Cavs have shielded West from the media, his teammates have constantly offered a wall of support, and the organization's leadership has constantly kept one voice both in front and behind the scenes. For his part, West has sought and maintained a low profile as he's continued treatment for a mood disorder. It seems that Arenas' lack of respect for his situation to the media and what appears to be the Wizards' total abandonment of support for him fed the circus that got out of control. Arenas' actions, quotes and use of Twitter led to the action taken by Commissioner David Stern. Cleveland Plain Dealer

"We really pride this thing on being a family atmosphere," Cavs coach Mike Brown said before the Cavs faced the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday. "No matter what any of our guys are going through, if we can protect them then we'll try to do that." West has answered questions from the media only once, on the first day of training camp, and even then he would not talk about the incident. Ever since, members of the team's public relations staff have guarded him from attention and denied all interview requests. Cleveland Plain Dealer

And yet James the player could not have been more different than James the person I saw tonight. Where everything between tip and horn is so natural, everything else is so forced, so scripted. James is now approaching nearly 10 years of superstardom yet his interactions with the media trail far behind the likes of Kobe Bryant (or Brandon Roy) when it comes to comfort, depth and feel. After the game, James made an off-color comment to a team attendant, stuttered through basic questions searching for words that he apparently doesn't have in his arsenal, addressed the media horde wearing only a towel (compared to Bryant who wore a full suit and tie to take questions on Friday night) and resorted to cliches that seemed to bore even himself. Blazers Edge

James mechanically drained his three pointers and then paused briefly as a ballboy went to retrieve a rare miss. Sensing an opportunity, one of the group reached out to James and patted him on the butt, not unlike teammates do countless times during every NBA game. Perhaps with a little more cupping action than usual but, nevertheless, an innocent gesture. The move bordered on the bizarre because it was clear the two had no prior relationship. James wheeled, removing both his headphones instantly, clearly flummoxed that a stranger had grasped his buttocks. Upon seeing the culprit, who eyed the player with what can only be described as awe, James looked incredulous and indignant. With no other recourse available, James stopped his shooting routine, striding defiantly towards a group of his teammates that were standing near half court. A string of profanities flew from his mouth as he relayed what had just happened to his teammates, who hadn't seen it. To a man, they were equally shocked to hear of the occurrence. Blazers Edge

James continued his chest-puffing diatribe, occasionally looking back at the group of teenagers. The young men were pretending to gaze out in a different direction, pretending to be invisible. While James's teammates assured him that the kid surely didn't mean any harm and that he was probably just wishing the player well, James continued to shake his head, failing to comprehend that someone he didn't know, someone outside his circle, someone so clearly unimportant, would have the gall to touch him. Him. Eventually, the kids slunk away. James finally popped his headphones back in and continued his warm-up routine. He either didn't notice -- or pretended not to notice -- two young writers laughing hysterically nearby. Blazers Edge

Lang Whitaker: Blazers game reminds me, talked to scout recently and asked which NBA player flops most. Immediately: Brandon Roy. Twitter.com

Holly McKenzie: Reporter: "Does Rasheed always have the green light on threes?" Doc: "Always" Twitter.com

But Wallace knows he will soon be returning to a sixth-man role. “I knew that’s what it was going to be. Not wishing any ill will on my man [Garnett], but I knew he was coming off that injury, I knew he wasn’t going to be able to go hard like he wants to for the whole season,’’ Wallace said after scoring 29 points in the Celtics’ 114-107 win over the Raptors yesterday. “But we both knew at some point he would sit out a couple games to give that knee a rest. And, I mean, that’s what I was here for. “Once he comes back, if my minutes decrease, that’s fine. I’m not tripping on it.’’ Boston Globe

Rajon Rondo said he has been “feeling depressed’’ about the Celtics’ recent struggles. But Rondo provided some effective treatment yesterday with the sixth triple double (including playoffs) of his career. Rondo had 9 points, 6 rebounds, and 9 assists by halftime, and said he was being urged on by director of basketball development Tyronn Lue. “They told me at halftime and ‘T-Lue’ threatened me, so I had to go out there and get it done,’’ Rondo said. “It’s nice to have it, but the biggest thing is we got the win. I’d hate to get a triple double or have a great game and lose, that means nothing. But to get a win, it’s OK, and [tonight] we’ve got a different game, so we’ve got to move on. It’s not like I’ve got a week to sit back and think about it - move on to the next.’’ Boston Globe

Sometimes, teammates stand around and watch Carter play. Sometimes, they defer to him unnecessarily or Carter defers to them unnecessarily. "It's different. We weren't used to playing like that last year … Turk [ Hedo Turkoglu] had the ball, Jameer [Nelson] had it. It was pretty balanced at the end of every game. Everybody got about the same amount of shots," forward Rashard Lewis said. And now? "Vince is the type of player who needs the ball in his hands. He dominates the ball sometimes. That's how he became Vince Carter," Lewis continued. "We got to adjust to that, learn how to play with him dominating the ball. "We're still adjusting to it, but he's not going anywhere. He's our teammate." Orlando Sentinel

Asked who makes the changes — Carter or the team — Lewis said, "I think it's a little bit of both." Carter, by far, leads the team in attempts (487), considerably more than Dwight Howard (334). He also leads in scoring at 17.4 ponts per game. Orlando Sentinel

Bryant wanted to go without the splint to “try to get a little flexibility” with the finger, but it turns out the finger isn’t strong enough to shoot without the support of the semi-hard splint. Bryant noticed a lot of his shots in Portland — where he shot 14 for 37 from the field in defeat — coming up short without that support. “It’s just not strong enough,” Bryant said of the finger, which he said he will now keep splinted again. One other issue, mentioned by Phil Jackson, besides the avulsion fracture in the top knuckle (part of the bone got pulled off) is that Bryant’s critical middle knuckle on that finger is now very sore. That is largely offsetting whatever healing has occurred in the top knuckle since the injury happened a month ago. Orange County Register

Pau Gasol had to stop running on a treadmill Saturday because he felt pain in his strained left hamstring, the Lakers forward-center said Sunday. "There was soreness after a while," he said. "It was the first day that I tried the treadmill. We stopped because of the soreness. Today we're going to try it again and see how it goes." Gasol is expected to work out before the Lakers' game tonight against the Milwaukee Bucks. Gasol will be sidelined for the game, his fourth consecutive missed game because of the hamstring. "I can feel the pulling," Gasol said. "If the pain is there and it increases when you do activity, then you're not in a good place. It's the wrong place to be." Los Angeles Times

Michael Redd had the worst of it, having to be helped back to the locker room in the second quarter with what the Bucks called a sore left knee. Watching him limp to the tunnel with his arm around a teammate and an athletic trainer, it looked more than sore. And any injury to that knee has to raise concern after he tore the anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments in his left knee last January, finishing his season. Redd is scheduled to take an MRI exam on Monday. "I felt a pop," he said in describing the injury. "The replay, they said my leg buckled. It doesn't feel as it did last year, as far as the ACL. So I'm grateful for that. We'll just see [Monday]." ESPN.com

For Redd it's just another in a series of frustrations. This season he had yet to regain his form that made him an All-Star and Olympian, and his average of 12.6 points per game is on track to be his first time under 21 points since 2002-03. "I don't understand it," Redd said. "You go from one high of being in the Olympics, being at the pinnacle. And then a few months later you have the ACL. And then you work so hard all summer long to get back, and then this happens again. It's all mental right now for me." ESPN.com

Sloan said he recommended Korver push the knee as hard as possible -- to the breaking point, even -- in the hopes of regaining strength and confidence. "That's what [Michael] Jordan did when he got hurt," Sloan said. "He went out and he told them, he said, 'I'm going to see if I can break it.' And if it holds up, then you're ready to go." Salt Lake Tribune

But his Bulls superiors simply haven’t backed him. They’ve actually done more to undermine him, which has surprised even Del Negro's critics after the team publicly acknowledged Del Negro's lack of experience when it hired him and made it sound as though they'd work through the growing pains together. ESPN.com

Whatever shortcomings you wish to cite, Del Negro certainly deserved better after Chicago’s second-half surge last season and its epic seven-game series with Boston. That’s especially true when you hear sources close to the situation saying that Del Negro had assurances going into the season that Bulls front-office chiefs John Paxson and Gar Forman concurred with Del Negro’s assessment that the team would take a dip this season after letting Ben Gordon go in free agency. ESPN.com

The mutually agreed plan called for Chicago to sit out free agency last summer and allow Gordon to join the Detroit Pistons to preserve salary-cap space to pursue a marquee name in the summer of 2010. Yet sources say that Del Negro has since been getting some heat internally for a supposed failure to develop the Bulls’ young players, even though Derrick Rose is the reigning Rookie of the Year and Joakim Noah has emerged as a legit Most Improved Player award candidate. ESPN.com

Another source says that early season defensive struggles also hurt Del Negro, because of the local whispers that Bulls chairman Jerry Reinsdorf's concerns about defense – as opposed to Reinsdorf's own lack of decisiveness and reluctance to pay top coaching dollars – are why Chicago moved so slowly on Mike D’Antoni and ultimately squandered the opportunity to trump New York in the D’Antoni Sweepstakes. But take a look at the league’s stats on D. ESPN.com

Amid the various player-related rumbles in circulation last week during my stay in Boise, Idaho, for the NBA’s annual D-League Showcase, I heard a fair bit of sympathy for Del Negro, too. “They’ve hung a good man out to dry,” said one rival team official. A veteran player agent in Boise added: “The Bulls were overhyped [after last season’s playoff run] and lost their second-best player. What could anyone expect?” ESPN.com

Allen, who said he was just back from a vacation, was at Sunday night’s game against the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Rose Garden and was interviewed briefly, as he walked out of the arena after the game. He is fighting non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, more than a quarter-century after beating Hodgkin’s disease. Given what he’s dealing with, the owner of the Portland Trail Blazers seemed very upbeat. He said the chemotherapy treatments are “going well” and that he begins another round of them Monday. He said at this point he’s “two-thirds of the way through” the prescribed chemo treatment. Dwight Jaynes

Allen was escorted from an office outside the Blazers locker room down the corridor to the loading dock by his security staff. He traveled with Bert Kolde, a college chess buddy, and (apologies to Andre Miller) the reigning "main man" at Vulcan Inc. Also --- and I am not making this up --- they had a tall blonde woman with them who wore a fur hat and had a miniature dog on a leash beside her. And the entourage slipped into a waiting black Yukon SUV with tinted windows. Oregonian

It is well-known that LeBron James is one of Nike's faces and he's well displayed at the headquarters. The Cavs have another top- level endorser in Shaquille O'Neal, who has been Li Ning's most well-known endorser for the last four years. O'Neal's size 23 shoes are made by the Chinese company and he's featured at the store. Li is a legendary Chinese athlete who reached worldwide fame when he lit the Olympic torch after soaring through mid-air at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. His company is aiming to be a worldwide brand like Nike and Adidas. "It is a good shoe, one of the best I've ever worn," said O'Neal, who has had deals with Reebok and L.A. Gear in the past. "They sold more than 10 million of them last year in China and we're still growing." Cleveland Plain Dealer

Charles Barkley hosted "Saturday Night Live" on Saturday for the first time since he was the Suns' reigning MVP. That meant a shout-out for Dan Majerle, a favorite ex-teammate and fellow Suns Ring of Honor member. In a skit with Barkley as a game analyst and Andy Samberg playing a kid joining the booth, Samberg made unrelated references, including, "Thunder Dan is en fuego!" "Why you talking about Dan Majerle?" Barkley said. "That guy ain't played in 20 years. How do you even know who he is?" Barkley likely influenced the script to include Majerle, who retired in 1995. "Charles is good that way," Majerle said. "I've given him enough free burgers and beer (at Majerle's Sports Grill) to get some payback." Arizona Republic

Former NBA star Jayson Williams is expected to plead guilty this morning in a deal that will mean 18 months in jail for the 2002 death of a limousine driver, according to a person close to the case. Williams, 41, was already scheduled to appear today before Superior Court Judge Edward Coleman in Somerville to learn whether the judge would allow his lawyers to withdraw from the case. Newark Star-Ledger

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