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Thursday, January 14

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Wizards guard Gilbert Arenas was charged Thursday with felony gun possession, a crime that carries a maximum five years in jail and a fine, authorities said. The charge was filed Thursday afternoon by the U.S. Attorney's office for the District. Arenas's attorney and prosecutors had been negotiating a plea deal during the day and it was not immediately clear whether the filing of charges was a part of the deal. Court officials said they had been told to prepare to have Arenas in Superior Court on Friday. Washington Post

Chris Mannix: Gilbert Arenas has been charged with felony gun possession. Twitter.com

The Washington Wizards just issued the following statement: "We are aware of the charge filed against Gilbert Arenas today and will continue to follow the ongoing legal process very carefully. We will also continue to cooperate fully with the proper authorities and the NBA. Beyond our previous statements on this serious and unfortunate matter, will have no further comment at this time." Washington Post

D.C. and Arlington police searched the home of Washington Wizard Javaris Crittenton Thursday morning looking for a gun he reportedly used in a locker room confrontation with teammate Gilbert Arenas, according to court papers and sources familiar with the investigation. Police did not find the gun at his Arlington home in the 7:15 a.m. search, Crittenton's lawyer and the court papers said. Washington Post

Reached through e-mail, Crittenton's lawyer, Peter White, said he was not available to talk, but offered this statement: "I can confirm that a search warrant was executed on Mr. Crittenton's apartment today, that Mr. Crittenton cooperated with the officers conducting the search, and that no evidence was found or seized by police." The police affidavit in support of the warrant was sealed Wednesday by an Arlington judge at the request of investigators, said Theophani Stamos, Arlington's Chief Deputy Commonwealth's Attorney. Washington Post

Sources familiar with the investigation say even though some people within the Wizards locker room have told investigators Crittendon pulled out his own weapon and chambered a round -- others have disagreed. Crittendon says he has done nothing wrong and that the investigation will clear him of any wrongdoing. WTOP.com

The Magic's current skid of six losses in 10 games has not put coach Stan Van Gundy's job in jeopardy. League sources said Van Gundy is on solid ground. The same cannot be said about most of the roster. An NBA source described Orlando GM Otis Smith as "active" in trade talks and said the Magic could look to reshape their roster before the Feb. 18 trade deadline. SI.com

Sources said it will take a lot more than a player like Jefferson, who is averaging just below 18 points per game so far this season, to get Bird to part with Granger. Jefferson has three years and $42 million left on his contract after this season. Granger isn’t the only Pacers player getting interest as the trade deadline approaches. Indianapolis Business Journal

The Cleveland Cavaliers are looking to add a power forward with shooting range to its roster, and Pacers’ Troy Murphy has caught the Cavs' attention. Cleveland also is hot for Washington’s Antawn Jamison. Sources close to Murphy said the Notre Dame graduate would welcome the trade to the playoff contending Cavs. And why not? Who would pass on the opportunity to play alongside LeBron James, even if it’s only for one season. Indianapolis Business Journal

Ross Siler: The Jazz plan to sign Sundiata Gaines to a second 10-day contract tomorrow. After that, they have to decide about signing for rest of season. Twitter.com

Ross Siler: Jazz have not ruled out that possibility but they also might want to audition another point guard. Twitter.com

And while the roster is bad -- OK, really bad -- it doesn't require plastic surgery to be molded into a winner. Harris and Lopez already occupy the two toughest positions to fill, and Thorn installed Kiki Vandeweghe as Frank's temporary successor with a mandate to see if any of the young talent (specifically Yi) is good enough to be part of the team's future. Factor in a high draft pick like Kentucky's John Wall -- who could either team with Harris in the backcourt or turn the 26-year-old Harris into a trade chip -- and another first-rounder (the Nets have Dallas' pick from the Kidd deal), and answer this: How many payroll-slashing teams look that much better? Even as the Nets sink deeper into basketball oblivion, with a swoop of a pen (which Prokhorov will use to buy 80 percent of the team) and the flip of a draft-lottery envelope (which ideally for the Nets yields the right to select Wall), New Jersey could be back in business. "Free agents look at, in no particular order, the team, the contract and the prospects," Thorn said. "We feel we can be a good fit." SI.com

Larry Brown on the likelihood of making another trade this season: "Everybody is posturing themselves right now as the All-Star break (comes up and teams network). People are maybe not being real fair in what they want. I think when the (deadline) comes, you'll see some things (loosen up) around the league and hopefully we can improve.'' What's improved of late? "From a coaching aspect, I think we're doing a better job of figuring out how to utilize Boris (Diaw), now that we've got Stephen (Jackson). I think (Diaw's) play has gotten a lot better. Charlotte Observer

The comment was regarding a question about the Bulls’ pursuit of free agents next summer. The team is hoping to have around $20 million to spend and Reinsdorf seems to have learned something from the failed free-agent chase of 2000. “We certainly want to have cap room to be a player in the free-agent market. But you’re not going to attract free agent players to a bad team,” he said. “So I think it’s important for us to have as good a year as we possibly could have. No matter who you bring in, if you surround him with bad players, even if you convince him to come in, he’s not going to take you where you need to be.” Arlington Heights Daily Herald

As I've mentioned many times, the Bulls' dream is to sign James, Wade or Johnson, and trade for Bosh, Boozer or another power forward. “I haven’t the slightest idea (if the Bulls will get anyone) because we don’t tamper, we follow the rules,” Reinsdorf said. “So you don’t know. We’re not talking to anybody’s agent surreptitiously. We’re not talking to any of the players surreptitiously, so I don’t know what any of these players think about us. “But when July 1 comes, we’re going to be out there doing our best to get one or two of the quality players. It’s also possible that we’ll make some trades and then take ourselves out of that market. I don’t know what Gar Forman and John Paxson are going to do.” Arlington Heights Daily Herald

Now that Detroit's record is among the worst in the league, the team's president of basketball operations sounds like he's ready to make more moves over the next month. "We will not be averse to being active before the trading deadline,'' Dumars said Thursday in an interview with The Associated Press. "But we're definitely not going to be active just to be active. At this stage, it has to make sense for us going forward. We're not looking for a short-term fix.'' One player could not cure all the Pistons' problems, even if he was a desperately needed point guard or a low-post scorer. "We are not a finished product,'' Dumars said. "We have some holes to fill and we will go about doing that.'' AP

Andrea Bargnani is no replacement for Chris Bosh. Instead, he is 7 feet of potential insurance that enables the Toronto Raptors to maintain hope should Bosh leave this summer as a free agent, if not next month in an unlikely midseason trade. "The kid is taking strides in the right direction," Raptors president Bryan Colangelo said. "But he needs to get to the point where he's 20 [points] and 10 [rebounds]. That's the complete product. Now, is it going to be 23 and 8, 24 and 7, whatever? He's far from complete, but he's proven he belongs here." SI.com

Many rival team executives are predicting that Bosh will move to Miami or another contender because the Raptors are a game under .500 with a capped-out roster. But it's also fair to speculate that the ever-aggressive Colangelo may seek to balance his rotation after overhauling it last summer. One potential move would be to trade point guard Jose Calderon (making a reasonable $8.2 million with three years remaining) in order to put the ball in the hands of Hedo Turkoglu, which would make better sense of Toronto's $53 million offseason investment in him. Could that kind of deadline deal improve the Raptors over the second half and persuade Bosh to stay? If Bosh decides he is going to leave Toronto, then the next option would be to pursue sign-and-trades for him while anticipating a larger role for Bargnani. Since the second half of last season, Bargnani has been improving a low-post game that was nonexistent when he was drafted out of Benetton Treviso of the Italian league. SI.com

Do veterans like himself get what is going on? Do they understand why the Nets have been deconstructed? Yes, Harris said, he does. But then he said that the Nets still need to find a way to win some games now, rather than wait for a hero to arrive next season. "The plan is what it is," he said. "We're obviously moving forward with it and looking forward to the summer as far as the draft picks and free agency. But I think we can still can help ourselves by stringing some games together where we play well and end the season on a good note. I think that's the main focus, more important that the transactions that we're doing." New York Daily News

Art Garcia: Coby Karl signs w/ #NBADLeague Idaho Stampede. Boise State-ex knows his way around town. Twitter.com

Art Garcia: #Spurs assign Malik Hairston to #NBDLeague Austin. He averaged 25 ppg in 2 games for Toros earlier this season. Twitter.com

Allen Iverson on how close he was calling it quits on his basketball career: “Oh I was there. I was at that point and I was kind of frustrated. It didn’t have so much to do with me, as far as my wife and my kids, not knowing where we were going to be living. Not knowing where they were going to be going to school and I think it was harder on them than it was on me. I was kind of used to the situation that I was getting accustomed to waking up every morning and not knowing but it was frustrating me because my family was going through it. Once I decided to retire, I actually felt good. I was working on trying to get fat. I was able to be around my wife and kids whenever I wanted to. I was a 24/7 Dad.” On him trying to get fat: “Usually I am always active and trying to stay in shape and have my body right. At that point I was just laying around. That is why I am dealing with this injury right now.” Sports Radio Interviews

Chris Tomasson: Dwight Howard definitely will not be in the slam-dunk contest during All-Star Weekend. Twitter.com

Midway through his first season in Toronto, Hedo Turkoglu hasn’t really been lights out in terms of numbers or his comfort level. In fact, his average points is at its lowest it has been since the 03-04 season at 13.1. Turkoglu says through the second half of the season, perhaps having more of an aggressive state of mind might go a long way. “All I have to is keep myself ready and try to be more aggressive and try to get myself more out from the get-go” says Turkoglu. “Hopefully they will stretch me out throughout the game and hopefully I will feel much better.” The Rap

As for now, the Bucks are trying to climb back to .500 and retain the measure of respectability they worked hard to earn in November. They will lean on Bogut, a former No. 1 overall pick who apparently has settled into a comfort zone; the Bucks can expect roughly 15 points and 10 rebounds and perhaps some decent interior defense from him a night. But aside from Jennings, nobody else on the roster scares anybody. There's not another big threat, at least offensively. The Bucks are mainly a blue-collar, hard-working team without any real star appeal, which is why it's so important for Jennings to flash signs of being that player. "My main goal is getting my teammates involved and be a true point guard," Jennings said. "I'm a better passer than I am a scorer, which is great, because I love to pass. But whatever helps us win games." NBA.com

The fear is Jennings could break down from the burden. Maybe he already is. After a breakout November and his epic 55-point game against the Warriors, Jennings followed with a December where he shot 37 percent, and a January where, so far, he's shooting 25 percent and averaging 10 points. This is to be expected. After all, he's barely out of his teens. He's not strong physically. He's still learning how to use his right hand (he's left-handed). He's learning. It's probably unfair to lean on him too heavily, but at least for scoring, the Bucks really don't have any choice. Ricky Pierce is not coming off that bench. "For us, we need him to score some," Skiles said. "We want him to score. He's in a tough spot, trying to balance everything. It's much easier for a young point guard to come in and just be a point guard who goes out there and moves the ball around than it is for a guy to bring balance when he's just 20 years old." Jennings is fortunate in one respect. He plays for a former point guard. Skiles has been there and done that already. He's getting a good education in being an NBA point guard from someone who knows, which makes the transition from high school (via Europe) to the bigs a lot smoother if not simpler. "He's good to have around, easy to relate to," Jennings said. "He's been through it already." NBA.com

Whether it works is another matter. Two or three years ago, coach Mike Woodson developed what the team calls "the Nash rule" to dictate how it would defend the two-time MVP on the pick-and-roll. "He dissected people off the pick-and-roll," Woodson said Thursday. "Nobody knew how to play him, and people still don't know how to play him. We struggle to play him because he's so good at it." Woodson wouldn't divulge the specifics of it, but said that the team now uses the Nash rule against "anybody that's a pick-and-roll player." It hasn't worked so well against Nash. In five games against the Hawks in the past three seasons, Nash has averaged 19.0 points and 10.6 assists, and Phoenix has gone 4-1 in those games. He also has averaged 4.4 turnovers, a little less than a turnover more than his overall average for the past three seasons. Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Chauncey Billups on the importance of home court advantage: “Right. And as we seen last season during our run, the biggest thing that we had going was our building was incredible, home court was incredible for us. We didn’t lose a series until we didn’t have home court. We went up there and we stole home court back, but when we have our home court, you see how we play at home. Sometimes it’s disappointing that everybody doesn’t understand the importance of a Minnesota Timberwolves game, or a Sacramento Kings game or a Memphis Grizzlies game or a Clippers game, when they were struggling. They don’t know the importance of those games and they just feel like we can win them in the fourth quarter. That fourth quarter, the other team has confidence and now it’s a dogfight.” Sports Radio Interviews

Billups on the impact of Ty Lawson: “I knew it early. I knew it early in the preseason. Cause he has a gear that nobody else on the team has. And really there are not very many players in the league that have the gear that he has. When you have the ability to do that and you can play with the poise that he has, it’s a difference maker. I think that when guys are out there playing with him they should be trying to get down the court as fast as possible because he’s going to get the ball and push it. He’s a pass first point guard and he’s always looking to make the right play. I knew very early on with his demeanor and his willingness to study the game and listen and pay attention to small details that he was going to be an asset to us.” Sports Radio Interviews

The Pacers trailed by 24 in the second quarter and 16 to start the second half but Dunleavy scored the team's first 11 points of the third quarter, including a pair of 3-pointers and a three-shot foul, sparking a 16-6 run that cut the lead to 77-70 and gave life to the rally. "It was heaven-sent because at that time my shot wasn't really going and Mike came in, hit two or three threes, got some layups, some putbacks and he kept us going," said Danny Granger, who picked up where Dunleavy left off in the fourth quarter. "Then I got it going toward the fourth, so it was great for us." Dunleavy isn't ready to make any bold "I'm back" pronouncements. For one thing, that's not his style. For another, he's been through too many ups, and even more downs, in this comeback process to make assumptions. "Honestly, the shots I made didn't feel any better than the ones I've been missing, so I just continue to shoot," he said. "They'll either go in or they won't and I'll come back next night and do the same thing, take the same approach." At worst, his big night was a significant signpost on his long road back. NBA.com

After the Celtics beating, you said they have a "better system." What did you mean? Chris Douglas-Roberts: "The Celtics are a veteran team. They have a great coach and he’s been coaching. We have a fairly new coach, a fairly new system. So it doesn’t even compare. The Celtics and the Nets, we just don’t compare, in all honesty. You can’t compare the two. They have four all-stars and they’ve all been playing with each other and they all really know how to play with each other. Everything is fairly new to us." New York Daily News

You used to seem angrier than you have been lately. Have you accepted that your team stinks? Chris Douglas-Roberts: "Early in the year I had a constant headache. It was real stressful. It just wasn’t a good way for me to be. I was taking my anger out on people that didn’t deserve it. And I have to realize that even though this is my life - this means the most to me - I can’t be that way. So now, I live by just control what you can control." New York Daily News

In fact, Vandeweghe seemed annoyed earlier when told of some of CDR's comments. Just a hunch. When told that Douglas-Roberts has been hinting that certain players are being developed more than others - like Yi Jianlian and Brook Lopez, but especially Yi - Vandeweghe had this to say: "Let me just say this: There has to be more of a commitment to develop defensively. We’ll leave it at that." Kiki went on to say more. But whenever a guy includes a "We'll leave it at that," you can usually assume there's more there than he's letting on. New York Daily News

Chris Douglas-Roberts: Well today, I had a meeting with our head coach. Ummmm…the media is trying to make me look like a jerk. Let me tell y’all why… Earlier in the year,every loss would make me really upset.I was walking around w/a stress headache daily.Fa real.I was taking my anger out.. On people that didn’t deserve it & I was burning bridges w/people b/c of what was going on in my career.I realized about month ago that… Being that way wasn’t healthy for me or the people I cared about.So now, I’m more relaxed in interviews & not as “a matter of fact”.So nowww. Nets Daily

Chris Douglas-Roberts: That we’re continuously losing & playing horrible,the media is looking for a negative story. They’ve been coming to me asking over & over… Again “why have your SHOTS gone down? Why are your stats going down?” Wanting me to say some negative stuff to make our situation worse…. So since I’m NOT giving them anything, now they’re saying I’m “insinuating” & they’re writing things that they “think” I meant to say.Hahaaa All my interviews are honest & straight to the point. Not once have I complained about shots or anything else. I am upset though. But I’m upset about the way we’re playing & the fact that we’re losing. Me saying “I’m playing within the system” means exactly that!! So for all you Nets “fans” who make a judgement based upon what you read need to stop doing that. It’s stupid to do. Nets Daily

Ross Siler: Andrei Kirilenko was asked if he'd pay his own money to watch LeBron James and said he'd rather watch soccer instead. Twitter.com

"I’m ready to play,” Gasol said. “It sucks to be out, watching and not playing. … But now I’m ready to be a part of it again.” Orange County Register

Because Gasol and the team’s primary goal is to have everyone healthy from a big picture perspective going forward in the season, they proceeded cautiously with his hamstring, which has allowed him to heal fully instead of risking further injury by jumping the gun with a too-early return. “I trust that I can be out there playing at my best right now without any danger,” Gasol explained. “There’s no concern. I’m going out there with a lot of confidence.” “We’re hopeful that he’ll be fine after this work out,” added Phil Jackson. “He’ll be good. He was active, did some things that were real nice out there.” When first asked how Gasol looked, Jackson quipped that “He’s a handsome Spaniard,” before concluding that there will be a final status check prior to tomorrow’s game. “It hinges on how he feels tomorrow,” said Jackson. Lakers.com

Jackson has a profound respect for what Bryant can do, countering pointedly when it was suggested recently that Pau Gasol "knows his body" to sense he needs rest now while Bryant forges on. Jackson said there's a faulty insinuation in there that Bryant doesn't know his body. As Jackson well understands, Bryant knows his body far better than Gasol knows his. Now that he has been pain free for days, Gasol should be able to suit up and at least "orchestrate," to use Bryant's term for guiding teammates, when going half-speed. Instead, it was only Bryant orchestrating in the Lakers' meaning-filled victory Wednesday night. The lone conductor controlled tempo for teammates and for himself. Orange County Register

Jackson said Wednesday that as long as Bryant isn't hurting the team and isn't hurting himself to the point that "it could affect him for five-to-10 games later on," there's no way he'd consider sitting Bryant. If there can be less way than no way, that's where Bryant stands on sitting out. He has not missed a game with injury or illness in more than three years. That streak might just rank as personal point of pride No. 3 after daughters Natalia and Gianna. While he rested his back late Tuesday night in San Antonio, Bryant mind was racing to figure out how to play Wednesday night in Dallas – the primary answer being to tell his massage therapist for more than a decade to catch a flight out of Santa Monica and meet him to begin hours of deep-tissue work as soon as he landed at 5 a.m. "I just tried to do everything to get ready," Bryant said, also crediting Lakers trainers Gary Vitti and Alex McKechnie. Orange County Register

When I later told Bryant what Odom had said and wondered if Bryant's sore back had actually helped Odom and Artest register what they can do, Bryant replied with surprising animation at the end of such a long day. Said Bryant: "I thought, 'It's about (expletive) time. It's about time. What the (heck) you guys waiting for? Don't sit around and wait for me to bail your (butts) out all the time. Get going – because it makes us a better team. Don't worry about me. You've got to be aggressive.' " Orange County Register

In a news conference at the Clippers' training facility in Playa Vista, Griffin said he was "obviously disappointed" but that "it’s better to take care of it now and not have to deal with it in the future.” "This has been a possibility in the back of my mind that it might have to happen," he said of surgery, "so it made it a little bit easier to process and transition to actually having to make this decision. It’s frustrating but at the same time this is the best choice for me.” Griffin, the NBA's No. 1 draft pick, said he began noticing that the knee was aggravated during drills toward the end of last week. "It's not nearly the pain that I had when it first happened," he said. But it was "one of those things where I wouldn’t be able to have full strength, I’d be playing at 75% for the rest of the season," Griffin said. "I’d much rather get this done now and be able to play 100% at the beginning of next season." Los Angeles Times

"I'd been cleared that day to take it a step further," Griffin said. "I felt it a little bit, and I could just tell from doing specific stuff that I wouldn't be able to be 100 percent." At the time of the initial diagnosis of a broken kneecap, Griffin had two choices: surgery or the extensive treatment regimen he's followed over the past 12 weeks. "Letting it heal would be the quicker option, so obviously we had to give that a try," he said. "That was the prognosis of multiple doctors." As faithful as Griffin was to the rehabilitation process, his kneecap was never able to recover fully from the treatment, leaving season-ending surgery as the last resort. "This isn't how I planned for my first year to go," Griffin said. As difficult as the decision has been, Griffin noted that shutting it down for the season ends the waiting game, which was almost as excruciating as the rehab. "It relieves any expectations for this season," Griffin said. "Now I'm looking forward to next season." ESPN.com

“I’m actually hoping, and saying my prayers, that I can come back before the end of this season,” says Oden, who underwent surgery on Dec. 7 to repair a fractured left patella. What do the Blazers’ medical experts, including team doctor Don Roberts and trainer Jay Jensen, have to say about that? “They haven’t dismissed the idea,” Oden says. General Manager Kevin Pritchard confirms Oden’s version. “It’s possible, but you know, we’ll play this by ear, and we’ll be very cautious,” Pritchard says. “We’re not going to push. We’ll let it happen naturally and follow what the doctor orders.” Oden’s knee is braced to keep him from bending it. He has just moved from walking with crutches to using a cane. “It’s not too sturdy,” he says. “I’m trying to find like a walking stick. That’ll be good.” Medical experts told Oden it would take six weeks for the fracture to heal. “We’re into the fifth week,” he says. “Another week and I can get back into the weight room.” Portland Tribune

Trail Blazers All-Star Brandon Roy underwent an magnetic resonance imaging test on his balky right hamstring Thursday morning and has been diagnosed with a strain. Roy, who aggravated his hamstring during the Blazers' 120-108 win over the Milwaukee Bucks Wednesday night, skipped Thursday's practice and is listed as questionable for tomorrow's game against the Orlando Magic at the Rose Garden. "It's a little sore, a little tight," McMillan said of Roy's hamstring. "We'll look at that tomorrow." Oregonian

Jim Taylor: MRI confirms Portland G Brandon Roy has a right hamstring strain. He is listed as questionable for Fridays game vs. Orlando. Twitter.com

Celtics guard Marquis Daniels says he was told by team trainer Ed Lacerte today that he can expect the cast on his left hand to be removed in about a week. The Celtics still don't ecpect Daniels to return to game action until after the All-Star break (Feb. 14). "You never know, maybe it could get better [sooner]," said Daniels. Boston Globe

Eric Pincus: saw kareem rush on crutches still at the clipper practice facility. Twitter.com

Since that time speculation has run rampant about Karl's future in the Mile High City. Negotiations have continued throughout the season and Karl has been offered an extension according to multiple sources close to the situation. At issue is the amount of money the Nuggets are willing to offer and the amount of money Karl believes is fair. Sources close to the team said that Karl hasn't been given a low-ball offer, but they also said that he hasn't been offered the kind of money that would make him one of the top-five in terms of coaches salary. When asked about a possible extension Karl said: "There's nothing I can say. I don't have an answer. I know there has not been much communication over the last three or four weeks." HoopsWorld

Another confound is the possibility of a lockout after the 2010-11 season. Karl's camp would like a long-term guaranteed deal that stretches beyond the timeframe of a potential lockout, which is understandable. However, depending on how the new collective bargaining agreement shakes out, there might actually be more money available for Karl after the summer of 2011. For this scenario to come to fruition, though, Karl would have to be willing to take just a one-year extension beyond this year. As of right now, it doesn't seem like something Karl's camp is prepared to do. Karl certainly has some ammunition he can bring with him to the negotiating table considering the team is coming off a Western Conference Finals appearance last season. In addition, he's creeping ever closer to 1000 wins for his career. HoopsWorld

When asked if he wants to return to Denver, Karl replied: "Yes, very much so." The feeling is mutual. Multiple sources close to the team were emphatic in saying they want Karl back. The question is whether or not the two sides can close the financial gap. This is a question no one has an answer to as of this writing. The reality of the situation is that George Karl is as close to becoming a free agent as he ever has been since he became the head coach of the Nuggets back in early 2005. However, it should be noted that this isn't a situation, according to multiple informed sources, where either side has burned any bridges such that a return is impossible or even unlikely. HoopsWorld

Chris Tomasson: Nuggets coach George Karl said he hasn't yet established drop-dead date when he thinks contract talks would need to be stopped for Karl to fully focus on the rest of this season. Karl earlier had thought around the start of 2010 would be drop-dead date. Twitter.com

Chris Tomasson: Contract negotiations remain at a stalemate. Nuggets have offered a three-year, $11.25 million deal but third year not guaranteed. Twitter.com

Chris Tomasson: ...Karl is seeking a few more million dollars and would like the third year to be guaranteed. Twitter.com

Even if Detroit fails to make the playoffs for the first time since 2001, don't expect one of Dumars' changes to involve Kuester after firing Michael Curry following only one season. "I think John has done a good job, given all the adjustments he's had to make with an unprecedented amount of injuries,'' Dumars said. "He's incorporated rookies and free agents in what we knew was going to be a transition year. "We were so easily identifiable for so long, but that only after we built our core up at the beginning of the great run we just finished. When you're building, it's hard to have an identity.'' AP

Larry Brown's long-term future in Charlotte -- he has one year remaining on his contract after this season -- is tied to Michael Jordan's. The Bobcats are expected to be sold sometime before the start of next season, and a new owner could elect to replace Jordan, the team's top basketball executive. If that happens, don't expect Brown to stick around much longer. SI.com

Details of seven proposals for a new arena and entertainment complex in Sacramento will be unveiled for public view at 5 p.m. today at City Hall. That unveiling will be followed by a separate press conference to be held by the NBA to discuss its involvement in one of the proposals. That proposal, by developers Gerry Kamilos and David Taylor, involves building an arena on city-owned land next to the downtown train depot. NBA officials acknowledged they have been involved with the proposal, but declined this morning to describe that involvement. "We'll be talking about our role at the press conference," spokeswoman Karen Skelton said. Sacramento Bee

The NBA's quick reversal on the Cal Expo project is surprising. Just last February, NBA consultant John Moag unveiled a plan to turn California's state exposition grounds in Sacramento into a combo office-retail-entertainment complex. But the plan was seen as overly aggressive given the state of Sacramento's business economy (worse than almost anywhere in the country) and the parties involved (namely, the state). By September, Johnson was badmouthing the plan. Within six weeks, he set into motion a plan to get the community to come up with better ideas. Today's unveiling of the NBA's cooperation with a developer to give downtown another go is the next step in Johnson taking over the issue. Will the plan fly? It depends on where the money comes from. No one expects the Maloofs to contribute much, and public funding will likely be limited to land and tax breaks. Bonds? Fees for area developers? A hotel tax? We'll see. Don't expect answers on that until the last minute. For now, the NBA will work on getting everyone excited for this plan, just as it did the other plan nine months ago. FanHouse

During an interview on Comcast SportsNet, chairman Jerry Reinsdorf suggested the Bulls should be in the playoffs this year. “I think we have built a roster where the core is pretty good,” Reinsdorf said. “I really think this team certainly ought to be in the playoffs this year and if you add one really outstanding player to it, I think we can go all the way.” Arlington Heights Daily Herald

The Chicago Bulls announced today they will assist UNICEF with their on-going relief efforts from Monday’s devastating earthquake in Haiti. During Friday’s game versus the Washington Wizards, the Bulls will donate all net proceeds from the 50/50 Raffle ticket sales and in-arena auctions to UNICEF in support of rescue and relief efforts. Additionally, the team will match every dollar that is raised. Throughout the game, the Bulls will run scoreboard messages, radio, television and public address announcements encouraging fans to assist by texting “HAITI” to “90999” to make a $10 donation to the Red Cross to help with relief efforts. The donation will be charged to the donor’s cell phone bill. In response to the disaster, the Bulls will also hold an emergency relief drive on Tuesday, February 2 to help provide important bare essentials to Haiti. Prior to the tip-off of the Bulls’ home game against the Los Angeles Clippers, fans are encouraged to drop off items at any of the United Center admission gates. NBA.com

The Utah Jazz is joining forces with the NBA and UNICEF to bring attention and much needed emergency assistance to the victims of the earthquake-ravaged Caribbean nation of Haiti. Prior to tonight’s game vs. Cleveland and again before Saturday’s game vs. Milwaukee, Jazz dancers and staff will be at all entrances to EnergySolutions Arena to collect monetary donations to aid the victims in Haiti. Donations can also be made to UNICEF (HERE) or by calling 1-800-4UNICEF. The Jazz will also participate from 5-6:30 p.m. MT on Friday in a telethon that will be held on 2News (KUTV-TV). “Jazz fans are known for their strong sense of loyalty and generosity, and in this time of great need for the people of Haiti, we are asking them to help the Jazz and UNICEF provide assistance and relief to the victims of this tragedy,” said Utah Jazz President Randy Rigby. NBA.com

Martin Frank: Dalembert donating $100,000 to help relief effort in Haiti. He's also matching amount donated by fans at UNICEF table at Sixers game Friday. Twitter.com

Someone with more time than I went ahead and tallied up how many people either follow @Teamname or are fans of the team on facebook and the Los Angeles Lakers came out on top by a substantial margin. The Lakers have ~1.5 million followers on twitter, first place by half of a million. They are followed by the Orlando Magic at just under 1 million followers. The third place team barely has 30,000 followers. Yes, you read that right- the Lakers have more followers than all the other NBA teams COMBINED (or very close to it). With regards to facebook, the Lakers again lead all NBA teams with 650,000 fans. Second place is some team in Boston with 480,000 while most teams have less than 50,000. Lake Show Life

In the table below the 30 NBA teams are ranked by total followers/fans on their official Twitter accounts and Facebook pages. I realize these figures change quickly, but the snapshot is useful for comparison. Adam Sherk

The mother of Hall of Fame basketball star Isiah Thomas has died. Lisa Parro of Adventist Hinsdale Hospital in suburban Chicago says 86-year-old Mary Thomas died Wednesday morning. She did not provide any details. In November, Mary Thomas was admitted to the hospital. On the same day her son made his debut as coach of Florida International, she underwent surgery. AP

Prosecutors and attorneys for Washington Wizards guard Gilbert Arenas were in plea negotiations this week that could have Arenas in court on gun charges as soon as Thursday, according to law enforcement sources. Washington Post

The two sources, speaking on condition of anonymity because the talks are ongoing, stressed that the negotiations could collapse. In addition, no cases involving Arenas had been docketed in Superior Court by late Wednesday night. If the plea talks are not successful, a Superior Court grand jury would continue to hear evidence in the case. Washington Post

The sources said it was unclear whether the plea agreement would set Arenas's punishment as probation, community service, a fine or some combination. But the negotiations would ensure that Arenas would not go to jail, one of the sources said. If the grand jury were to charge Arenas, he likely would face charges of carrying a handgun without a license, which is a felony and punishable by up to five years behind bars. Because he has said he had four guns in the Verizon Center locker room, he could face up to 20 years in jail. Washington Post

An NBA official, on condition of anonymity, said league investigators met with many of the team's players this week. Union attorneys, including Billy Hunter, the head of the players' union, sat in on the interviews. The official added the NBA wants to conclude its investigation, which could result in further penalties to Arenas and some of his teammates, in the next week. While at least three players testified to league officials they witnessed Crittenton chamber a round in his own gun, there are differences in their accounts. That, plus lack of proof that Crittenton took a weapon to the locker room, make it difficult for the NBA to severely punish the reserve guard, the official said. Washington Post

While working on another story at SACA, I spoke to some at the school about Crittenton and what they made of the situation. “The one thing I’ve learned is when you get too much too quickly, and you have not had exposure to it before, it can be damaging to you,” said Geraldine Thompson, the school’s headmistress. “And I think that’s the case.” Orlando Sentinel

Crittenton grew up in a rough area in Atlanta and bounced around public schools before attending SACA, a small K-12 private school with about 80 kids in the high school. “He had a tendency to make decisions, even while he was here, that I didn’t approve of,” the headmistress said. Orlando Sentinel

There were those at the school who didn’t, and some who still don’t, believe Crittenton could be involved in such a dispute. SACA’s head football coach DeMarco Thompson said several times that Crittenton was a smart, polite kid when he was at school and “he got into Georgia Tech.” “I felt like he knew better, so it was disappointing,” DeMarco Thompson said. “A lot of people still feel like he’ll be exonerated.” Orlando Sentinel

Geraldine Thompson remembers Crittenton as a “deep thinker” and a good student once he put his mind to it. His Georgia Tech bio says he left SACA with a 3.5 grade point average. She also remembers him, as a kid who needed help getting there. She said the first time she realized that was during a science fair in the school’s gymnasium. Crittenton arrived late to the fair and stood against the back wall with his head lowered. She went to ask him what was wrong. “I don’t have a good project like the other students,” Geraldine Thompson recalled Crittenton saying. “…Look at all these boards. I didn’t know about all this.” Orlando Sentinel

Arn Tellem: Personally, I abhor guns and the posturing of the National Rifle Association. I'm normally a fierce advocate of player's rights, but when it comes to carrying firearms or bringing them to the workplace, this Dude cannot abide. I'm unsettled by the notion that athletes need guns for protection. If they're concerned about their safety, they should hire licensed security guards. Guns only increase the possibility of violence. Huffington Post

Arn Tellem: The NBA has a zero-tolerance policy on firearms. The league's Collective Bargaining Agreement -- implemented in 2005 -- forbids guns at any NBA venue or event. If I were writing policy, I'd go even farther: Players could own guns for hunting or to defend their homes, but they would not be allowed to pack heat. Violators would draw substantial penalties. I realize that the right to bear arms is guaranteed by the Constitution, but in professional athletics, rights are sometimes limited in deference to a sport's well-being. This issue should be resolved now, while it's still Topic A. Why wait until the CBA expires in 2011? In this era of "teachable moments", there may never be a better time for the league and its players to demonstrate that toting guns is dangerous and reckless and has no place in our society. Huffington Post

Arn Tellem: Arenas brought the wrath of the NBA upon himself. Though some details of his gun story are hazy, no one disputes that his actions and subsequent conduct were inappropriate, insensitive and downright reprehensible. Arenas has done a tremendous disservice to his teammates, fellow NBA players and the Wizards organization. The incident occurred in a pro basketball arena and violated the sanctity of the locker room. Huffington Post

In the last two days, Boozer has been connected to trades scenarios involving Detroit and Dallas. "It doesn't matter to me," he said before practice Wednesday. "If you play in the NBA, there are going to be very few times throughout the course of a season where you aren't going to be [mentioned] in a trade rumor, especially with the deadline coming up. "Me personally, I don't worry about that. I've been in a whole bunch of trade rumors my whole career, especially when I left Cleveland. So for me, I just play. I don't worry about. I don't think about it. I'm just enoying the game right now." Salt Lake Tribune

Vandeweghe reiterated the stance the Nets will continue to look to improve the team but doesn’t want to do anything that cuts into the salary-cap space for this summer. But if something arises that “can short cut the plan” - such as the Nets getting a player like Chris Bosh or Caron Butler - they would. But without mentioning names, Vandeweghe also said, “Typically those types of players don’t get traded easily. So I wouldn’t count on that.” Bergen Record

Having severed ties with washout Sean Williams, New Jersey (whose most tenured player is now Josh Boone) is still trying to peddle Keyon Dooling, who sat out with a sore hip, and Trenton Hassell, hoping to bring back a draft pick or two from a playoff team before this summer when the Nets will drop some $22-24 million below the salary cap (The Nets still own their own first-round pick, but their second-rounder -- likely No. 31 overall -- was traded away to Seattle long ago for Mikki Moore, and Charlotte now holds the rights to that pick.) ESPN.com

One team source said New Jersey's other veterans on expiring contracts, Jarvis Hayes and Bobby Simmons, have zero trade value at this point. ESPN.com

After the Pacers endured two years of unprofessional conduct, the Dallas Mavericks said that they had their reasons for making Williams persona non grata in November 2008 — or after an unspecified incident in Detroit convinced Mark Cuban that his team would be better off without the talented 6-9 forward hanging around anymore. “It was kind of shocking not being able to be in training camp or whatever,” the 23-year-old Memphis product said. “But this is a business. I wouldn’t expect anything to come my way, so I just had to sit out and wait to get called.” Newark Star-Ledger

It is possible we will never know the veracity of the trade rumors that swirled around the Internet and radio airwaves on Tuesday. Did the Spurs really offer Tony Parker to New Orleans in a deal for Chris Paul? Two high-ranking members of the Spurs' front office told the Express-News no such discussions with the Hornets took place -- although, admittedly, team brass has zero incentive to confirm the attempted and failed trade of an All-Star after the fact. San Antonio Express-News

Parker himself had not heard the rumors until a reporter broached the subject before Tuesday's game against the Lakers. He dismissed them as well. So maybe Parker was on trading block, or maybe he wasn't. It is inconsequential now because, A) Parker still works for the Spurs; no trade went through and B) Tuesday's other bombshell -- that Parker is playing with plantar fasciitis in his left foot -- pretty much nuked his immediate trade value anyway. San Antonio Express-News

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A rumor regarding Tracy McGrady received far more airplay than it deserved Tuesday. McGrady is on leave from the Houston Rockets and working out in Chicago with trainer Tim Grover, hoping for a trade. The Bulls have some interest, but only if they can increase their cap space for next summer. McGrady has an expiring contract worth $23 million. Any Houston trade would most likely wait until the Feb. 18 trade deadline with all NBA teams exploring their options in the meantime. There is no chance the Bulls would give up Joakim Noah in such a deal. A more likely package would be John Salmons, Brad Miller and Jerome James for McGrady and some filler. Arlington Heights Daily Herald

One source with knowledge of the Clippers' thinking said Wednesday that knowing now that Griffin is not coming back this season makes it more likely that L.A. keeps Camby for the rest of the season to continue his frontcourt partnership with Chris Kaman and rely on Camby to fill the Griffin void. ESPN.com

The Clips, though, have resisted all trade interest in Camby to date -- most recently from Washington and a potential Caron Butler- for-Camby swap -- in part because they wanted to get a firm read on the timetable for Griffin's comeback as well a look at Griffin and Camby playing together before making such a big decision. So much for the latter luxury. ESPN.com

Clippers' GM and head coach Mike Dunleavy said in an afternoon press conference he did not envision his club seeking a medical exception from the league and did not think his team would explore adding another player to the roster. Dunleavy said while the news was tough for everyone, he was pleased with how his team has been responding as of late and while getting Blake at some point this season was part of the plan, losing him wouldn't impact what's going on now too much. HoopsWorld

Zydrunas Ilgauskas is invigorated. He is no longer talking of retiring. A 13-year veteran, Ilgauskas said he feels better than he usually does at this point in the season and plans to play another year. He's quick to point out that he never said he would retire, just that the thought had crossed his mind. He has been the subject of trade rumors because he has an expiring contract that teams covet and his role has changed significantly, but he feels good. ''I said there's a chance,'' Ilgauskas said. ''When you reach a certain age, there's a [role] injuries and everything else might play. Now I'm healthy, so I'm having fun.'' Akron Beacon Journal

Jerry Stackhouse said reports of him continuing his career in China are false. His goal is a return to the NBA. Stackhouse still believes he can be a valuable player off the bench, and says all the ailments and pains in his feet and knees that slowed him the past couple of seasons have healed. "I have the mind-set that I am going to be ready to try to help somebody," Stackhouse said. "I have been off a year and got my body right. It would be perfect for me to come in and try to win a championship." Detroit News

Nobody is saying for sure, but I'm guessing the Jazz will sign rookie point guard Sundiata Gaines to another 10-day contract by the end of the week. Gaines has gotten a better-than-expected chance to play after joining the Jazz from the D-League because of injuries to Deron Williams and Ronnie Price. Salt Lake Tribune

Juan Dixon is officially a new player of Unicaja Malaga until the end of the season. Former Maryland and NBA player started the season in Greece with Aris but parted ways with the club at the end of 2009. Sportando

As it turned out, New York wasn't all that interested in signing Allen Iverson as a free agent. And Iverson, who had just left Memphis, was simply looking for a team ''that really wanted me.'' ''I was serious about any team that really wanted me, that wanted me to come in and contribute,'' Iverson said after tonight's 93-92 loss to the Knicks. ''Obviously, this situation (with the Sixers) was a lot more serious. ''I would have been happy being with somebody that wanted me there for reasons to help the team. I didn't want anybody to want me to sell tickets or anything like that, to be any type of sideshow. I wanted to help a team win games. This was the best situation for me.'' Philadelphia Daily News

But Devin Harris, who is supposed to be far too mild-mannered to have his point-of-the-lance moment, lost his temper Wednesday night. He didn’t show it publicly — the Nets didn’t show much of anything, other than their timid side in their 111-87 rollover against the Boston Celtics, actually — but he was just cranky enough at halftime to get his teammates’ attention. Again, it may not mean a thing. But this team is 3-35, and very little gets their attention nowadays, so they brought it up for a reason. “Devin was pretty upset,” Chris Douglas-Roberts said. “It wasn’t a speech. It was just letting off some frustration, that’s pretty much it. But it was good to see. That’s the first time I’ve seen him let off some frustration like that. It was good. I’d rather see that.” Newark Star-Ledger

So Harris, 0-for-6 at the time — and looking like he could barely reach the rim on his jumper with his sore right wrist wrapped up — spoke. Loudly. “Yeah, my frustrations came out, they did,” the point guard said. “You know, I try to keep that in check as much as possible. But at some point, we’ve got to take a stand. We came out in the third quarter, and we played better. But we need that type of effort, you know, for four quarters.” Newark Star-Ledger

It’s time to call the fans’ All-Star voting what it is: A joke. Ray Allen did Wednesday night, and I couldn’t agree more. “I think the fan voting is watered down,” the Celtics star said before Boston played the Nets. “I like the fact that the fans get the opportunity to vote and pick who they’d like to see in the All-Star game. But I don’t think it should be 100 percent.” CBSSports.com

“The commissioner should put some type of rule in place like you have to play at least so many games to be eligible for the All-Star Game,” Allen said. “Because once you put all the ballots out, you can’t really retrieve them. If Tracy played, I’m sure he’d play well enough to be an All-Star player because he’s done that in his career. But again, that’s taking away from another player in the Western Conference who’s having a good year and has been playing and deserves to be in there.” CBSSports.com

“The players will truthfully know who’s had a truly great first half of the season,” Allen said. “You would have five guys starting for the All-Star team regardless of hype or highlight. You just get guys that had the best first half of the season. … You guy should have a say-so. You’re obviously watching games night in and night out. The players are the ones scouting each other and they know exactly who is beating them every night and who they’re watching on film. So they see everything.” CBSSports.com

In an interview with FanHouse before Wednesday's game at Denver, Howard was asked if there's any chance he will take part in next month's event in Dallas. Howard said last month he didn't expect to compete. "If I got some legs, I might go out there,'' Howard said. But then, Orlando's center, who won the competition in 2008 before losing out last year to New York guard Nate Robinson, turned serious. "I don't think they're going to announce my name (as a participant),'' he said. Asked if he was sure about that, Howard said, "Yeah.'' FanHouse

Monday's announcement will reveal the three dunkers assured of being in the main contest. According to Howard, who has been talking with James, don't hold your breath waiting for the participation of Cleveland's superstar, who vowed last year to dunk for the first time but since has been wavering. "Me and him are talking,'' Howard said. "I don't know if he wants to do it. We do a lot of dunking during the season so those dunk contests take a lot out of you. ... I would love to see him get in one. But I doubt he does. I don't think he's going to do it.'' FanHouse

With Howard saying he's bowing out, he mentioned three dunkers he would like to see battle for the title. "Shannon Brown, Derrick Rose, DeMar DeRozan (a rookie who shares an agent with Howard in Aaron Goodwin) might be in it," he said. "Those are the only three I can think of.'' FanHouse

Kevin Ding: With 3 veterans chosen for NBA dunk contest set to be announced Monday, @LetShannonDunk told me he hasn't heard a thing yet. Twitter.com

The final contestant in the slam dunk competition will have to earn his way in. The NBA announced Wednesday the creation of the "All-Star Slam Dunk-In" to determine the fourth contestant in the event. Two players will compete at halftime of the rookie challenge on Friday, Feb. 12. The winner, chosen by votes on NBA.com or through text messaging, will claim a spot in the marquee event of All-Star Saturday night, to be held this year in Dallas. ESPN.com

Dwight Howard: Otis, especially wants me to shoot a lot more. I shoot every day in practice. It’s just going to be on me. I just have to get confidence in that shot. I know I can shoot it. I can shoot it by myself, I can shoot it in practice but we’re going to have to get that same shot in the game. Dwight Howard

Dwight Howard: So I just have to get over that concern that I might miss a few shots along the way. I really think adding that shot, like my coach Patrick Ewing, will make me better and make us better as a team. Like they say, the more weapons that you have, the more dangerous you are in a battle. Dwight Howard

Calderon has been back for four games — two wins and two losses — and while he’s not making any noise about getting his starting gig back, it has been a topic of discussion in the media and among fans on blog boards. This from Calderon yesterday on the possibility of re-assuming his starting role. “Jay Triano’s call, always,” Calderon said. “He’s the coach. It’s not about minutes or starting. We just have to win. If he decides to put me in, then I’ll be happy to help the team at the beginning, but it doesn’t matter. Whatever he decides is good with me.” Toronto Sun

Moments later, Jack was asked how he would react if tomorrow night in New York Jay Triano suddenly decided to run Calderon out with the starting unit and have Jack come on in relief. “I’m used to it,” Jack said. “If it happens, it happens. It’s sure not going to change the mentality I have had over the past 15 years or so. I’m still going to be aggressive. I’m still going to come in and be the energy guy.” Toronto Sun

Darnell Mayberry: Blair: "Nobody has given me anything in this world or in this game. I am just trying to earn my respect on the team and also on the court." Twitter.com

Darnell Mayberry: Kevin Durant: "Our team doesn’t like moral victories, but we fought through adversity after a tough start and came back and made it a game." Twitter.com

Roger Mason: Yo, I just saw that outta bounds save @manuginobili did. That was inspiring! Crazy hustle play! Wow! Big Win for us tonight. Twitter.com

Art Garcia: Nowitzki was asked if he knew the long standing 'O' was for him reaching 20K points: "Yeah, I'm not retarded." Twitter.com

Meanwhile, Curry is sort of in NBA Siberia: buried on Mike D'Antoni's bench without much hope of being freed anytime soon. "Wonder what?" Curry said in response to the question of whether he wonders about his status. "I think it's pretty much right there in front of me. I think at this point it's just about maintaining my professionalism and just coming in and doing what I have to do. "It's out of my control. I just can't sub myself in. I've just got to see what happens." New York Daily News

But after appearing in three straight road games in mid-December and not playing well, Curry has been banished to the bench. Others, namely Jonathan Bender, have been given the chance to work off the rust, but not Curry, who was led to believe that once he got in shape he would play. "That's what I thought," Curry said. "I felt like the last thing for me was to heal up and come back ready to go. I think I accomplished that but...you really can't prepare for the unforeseen." New York Daily News

Lamar Odom scored 18 points, grabbed 14 rebounds and took a season-high 20 shots, but he didn't leave Dallas entirely unscathed. Odom aggravated the sprained right index and middle fingers he originally suffered in Phoenix last month when he ran into a Dirk Nowitzki fourth-quarter screen. "It's kind of inflamed Odom said, holding out his hand for inspection. Riverside Press-Enterprise

Even in Tuesday's win over the Lakers, when Parker scored 22 points and had one of his better games, he struggled to blow by the 35-year-old Derek Fisher. "My plantar fasciitis is killing me," he said afterward. San Antonio Express-News

The Clippers' Blake Griffin won't have an appointment to play against the Chicago Bulls in late January, or the Atlanta Hawks in early February, or against any other NBA team this season. Now the most important appointment Griffin will be keeping will come Jan. 20. Only it will be at the Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic with Dr. Neal ElAttrache, who will operate on Griffin's left knee. Thus, Griffin's rookie season has ended. Then again, it never really started for the star-crossed Clipper. Los Angeles Times

"If he had surgery right away [in October], he would have missed this whole season," Coach Mike Dunleavy said before the Clippers' 108-94 loss at New Orleans on Wednesday. "By taking that shot, it was a calculated good risk for us and Blake to take. "Either way, it wouldn't matter. He should be back in plenty of time for next season." Los Angeles Times

Lisa Dillman: Marcus Camby said he heard news about BGriffin, texted him: "To let him know to keep his head, this is just a minor blemish on his career." Twitter.com

"I know how much basketball means to him, and I know his dream has always been to play amongst the greatest players in world,” Sooners coach Jeff Capel said. "However, I know he will approach this with the same determination he does with everything in his life and will come back a hungrier and better player because of this.” Oklahoman

DeAndre Jordan: Praying for my brother @blakegriffin!!! Everything happens for a reason and trust me, he will come back 10x better next season. Love boy!!! Twitter.com

Rudy Gay: Thoughts and Prayers go out to the ppl in Haiti and Dominican Republic. Twitter.com

Wallace's contract with the Grizzlies is set to expire following this season. But barring a dramatic turn of events, he'll remain the team's general manager and vice president of basketball operations for years to come. "He works hard and he's done a fantastic job," Griz owner Michael Heisley said. "He's someone I work with well. We have great chemistry. I'd like for Chris to stay and I think he'll be with us for a good period of time." Memphis Commercial Appeal

The Griz (19-18) have already begun negotiating with coach Lionel Hollins on a contract extension that will likely be finalized next month. Heisley sounded as if he expected Wallace's new deal to be more of a technicality. The feeling is mutual. "I'd love to stay here," Wallace said. "I want to be here a long time. The team is on an upswing. People are starting to relate to the team, and come back to FedExForum. I really enjoy working with Mike. He's a hard-charging, aggressive guy who has been successful in everything else he's done. We have to find a way to reward him with success with the Grizzlies." Memphis Commercial Appeal

The Griz also must consider the future of assistant general manager Kenny Williamson, who plays a major role in the team's draft process. Memphis Commercial Appeal

The impression I get is that Pat now recognizes that you can't wear both hats, with so much time necessary to devote to the cap and the tax and the like. So unless he brings in an A-list general manager, sort of like what Gregg Popovich has with R.C. Buford in San Antonio, I can't see Pat ever wearing both hats again. No, Pat very much is carrying himself with a patriarchal gait these days and I think that will prevent him from stepping back to the bench. South Florida Sun-Sentinel

The NBA fined the Boston Celtics coach $25,000 on Wednesday for an argument with officials that led to two quick technicals and an ejection. "They admit that the ... call was wrong," Rivers said before the Celtics' game against the New Jersey Nets. "Of all the fines I've ever had, this is by far the most disappointing. I just don't get this one. I watched a couple of coaches last week run out on the floor and no fine. I get fined for being right." Boston Globe

Rivers said the league called to tell him the officials were mistaken in their ruling. "I didn't want to hear the explanation when they called, honestly. I was not in the mood," Rivers said. "I didn't let them (explain) because there was no explanation. "They said I stayed out on the floor too long, or whatever, which I didn't do. I didn't swear, kept saying, 'it's an awful call,' so I'm perplexed by the fine. I was perplexed at the time and so I still am." Boston Globe

During the 2002-03 season, Lucas was coach of the woeful Cleveland Cavaliers. He believes team brass had a mission to lose enough games to get a shot at James, then a hot-shot senior 40 miles down the road at St. Vincent-St. Mary High School in Akron, Ohio. "They trade all our guys away and we go real young, and the goal was to get LeBron and also to sell the team,'' Lucas said in an interview with FanHouse. "I didn't have a chance. ... You can't fault the Cavaliers for wanting to get LeBron. It was hard to get free agents to come there.'' FanHouse

Lucas has varying emotions when he looks back on his 1 ½-season stint with the Cavaliers. He was very frustrated at his belief the team was willing to lose games in order to get James. But, looking back, he can't deny the Cavaliers have turned their entire franchise around with James. "As angry as I am about the situation of being there, I was there at the wrong time,'' Lucas said. "But, for the organization, it was absolutely the right move. I'm angry because I should be a big boy because I got paid a lot of money (Lucas was fired with 1 ½ years left on his contract). But you want a chance to be able to be there for a while. You knew what the mission was. You just hoped you could get there to get that.'' FanHouse

Gund did confirm Lucas was directed to use younger players because they were the "future of the team.'' But Gund pointed out that, if the Cavaliers were indeed trying to tank that season, why would Lucas have been fired after the team got off to a horrendous start? "I just didn't think the chemistry was good. The players weren't responding to John,'' said Gund, who didn't elaborate further on why Lucas was replaced by interim coach Keith Smart for the remainder of the season. "This is not a criticism of John. I like John.'' FanHouse

"He always tells it like it is,'' said Clippers center Marcus Camby. "He doesn't sugarcoat anything. It's good to have a reality check because he always gives it to you raw. He's a players' coach. I mean, you can talk to him about anything. His life has been well- documented. There's nothing hidden about that.'' FanHouse

Chris Tomasson: La La Vazquez confirms on Wendy Williams show will marry Carmelo Anthony next summer. Twitter.com

Philadelphia 76ers big man Samuel Dalembert is a native of Haiti and runs a charitable foundation whose purpose is to further the development and education of his people back home. He also still has tons of family and friends back in Haiti and like many around the world is not-so-patiently waiting to hear about their well-being. There is a link on his site to donate to the cause of Haitian people, one of many that has come available in the wake of their devastating earthquake. HoopsWorld

Dalembert had been in touch with his father, a government worker in Haiti. "My dad kind of sent one e-mail before everything went down and said the house is kind of cracked, but he was OK, everybody was OK," Dalembert said. "I tried to contact other family members that I spent most of my life with, grew up with. I didn't get any answer so far. We won't know anything until everything is stabilized." Philadelphia Daily News

A native of Port-au-Prince, which has been leveled by a massive earthquake that has relief officials fearing more than 100,000 dead, Dalembert spent much of his time Wednesday waiting for his cell phone to ring. It does, but none of the calls originate from his impoverished homeland. “I am just waiting,” the Philadelphia 76ers center said in a phone interview Wednesday. “Just waiting.” CBSSports.com

But all Dalembert can do is wait helplessly for word from the families and friends he grew up with. All he can do is raise awareness through the Samuel Dalembert Foundation and let people know they can donate to relief efforts through his site and through UNICEF. With Olden Polynice, Dalembert is believed to be only the second player born in Haiti to play in the NBA. “They can contribute to whatever charity they feel comfortable, and most importantly, keep everybody in your prayers,” Dalembert said. “Hopefully, we can do something.” CBSSports.com

“They have too much resilience sometimes,” Dalembert said. “It can be our downfall. We’re a lovable people. We always make fun of bad situations, we live through tough times and we always have hope that we get out of it. That’s the kind of people we are. We fought our independence for over 200 years. We’re hard-working people, too, but there’s no opportunity for us to move forward. We make the best of things.” CBSSports.com

Here Dalembert was, 28 years old, and that question washed over him with this odd mix of wonderment and confusion, of gratitude and guilt. “And it made me think … why me?” Dalembert said. “Of all the people … why me? All these countries in the world where they play basketball, where they produce players and this skinny boy from Haiti… “Why me?” Yahoo! Sports

This had been the most tortured, cruelest day of Dalembert’s life. He wanted to charter a flight to Port-au-Prince, but it wasn’t possible. His family has mostly moved to the United States through the years, but there are still so many relatives, so many friends. He used his platform to tell the story of Haiti, and he did an endless run of interviews and pleaded for support. In something of a daze, Dalembert played in the Sixers’ 93-92 loss to the New York Knicks and delivered 12 points and 21 rebounds. Yahoo! Sports

The game had been over an hour now, and Dalembert had slipped on an “NBA Cares” gold shirt to tape a public service announcement in a side room of the Wachovia Center. When tragedy hits, the NBA is good this way. It had Yao Ming tape a message when an earthquake hit China, and now the league wanted Dalembert to do it for Haiti. Within hours, the PSA will play everywhere. It will reach the corners of the globe, and in a lot of places, for a lot of people, Sam Dalembert will be the face, the voice, of his anguished, suffering people. Hundreds of thousands could be dead in Haiti, and millions more will need help for sheer survival. “We’re tough people at heart,” he said. “We deal with things the best we can. These people, they don’t do anything to deserve this.” Yahoo! Sports

Here’s the strange irony about Dalembert: Few players in the NBA have done more missionary work with the league. Every year, he travels to faraway places like Africa in the NBA’s Basketball Without Borders program. He’s a basketball missionary. The NBA calls, and he’s on his way. From Africa to New Orleans for Katrina relief, he gives of his time every offseason. When they ask, Dalembert goes. He has been that way for his eight seasons in Philadelphia. He had his agent, Marc Cornstein, on the phone with NBA officials Wednesday discussing ways to raise money and awareness for disaster relief. Yahoo! Sports

The Heat will offer tickets to upcoming games for those who drop off donations. For more information, visit the team's web site at Heat.com. "It's to try to help get the country of Haiti back on their feet," coach Erik Spoelstra said before Wednesday's game against the Warriors. "The idea is to help any way we can." Miami Herald

"Obviously, Miami has a very large Haitian population, so there are a lot of people affected by this," Haslem said. "It's just another situation where this organization has been active in reaching out to help." Haslem said the events of recent days caused him to reflect on how blessed he's been. "I thought I grew up having it bad and seeing some of the things I saw," said Haslem, a Miami native. "But at least I had choices growing up. A lot of these kids growing up in those islands and areas don't even have a choice. It made me want to be more proactive and give even more. I give now, but it just made me want to focus not just on Miami, but other areas as well." Miami Herald

The tragedy has hit close to home with the Heat. Guard Dwyane Wade's personal assistant, Lisa Joseph, is Haitian and has spent the past two days reaching out to relatives and friends. Wade said he spoke briefly to Joseph to offer support while the team has been on the road. Heat TV broadcaster Eric Reid also has family in Haiti. "It's tough, but our prayers go out to her and everyone else," Wade said. "This is affecting a lot of people, and we're just trying to pull together as one family." Miami Herald

A bit of good news from Haiti for Olden Polynice, a Port-Au-Prince native whos played in the NBA from 1987 to 2004 and whose father moved back there from New York. “Just got word that my dad’s okay,” Polynice said. “He called a family member in New York.” Polynice is awaiting news about his aunts, uncles and cousins after the huge earthquake caused widespread destruction and potentially hundreds of thousands of deaths. “Keep everybody in your prayers,” Polynice said. ESPN.com

Shaquille O'Neal: I'm doin this for my man wyclef jean and all the lovely people in haiti pls text 501501 to donate to yele haiti. God be with them. Twitter.com

Zaza Pachulia: SO SAD what happened in Haiti. I can't explain with my words how bad a feel for the people there. Unreal. I already made a donation for people in Haiti and hope all of you will too whatever you can. We have to help eachother. Twitter.com

David Lee is scheduled to leave the team after tonight's game and fly to St. Louis to attend his grandfather's funeral. According to D'Antoni, Lee will return to New York following Thursday's service and should be available to play Friday against Toronto. New York Daily News

Miami Heat star Dwyane Wade wants a judge to dismiss a multimillion-dollar lawsuit filed by his former partners in a failed restaurant and sports memorabilia chain. A federal judge in Florida was scheduled to hear arguments Thursday from attorneys for Wade and his former partners in the D. Wade's Place venture. Attempts to settle the $90 million case hit an impasse last year. The investors claim Wade violated federal antitrust laws by failing to honor their contract. The restaurants were supposed to market valuable Wade memorabilia that the investors say the NBA star wrongly monopolizes now. USA Today

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