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Thursday, January 21

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The East's starting lineup: James, Iverson, Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade, Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard and Boston Celtics forward Kevin Garnett. Joining Nash and Bryant in the West: Suns forward Amare Stoudemire (although voted in as a center), Denver Nuggets forward Carmelo Anthony and San Antonio Spurs forward Tim Duncan. USA Today

Sparing the NBA an embarrassment, Phoenix Suns guard Steve Nash overtook exiled Houston Rocket Tracy McGrady in the final days of balloting to secure a Western Conference starting spot in the 2010 All-Star game, league sources told Yahoo! Sports on Thursday. McGrady played just six games for a total of 46 minutes until he and the team decided to separate from each other until the Rockets can work a trade for him. Yahoo! Sports

The Philadelphia 76ers’ Allen Iverson was also voted into the Feb. 14th game in Dallas as a starter for the Eastern Conference, sources said. Because Iverson started the season with the Memphis Grizzlies, Iverson was on the Western Conference ballot. Yet the Grizzlies waived him and Iverson signed with Philadelphia on Dec. 3. He’s averaged 14.8 points for the 76ers. This will be Iverson’s 11th All-Star appearance. Yahoo! Sports

Once the NBA trade deadline passes on Feb. 18, Boozer could find himself launching that high-arcing jumper in Miami. Or Chicago. Or Dallas. Or Detroit. Or maybe the one place he's hoping to be. "Right here, with the Jazz," Boozer said. "If it was up to me, absolutely. But as you know, it's not up to me." NBA.com

"I like the way things are going. I like the way it feels," Boozer said. "That's why my preference is to be here. Not just this year, but in the future. "I hope that's an option. We'll see. They know. They know already how I feel. It's up to them. It's their situation. It's their money. It's their team. I'm a player. "I'm not frustrated at all. I'm happy to be doing what I do, where I'm doing it. If I get a chance to stay longer in my career, I'll be happy. If they choose to go in a different direction, that's up to them." NBA.com

Ross Siler: There's little word on the Jazz end about potential deal. Kevin O'Connor rarely makes deals broadcast this widely. Twitter.com

Ross Siler: Jazz would trim $2.7 mil from payroll and get $2.1 mil away from tax threshold, though they would have to sign 13th player. Twitter.com

Ross Siler: If he was traded from Jazz to Grizzlies, Ronnie Brewer would go from three-year full-time starter in Utah to bench behind Mayo/Gay. Twitter.com

Ben Q. Rock: Chad Ford lists Vince Carter as a player w/ more trade buzz. Rumored Carter/McGrady trade, but can't envision HOU taking back Carter's $. What's interesting about the T-Mac thing is that Tim Povtak reported, hours before ORL got Carter, that they targeted VC and Tracy. So if you believe Povtak, you believe the Magic have recently been interested in T-Mac. And if you believe Ford, well, there you go. Twitter.com

Kevin Pritchard isn’t casting a deaf ear at the idea. “If it makes sense, we’ll do it,” Portland’s general manager says. “We’re not opposed to making a deal, that’s for sure.” Portland Tribune

When asked if he thinks Portland needs help in the middle, Pritchard is reasonably direct. “I like what I’ve seen out of Juwan (Howard),” he says. “Jeff (Pendergraph) is doing a good job. He’s learning. Guys are getting some valuable experience. I like that part of it. But if you were going to point to one place (for a position need), it’s getting another big.” Portland Tribune

But the Wizards and their lawyers can't consider the citizenship and moral turpitude provisions in a vacuum. They have to account for the rest of the league's collective bargaining agreement, too -- especially a section on player conduct that bans firearms from all NBA venues but includes a provision (Article VI, Section 9[b]) that all punishment for gun violations must be done in accordance with yet another legal instrument, the NBA constitution. The constitutional provision specifically limits commissioner David Stern's powers over gun violations. He can suspend a player for a "definite or indefinite" period, and he can fine a player as much as $50,000. But that's it. That is the beginning and the end of any punishment for a gun violation. There is no provision for terminating the player's contract. ESPN.com

Any attempt by the Wizards to terminate the Arenas contract would run smack into those prescribed punishment guidelines, provisions that seem to have been negotiated in anticipation of the Arenas incident. It would be highly unlikely that the NBA's arbitrator, Calvin Sharpe, would ignore a firearms clause that is the product of specific bargaining between the players union and NBA owners. So Arenas might be feeling secure about the status of his contract. But before he can feel secure about his next court appearance, he needs to do some image rehabilitation. As they say, you never get a second chance to make a first impression; in this case, Morin's impressions matter. ESPN.com

Lawyers who practice before Morin, a highly respected jurist, told ESPN.com that a prison term for Arenas is likely but not inevitable. "It would be hard for the judge to do something for Arenas that he would not do for another young man without the money and the fame," one lawyer said. "He already caught a break when they reduced it to one felony, and jail time seems likely." ESPN.com

But according to another veteran Washington defense attorney, if Arenas and Wainstein put together "a fabulous sentencing package that shows contrition and contributions to the community, then probation is possible." Both lawyers spoke anonymously because of cases currently pending before Morin. Richard Gilbert, a highly regarded defense attorney in Washington, told ESPN.com, "Judge Morin is thoughtful and thorough and would respond to a positive presentation from Arenas. If he can persuade Judge Morin that he now 'gets it' and wants to do the right things, I would easily see a term of house arrest or time in a halfway house or some other sentence short of time in the penitentiary." ESPN.com

Ray, you’re in the last year of your contract, and you pay people to worry about this stuff – but you are a human being. How much time do you spend thinking about your future? Ray Allen: Everything I do is preparing for my future. Eating right, trying to stay healthy longer, getting rest for the next day or whatever it is. Contractually, that’s the one thing I’ve done a great job not worrying about. When I signed this contract in Seattle five years ago, I signed it to play five years of basketball under this contract. This is my fifth year, and I’m not by any means worried about what happens after this year because I have an obligation to this team for this year, I’m not distracted, I’d never get distracted, because I know who I am and what my job is every single day, and every moment is an opportunity to get better, every moment is an opportunity to work harder so, going out here every day, it’s a joy. WEEI.com

Allen: Because I figure, if I’m not in Boston, then every day I’m auditioning or interviewing for a new job. Obviously, I’d like to be here, but, it’s one of those things that mentally, you have to stay in the moment. In the moment for us is right now, right here, trying to win a Championship, and I need each one of my guys to help me get better, help me help them win a Championship, and you know I have a great staff of coaches that work with me every day to find the best way for us to go out there and win games. That’s my moment. The future, we gotta plan for it, but right now, it’s the present moment, and for us, if we get too far ahead in the future, then we do lose ballgames. We end up not being as good as we think or hope we can be, so we’re all here in this moment and we can’t worry about anything past this moment. WEEI.com

Would you like to stay here? Ray Allen: This is my favorite part of the country – I lived in Connecticut as well, so I am home. I love the people here. The fans here are the best fans that I’ve seen anywhere. I’ve seen some traditionally great franchises in sports in America, but there are no fans like Boston fans. I mean that. The people here have been so great and so supportive and it’s a different feeling here in this city when it comes to sports teams. There’s no other place I’d rather be. It’s hard to play here, and I guarantee you that most players that have played here, whether you play for the Sox, you played for the Patriots, the Bruins, the Celtics – when you leave here, the feeling is just not the same. Being part of a tradition, a city of fans that follow their team the way they do – you can wear a Sox jersey to a Celtics game and hey, he’s cheering, he’s with us. We’re all the same. Players in the city, support each other, there’s no rivalries, there’s no hatred. It’s like hey man, you come to our games, we’ll put you on the 50-yard line, we’ll put you anywhere you need to sit because we need your support. And, I’ve played in other cities and it’s not necessarily the exact same. WEEI.com

With Gaines’ second 10-day contract set to expire Monday, the Jazz face a decision about signing him for the rest of the season. “He’s a young kid, just trying to find his way around, trying to get comfortable with what we’re doing,” Jazz coach Jerry Sloan said, adding, “It’s unusual that a lot of times guys come in to your team as 10-day contract to even get to play.” Salt Lake Tribune

The Celtics announced this afternoon that they've assigned second-year small forward J.R. Giddens to the Maine Red Claws of the NBA develeopment League. CSNNE.com

"I had been having some little bit of dialogue with some other teams," says Stackhouse. "It was like hold on with Atlanta, hearing some rumblings with the Lakers, couple different teams. But (GM) John Hammond, I was with him in Detroit, gave us a call and was like would I have some interest. I was like, when you want me to come? So I came out, worked out for them and obviously they liked what they saw and here I am now." HoopsWorld

Friends, educators, former coaches and teammates almost uniformly describe Crittenton as intelligent, thoughtful, generous and well mannered. His college coach recalls him as a neat freak. His high school principal remembers him as a bright student with a 3.5 grade point average and a passion for science projects. During his brief time with the Los Angeles Lakers, Crittenton was known for dressing smartly and answering questions with a simple “yes sir” or “no sir.” New York Times

He can be fiery, proud and intensely competitive. When challenged, Crittenton will assuredly stand his ground. But longtime associates say they never saw anything to suggest that Crittenton would react as rashly and as recklessly as news reports say he did in a Dec. 21 confrontation with Arenas. “It doesn’t match up with the guy I knew in high school,” said Dave Telep, the national recruiting director for Scout.com, who began following Crittenton when the player was 14 years old. “He was a kid who kind of always worked for what came to him, and this doesn’t make a lot of sense.” New York Times

“I’ve never seen Javaris with a gun,” said Hulio Smith, who coached Crittenton’s Amateur Athletic Union team, the Atlanta Celtics, and has known him since Crittenton was 11. Smith, who is admittedly protective of his longtime friend, flatly dismissed the recent stories as media hype. “To me, it’s ludicrous,” he said. New York Times

A. Sherrod Blakely: Glen Davis hit with $25K fine for inappropriate comments to fans in Detroit. Twitter.com

Last night, Big Baby was getting heckled – how do you deal with hecklers? Have you ever had an incident? Ray Allen: That’s probably one of the best questions I’ve heard in a long time, because I think people have such great access to our games, and there’s so much yelling going on and there’s so much heckling going on, and people want to go to the games – and that’s what’s great about the NBA. I’ve been around some very volatile teammates in my career, and I’ve seen guys jump on other people, I’ve seen it for other players on other teams around the league, and it always seems like the wrong way to handle it is to lash back at somebody else in the crowd. Because the crowd, they’re heckling, they’re doing what they’re supposed to be, you’re on the road – even if you’re at home, our job is to stay out and stay focused on the floor and make your teammates better and improve what you’re doing on the floor, listen to what the coach is doing. For me, personally, nobody has ever said anything to me that has gotten under my skin. People have said things that I’ve heard, that I’ve said, wow, that was pretty cold. But they would never know that it bothered me because the people that watch me play most of the time on the road don’t know who I am. They might have an idea of who they think I am, and who may be in my family life, and what kind of guy they think I am, but when they start yelling insults, its typically just to break me. I’m out on the floor, and any guy I think yells back at the fans I think is uncalled for. I say, personally, if you ignore him, the guy keeps yelling it out, you keep ignoring him, and then eventually everybody around him in the crowd is going to say shut up dummy, he’s not listening to you or he doesn’t hear you and it makes him look bad. But when we as players yell back at the crowd, I think it makes us look bad, look unfocused. WEEI.com

An NBA spokesperson said today that the league is indeed investigating Glen Davis’s vulgar outburst directed toward a heckler at last night’s Celtics-Pistons game. Boston Herald

Celtics coach Doc Rivers expressed disappointment in Davis after the game and spoke more about the exchange Davis had with the fan during his weekly appearance on WEEI's Dennis and Callahan show this morning. "Unfortunately, I didn't know that it had transpired," Rivers said. "And I didn't know until after the game and when you talk to the press pool and it was brought up and you could see it was a big deal to the press. And I still don't have the clear picture. I'm assuming whoever watched the game heard it and very clear, I didn't even know that. I never watch the game when I watch film with sound, but that stuff can't happen. "I always say to the 'to the [victor] goes the spoils,' if the other team's winning and the fans are on you, that's part of it. We've been taught you have to take it and you have to keep playing. I don't think it's a huge step backwards [for Davis], but it is a step backwards and Glen Davis has to grow up." Boston Globe

There’s no reading between the lines necessary when interpreting Garnett’s comments about what’s been missing, especially in a team that has blown double-digit first-half leads on their way to losses to Dallas and Detroit this week. “Slippage man, some of the hardest games are between 30 and 55 of the season and those are the grind games and at this stage, we have to grind all these out,” Garnett said. “It’s a good time for everybody to be coming back and coming back strong. “It’s accountability, man. I’m telling you, our defense is built off grit and effort. You either you can do it or you don’t want to do it. The man behind you having your back, that’s what it is, nothing more, nothing less than that.” WEEI

Saunders said he addressed the final play with Butler and the entire team at practice. "Nothing was done from a malicious standpoint. He just wanted to try to win the game," Saunders said of Butler. "You just got to trust things and let them happen and when you do that, you start to reap the rewards and the benefits. "I think the thing more than anything else that happened, the cut that he made to break off the play, it [put] all of our other guys in a situation where they couldn't react quick enough to change, and so he had nowhere to go and he was kind of locked in," Saunders said. "If we were going to run a play and bring it that way and then kind of clear out that lane, but we had three guys standing right there. [Jason] Kidd was there. [Dirk] Nowitzki was there. [Erick] Dampier was there. He had nowhere to go, so he had to pull up, and not very many people are going to just shoot over Shawn." Washington Post

Butler declined to speak with reporters this afternoon. Foye was asked about the final play and he said he wanted to move on. "In this situation, I know we're going to be in the same situation and Caron is going to hit a big shot for us," he said. "You live and you learn from your mistakes and you can't dwell on them. The beautiful thing about this league is, you've got a game tomorrow." Washington Post

Ken Berger: Mo Williams out 4-6 weeks with left shoulder sprain. Big blow to #Cavaliers. Twitter.com

Sometimes it’s just not in the cards. You can’t blame D.J. White for starting to feel that way about his NBA career. White came out of Indiana as the Big 10 Player of the Year, a big-time rebounder and a guy who could score inside and out. But injuries began to chip away at his game before he left Bloomington, and they are now ruining his second professional season. White, who missed all but seven games after surgery to remove a benign growth on his jaw, is sidelined again. This time it’s a thumb injury. The Thunder announced Thursday that surgery on White’s thumb was successful and that he’ll miss six to eight weeks. Oklahoman

Cavaliers point guard Mo Williams will sit out the game tonight with the Los Angeles Lakers with a shoulder sprain. Akron Beacon Journal

Kentucky coach John Calipari joined the show to talk about his 18-0 start and more. Calipari said several interesting things, including a very frank comment on freshman star John Wall. Calipari said he hopes Wall isn't around for more than one year. "If he came to me and said he was the No. 1 pick in the draft, and he wanted to come back, we'd probably be wrestling on the floor," Calipari said. SI.com

Thanks to the insight of Jeanie Buss' Twitter page, we now have a finalized list. This is probably my own fault, but I haven't read any of the following books. I'll keep everyone posted on any player reactions regarding their book assignment. Ron Artest: "Sacred Hoops" by Phil Jackson. Kobe Bryant: "Montana 1948" by Larry Watson. Shannon Brown: "Dreams From My Father" by Barack Obama. Andrew Bynum:"Six Easy Pieces" by Walter Mosley. Jordan Farmar: "Makes Me Wanna Holler" by Nathan McCall. Derek Fisher: "Soul on Ice" by Eldridge Cleaver. Pau Gasol: "2666" by Roberto Bolano. DJ Mbenga: "Monster: The Autobiography of an L.A. Gang Member" by Sanyika Shakur(Author), Monster Kody Scott (Contributor). Adam Morrison: "Che – A Graphic Biography" by Sid Jacobson and Ernie Colon. Lamar Odom: "The Right Mistake" by Walter Mosley. Josh Powell: "The Souls of Black Folk" by W.E.B. Du Bois. Sasha Vujacic: "Reservation Blues" by Sherman Alexie. Luke Walton: "The Monkey Wrench Gang" by Edward Abbey. Los Angeles Times

Jeanie Buss: Many ask the same question re. if they read the books. The message is in the gving hopefully they will read but if they dont Phil wont stop. Twitter.com

They may not be in the thick of the playoff hunt, but the Warriors are still leading the NBA in one category. Going green. On Thursday Golden State unveiled over 500 newly installed solar panels atop the team's practice facility in Downtown Oakland, becoming the first NBA team to use the sun to power its facility. "Our solar program enables us to help protect and preserve the environment by reducing our carbon footprint," team President Robert Rowell said, "while also maintaining our practice facility as one of the NBA's finest." NBC Bay Area

The Basketball Hall of Fame announced Thursday afternoon that it will move this year's enshrinement date from mid-September to Aug. 13 in anticipation of the 1992 Dream Team being among the inductees of the Class of 2010. The official list of finalists will be announced Feb. 12, but the men's team that won Olympic gold in Barcelona for the United States and featured superstars Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird and Charles Barkley undoubtedly will be included in that select group. ESPN.com

Jerry Colangelo told Phoenix executives Thursday morning that the region must diversify from its reliance on the hospitality industry and population growth to succeed in the new economy. “To believe people are coming because of the sun is over,” he told the hundreds who attended Enterprise Network’s Executive Forum at Camelback Golf Club in Scottsdale. “We can’t be a service community.” Phoenix Business Journals

The owner of the former Seattle SuperSonics has tentatively settled a federal class action lawsuit brought by the team's season ticket holders, KING 5 News has learned. Clay Bennett has agreed to pay $1.6 million to settle the claim. KING-5 News

The Grizzlies are discussing a potential trade in which they would acquire guard/forward Ronnie Brewer from the Utah Jazz. It is the latest development in the Grizzlies' quest to improve their bench. The teams have mainly talked about which future first-round pick the Jazz would receive in return for Brewer. It is not known whether other players are involved. Memphis Commercial Appeal

Memphis is not willing to part with its own 2010 pick. The Griz have made available their late first-round selections (via Denver and the Los Angeles Lakers) for the right deal. The Jazz may also be seeking a 2011 pick. The Griz have also shown interest in dealing for Miami's Dorell Wright. Memphis Commercial Appeal

The Griz have also revisited the possibility of acquiring free-agent guard Von Wafer. Memphis passed on signing Wafer Dec. 22 after he failed a physical. Since then, Wafer has been rehabilitating a back injury in Shreveport, La. Griz general manager Chris Wallace confirmed last week that he's monitored Wafer's progress. The Griz are expected to conduct a workout with Wafer soon. Memphis Commercial Appeal

The Sixers are only growing more determined to make a deal before the deadline. I’ve heard that in strong terms from three different sources this week already. Which tells me we should expect to keep hearing more trade scenarios that include Andre Iguodala’s name. Foiled in its longstanding attempts to move Samuel Dalembert and/or Elton Brand, Philly has apparently come to realize that its best shot at a shake-it-up move is convincing one of the risk-taking/big-spending teams out there – such Houston, Dallas and Cleveland – to absorb the four years and $56.3 million remaining on Iguodala’s contract after this season. ESPN.com

Not that I’d give the Sixers great hope of hooking Cleveland. The Cavs are still chasing a big man that can stretch the floor with 3-point range and continue to hope they can get one by peddling Zydrunas Ilgauskas’ expiring contract. ESPN.com

It was hard to face what he suspected, but now assumes: Manu will not be a Spur anymore on July 1, alter three championships in eight seasons. The news comes out of his mouth with unmistakable words: “I am pretty sure I will be a free agent and that in July and August I will have to make a decision where to go” – he acknowledges – “I do not even expect the team to offer me an extension.” Clarin

Q: Are they sending you any signals? "No, there was no signal. The last contact was before I got injured last year and we have not talked about it since. At this point in the season I don’t know if I would extend the contract, it would depend on the offer. So I am very prepared to sit down on July 1 with my agent and my wife and see what offers I receive." Clarin

Q: You are not any Spur, given your performance and your fan base. Doesn’t it bother you that they are letting you go? "Originally it bothered me because the relationship was different. I was a bit sentimental. That was last year, but this year is different. I know how the cards are dealt and no one hands over anything during a negotiation: not the team nor the player. You must understand this is a business, and know how to play by the rules. Originally it bothered me, but now I understand." Clarin

Spurs guard Manu Ginobili has a message for fans concerned about comments he made in an Argentine newspaper report indicating he expects to become a free agent this summer. “Just because I don't expect the Spurs to extend my contract before it expires does not mean my days as a Spur are over,” Ginobili said before Wednesday's game at the AT&T Center against the Utah Jazz. San Antonio Express-News

“In Argentina, the term ‘extension,' as it is here, doesn't exist. The fact is, they can re-sign me before the deal is over. They took ‘extend' to mean even after it is over, instead of re-sign. So they are two different terms.” San Antonio Express-News

Chad subsequently mentioned a possible Harris-for-Caron Butler scenario in a SportsNation chat earlier this week, which was followed by ESPN The Magazine’s Ric Bucher reporting on the NBA Today podcast with Ryen Russillo that the Lakers have inquired about Harris because of concerns about their ability to contain quicker guards defensively. ESPN.com

One source close to the situation, however, cautioned Wednesday night that the Nets do prefer to keep Harris for the rest of this season – specifically through the draft lottery in May at a minimum – before dealing him. ESPN.com

The Nets still regard second-year center Brook Lopez as their only untouchable and are undeniably somewhat dismayed that Harris hasn’t been able to follow up last season’s All-Star appearance with a next-step season. The Nets, though, also concede that it would be far easier to shop Harris if they know they’ve just won the right to draft Kentucky’s John Wall with the No. 1 overall pick. If they don’t win the Wall lottery, with no other impact point guards forecasted to be available in the draft or through free agency, dealing Harris based on what they’ve seen during this nightmare season might prove to be a hasty call. ESPN.com

When Anthony was told that former teammate Marcus Camby was rumored to be on the trading block, he immediately brightened -- though skeptically. "Camby? Oh shoot, I'd love to have Camby back," he said. "But I don't think that is going to happen. We are not looking for a guy to come in and start. We already have a starting five. And we are almost halfway through the season. So we are not looking for anybody to come in and start or anything like that. But I don't know. I am going to leave that up to the front office." SI.com

While Karl said it is possible the Nuggets add another player before the Feb. 18 trade deadline, he said he did not think it was going to be a blockbuster deal. The Nuggets, according to sources, are one of the most active teams in the league to acquire a big man. "If we had the kid we liked this summer, Channing Frye, he probably would not like the minutes he is getting with us," Karl said. "He would probably have to be an older, veteran guy that some nights might not play at all and other nights might play 30 [minutes]. Somebody like Juwan Howard or Sam Perkins." SI.com

The Pistons are suddenly 5-1 since their 13-game losing streak, including Wednesday night’s home win over Boston, but don't expect them to abandon their efforts to find a big man who can score by offering up old reliables Tayshaun Prince and Rip Hamilton. ESPN.com

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A league source close to both sides of the situation shot down the rumors that the Celtics have renewed talks with the Knicks concerning their disgruntled veteran guard. The source said that both sides did have discussions earlier this season, but that nothing came of it. Robinson’s agent, Aaron Goodwin, also denied knowledge of these discussions, saying, “If anyone would know, I think it would be me.” Boston Herald

Goodwin added he never wanted his client out of New York, just out of D'Antoni's doghouse. "Actually, I wanted Nate off the bench. But they've rectified that point. Any other moves, it's on them," Goodwin said. "According to the NBA, I [demanded a trade]. My point was to get him off the bench, which he is -- off the bench and into the game. If something changes, we'll deal with it." When Robinson was benched he was a minus-3, according to the Elias Sports Bureau and the Knicks were just 3-9. Since his return to the rotation, he's been a plus-16 and his team is 5-4. As long as he's playing," said Goodwin, "everybody in Nate's camp is content." New York Post

Knicks guard Nate Robinson did not want to talk about a rumor that the Celtics are interested in trading for him. "I just want to talk about Friday. If you want to talk about Friday, we can do that," Robinson told the Post's Brian Lewis, referring to the Knicks' next game against the Lakers. "Anything else, I have nothing to say.'' New York Post

"I’m not commenting on rumors, and that’s what they are. I’m marking them down to see the percentages. Like the guys who pick horses, what’s their percentage?" Knicks president Donnie Walsh said. "There’s a new one every day.'' New York Post

Ainge said he doesn’t get a lot of calls from other clubs because they realize how pleased he is with his roster. There are some weaknesses that a player such as Robinson could strengthen, but Ainge wants to see the effect of Garnett’s return before he makes any major decisions. “We’re not going to make changes just to make changes,’’ he said. Boston Globe

Chicago has been quietly looking for a shooter but craves additional salary-cap space for its summer business more than it wants short-term help, so the Bulls keep trying to land an expiring contract in exchange for Kirk Hinrich or John Salmons. ESPN.com

If the Lakers do make a move before the deadline, they will try to do so by moving out Sasha Vujacic and his $5.5 million salary in 2010-11, although they surely know that Adam Morrison’s $5.3 million expiring contract is the one teams would take. Attempts to move Luke Walton (who has nearly $17 million over three years left on his contract after this season) have gone nowhere. ESPN.com

There was the expected here last night. The Nets played a game, the Nets lost a game. No surprise. But there also was the unexpected as Suns four-time All-Star Amar'e Stoudemire, one of the key names expected on this summer's free agent market, said he sees the Nets' "potential" and would not automatically dismiss them. "There are some teams you may say, 'no way,' " said the 6-foot-10 Stoudemire, who scored 27 points in the Suns' 118-94 win that dropped the Nets to 3-38 at the season's halfway point. "I don't think the Nets are one of them." New York Post

"Potential. Absolutely. I think that's a team with potential," Stoudemire said. "They can definitely contend in the near future [with] the right pieces." New York Post

The Nets' season is one to forget, but they are up as major free agent players. With seven expiring contracts, they should have well over $20 million to spend. Money is nice, but so is winning. "The opportunity to win, that's the most important factor," Stoudemire said. "If they are able to build a team that can win . . . win a championship in the near future, that's the ultimate goal. That will determine whether I stay or go." New York Post

It's instructive to remember this time of year--with about a month to go until the trade deadline--that not all rumors are true. In fact, many are just blatantly false. Any talk of the Bulls trading Noah would fall in that category. He's not going anywhere. Chicago Tribune

More whispers are beginning to surface suggesting Antoine Wright is the most likely Raptor to be moved before the NBA's trade deadline on Feb. 18. Wright is a free agent this summer and was acquired by Toronto in that multi-team deal for Hedo Turkoglu this past off-season. Wright's long-term future in Toronto was always in doubt from the moment he was acquired. What is interesting about the Wright rumour is a sense that his hard-nosed approach has somehow rubbed some off his teammates the wrong way. Toronto Sun

When it comes to Shaquille O'Neal's idea of rounding up superstars, including his Cleveland Cavaliers teammate LeBron James, for a charity dunking contest to benefit Haiti relief, Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade said to count him out. Wade, who has already donated a game check to the disaster relief and helped coordinate contributions from athletes in the hundreds of millions of dollars, said he simply is not a contest dunker. "I heard about it," he said before Wednesday night's game against the Charlotte Bobcats at Times Warner Cable Arena. "It's not my deal. I'll support it, but I won't be in it." South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Known for his breakaway dunks during games, Wade has made it known to the NBA not to even ask when it comes to the dunk contest during All-Star Weekend. "Early in my career, they asked me a couple of times, maybe the first two or three All-Star Games," he said. "But after that, I expressed I'm good on that. They haven't asked me since." South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Perhaps if you were watching last night’s Celtics-Pistons game on television or listening on the radio, you heard an expletive yelled out. That was Boston’s Glen “Big Baby’’ Davis shouting at a Detroit fan who kept calling him “fat boy’’ during the first half. Davis’s graphic remark stunned fans sitting behind the Celtics’ bench. The fan, Scott Zack, was warned by arena security about his heckling but was determined to press the issue about Davis’s remark. Zack said he filed a complaint with NBA security. Boston Globe

Celtics coach Doc Rivers expressed disappointment in Davis, and it’s not the first time this season the player has been in some trouble with his coach. “[If he said something back], then shame on Glen,’’ Rivers said. “To the victors go the spoils. I tell our guys all the time, you lose a game they have every right to yell, say whatever they want and you’ve got to be strong enough to walk away. So that’s not the fan’s fault, no matter what he said. We know about it. We’ve got to walk off the floor. So if that happened, then shame on Glen Davis.’’ Boston Globe

Only defending dunk champion Nate Robinson of the New York Knicks was behind O'Neal's philanthropic plan. "That seems like an awesome idea to me," he said. "For Shaq to say something like that, that'd be pretty cool and pretty awesome." ESPN.com

O'Brien let his team know about his displeasure with their slow starts when he was talking to them at halftime, then suddenly started dropping some expletives at them before walking out the locker room. I was told O'Brien basically called them soft (in not so gentle words, though) after watching some first half clips. You can't blame him for doing that. It's like they don't care most of the time. That's why they continue to get beat. "He got into our (butts)," Danny Granger said. "We're not always tied together as a team. We make selfish plays on offense and defense. We argue with each other instead of getting mad at the other team. We deserve everything he told us. We can't get down 25 points every game we play." Indianapolis Star

O'Brien only has so many options he can turn to. He's already used 16 different starting lineups for a number of reasons this season. "The big lineup doesn't work," he said. "We're too slow, (that lineup) doesn't run, doesn't move, doesn't get up and down and doesn't defend at a high enough level. We're better when we're small." Indianapolis Star

There was a time when there was no question that Joe Johnson would take the important shots late in games for the Hawks. “I was going to take it regardless,” Johnson said. But Jamal Crawford took (and made) the last shot against Phoenix on Friday, after a play called for Johnson didn’t materialize. Then Crawford attempted (and missed) a game-tying 3-pointer at the buzzer against Oklahoma City on Monday after a play called for Mike Bibby wasn’t there. Atlanta Journal-Constitution

That’s two games where the Hawks’ All-Star guard watched someone else try to win the game, but Johnson said he’s OK with it. "The plays are not getting fully executed,” he said. “Not that that's a bad thing. It's nothing against Jamal. He makes big shots for us. “You never know, the next three or four game-winners, I might take them. We'll live with it." Atlanta Journal-Constitution

After the Orlando Magic’s 109-98 win over the Indiana Pacers at Amway Arena — one that featured a 6-point Carter performance on 2-of-8 shooting – SVG said this when asked about Carter’s continued funk: “Look, it’s just too much scrutiny on one guy. That’s all we come in and talk about every game. ‘What did you think of Vince, what did you think of Vince?’ We played well.” Orlando Sentinel

Great NBA scorers mired in a slump often say it's critical to maintain self-confidence. So it is with Orlando Magic SG Vince Carter. The eight-time all-star said prior to Wednesday night's game against the Indiana Pacers that he doesn't plan to dwell much on his recent swoon. "I believe in my shot, and my jump shot's going to be fine," Carter said. "Second-guessing yourself — 'maybe I should tweak this, tweak that' — it's overrated, in my opinion. I'm not saying I'm correct. But I know I can shoot the ball. I know my ability. I'm just going to keep playing." Orlando Sentinel

Richardson, in his second game since being moved to the bench, grabbed seven rebounds and scored at least 26 points for the third time this season. But he had not scored 26 since the first six games of the season. "It's a different adjustment," the birthday boy said of being a reserve for the first time for something besides healthy or a trade since his rookie season. "You've got to get yourself going. When you come in, it's kind of hard because you've been siting on the bench. You've got to find ways to score and get involved in the game." Arizona Republic

Boozer obviously was feeling great after the victory, but one of his comments was especially curious. “We’re proud of ourselves,” Boozer said. “They’re a championship team. We’ve never done that in the history since I’ve been here. It’s been a long time since we’ve swept them and so I’m proud of my teammates, proud of my franchise. And hopefully we can build off this and continue to win some games.” Never before have I heard Boozer refer to the Jazz as “my franchise.” It’s understandable that he got caught up in the moment, but was Boozer trying to say something more? Salt Lake Tribune

Speaking to reporters before the Nuggets' game against the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday night, Anthony said he'd like to see Nuggets management acquire another big body to augment their frontcourt rotation of starters Anthony, Kenyon Martin, Nene and reserve Chris Andersen. "I think we are better than last year. That is my opinion," Anthony said. "We only lost Dahntay [Jones], we replaced him with Arron [Afflalo] and a couple other guys. Actually I think we are better than last year. "But a big guy can always help. But I don't really know who is out there." SI.com

While much of Chuck Hayes' post-practice talk covered the usual basketball topics, he added a message that might not have been in the game plan: have fun. “When you enjoy and get along with your teammates off the court and on the court and bring that competitive nature together, it is such a great enjoyment,” Hayes said. “You come to work, and you come to play a game.” Houston Chronicle

"My role has changed a little bit, going from starting to coming off the bench and being patient with the second unit," says Chalmers. "It's changed a lot for me and it's disappointing, but at the same time, you have to do what's best for the team and I've got to just keep working." HoopsWorld

"If you look at him across the table, his stats and production are about the same," explains Spoelstra. "He's been pretty consistent, just playing fewer minutes. We made a change because of the dynamic of our starting lineup. We did that with Carlos (Arroyo) and then we made the addition of Rafer Alston and we have a different dynamic with that group. Skip brings us a hot motor, a lot of energy, knows how to run a team, and with those changes Mario has actually been good with the second group. He needs to keep on plugging away. I hope he's not satisfied with this, and I hope he fights for it with his production on the court. In the mean time, he's been valuable with that second group." HoopsWorld

But mostly, the Kings don't' seem anxious to do anything because both the players and the organization think the pairing can work. "Kevin isn't himself yet," said Kings coach Paul Westphal. "He just needs his timing to get a little better and get some of the rust off, and it's going to be a really tough backcourt to deal with." Both players recognize that they're going to have to make changes in their game to make the partnership flourish. "I don't have a mind frame to go out there and score 30 anymore," said Martin, who seemed notably more active defensively after basically being a one-man offense a year ago. "[I'm] just trying to do other things, have more assists and get other teammates involved. While I was out guys developed, and they're good players. I show my respect by getting them involved, and [I'll] attack when it's there." ESPN.com

Martin at least cleared one hurdle Wednesday that may embolden him to attack the rim a bit more in the future. He landed hard on his left wrist -- the same one that cost him 32 games with a hairline fracture and subsequent surgery -- after Atlanta's Mo Evans crushed him in midair on a breakaway. He got up without further harm, however, and while he spent the next two trips rubbing the wrist there appeared to be no long-term ramifications. "I think I needed that fall," said Martin. "That was a pretty hard fall and it didn't come loose or anything." As for Evans, he knows he has to use his penetration to set up Martin on the perimeter, where he can use his funky, left-leaning release to launch his deadly 3-pointers. "It's going to take a little while," said Evans. "I have to get better at finding him, see where he likes to take shots, [and] run a few more plays for him." ESPN.com

The all-important day after couldn’t have gone better for Kevin Garnett. After running through a full practice on Tuesday in Waltham, the Celtics forward, recovering from a hyperextended right knee, reported no complications yesterday during the walkthrough at the team’s hotel before the 92-86 loss to the Pistons. “He’s fine, good, so he’ll be able to do something if we (have practice) Thursday,” said Celtics coach Doc Rivers, as pleased as ever with the team’s conservative approach to bringing Garnett back. Boston Herald

Los Angeles Clippers rookie forward Blake Griffin underwent successful surgery on his left knee Wednesday morning, effectively ending his season before it ever began. The No. 1 overall draft pick will need four to six months to recover from the two-part procedure, which "couldn't have gone better," according to Dr. Neal ElAttrache who performed the two-part procedure Wednesday morning at the Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Center in Los Angeles. ESPN.com

Ivan Rangel has never played a basketball game for Plano West, but he doesn't need to be on the court to turn heads. The junior center only needs to stand next to it. Or stand anywhere, because the native of Colima, Mexico, is 7-feet tall. He might be an inch under that, but Rangel turned 17 just a few months ago and he's probably still growing. He's big enough to dream about playing in the NBA someday. "A lot of people say I'm going to be there, and each day I wake up, I say I'm going to be there," Rangel said. "But right now it's just a dream." Dallas Morning News

Howard Beck: There was a Lawrence Frank sighting today at Knicks practice. Well, I didn't see him. But I hear he was hanging out with the coaching staff. Twitter.com

On Wednesday, Floyd spoke at length about what led him to leave USC last June, indicating it had nothing to do with Mayo but everything to do with Trojans Athletic Director Mike Garrett. "Why I left was not in any way an admission of guilt, " Floyd said. "It was a complete testament to a lack of support by my administration and how we were treated after four years of doing everything the right way. And that is what I've gone on record as saying. The day the story broke, my athletic director called me and asked me where I was. I happened to be in New Orleans after being there for seven months. He asked me if I'd read the story. I said, 'Yes. And I did not do what I'm accused of doing.' Two, 'Where are you?' 'I'm in New Orleans.' The third thing he said was, 'You need to get your ass back to Los Angeles, so I can decide what I'm going to do with you.' New Orleans Times-Picayune

"That did not register well with me, did not sit well with me, " Floyd went on. "I always said I would only stay at a place as long as I was wanted there. It was a situation where the athletic director was more worried about himself than our program. Everything we had done to establish that program as one of the top national-level programs in the country was being destroyed from within. Players being released, the treatment of our coaches, the treatment of me as the head coach. . . . And at this point in my career, I didn't feel like I needed to stay there and deal with that. I felt I'd done enough over 33 years of being in this business to never have my integrity challenged and did not appreciate it." New Orleans Times-Picayune

I don't know where this is going, but I hear Charlotte Bobcats managing partner Michael Jordan is still interested in buying control of the team from majority owner Bob Johnson. Whether Jordan and Johnson can ever agree on a price and terms that would leave Jordan with controlling interest is debatable. Great play that, I'm guessing, didn't make ESPN Sportscenter: Stephen Jackson ball-faking Miami's Dwyane Wade off his feet, with a second left before the shot clock would have expired. Charlotte Observer

Michael Cooper had made a great first impression as the new USC women's basketball coach. His second impression needs some work. Cooper, the former NBA star who won five championships in the "Showtime" era with the Los Angeles Lakers, issued a public apology Wednesday to UCLA coach Nikki Caldwell after directing an expletive at the Bruins on Sunday. Cooper came into the interview room following USC's 70-63 win over UCLA at the Galen Center and said, "My opening statement is [expletive] UCLA." FanHouse

Cooper issued his letter of apology to Caldwell on Wednesday and would have no further comment, according to the school's sports information director. "I want to offer my sincerest apology to you, your players and your university for the inappropriate comment I made after our game on Sunday," Cooper said in the letter. "There is no excuse for it, and I realize it is outside the bounds of good sportsmanship. As a coach, I know I am a role model to student-athletes, and my comment was certainly not a proper example for them. I will work hard to correct that. "I realize how poorly my remarks reflect on me, my university as well as our conference. For that, I am truly sorry. I have great respect for all our opponents and especially UCLA as our cross-town rival. I wish you and your UCLA team the best of luck this season and look forward to our next game." FanHouse

Washington Capitals owner Ted Leonsis and the estate of sports entrepreneur Abe Pollin have failed to reach agreement on a price for the Washington Wizards and Verizon Center, automatically leading the two sides to start an appraisal process that could lead to a deal. Under an agreement made with Pollin when Leonsis bought the Capitals a decade ago, each side will now hire an appraiser who will set separate prices for the Wizards and the arena. Washington Post

Leonsis and his investor group, Lincoln Holdings, already own the Capitals outright as well as 44 percent of the Wizards and Verizon Center. Representatives for Leonsis and the Pollin estate are attempting to reach a value for the NBA team and the arena so Leonsis and his group may purchase the 56 percent that they do not own. The two sides have been negotiating for 10 days. The price each side has set for the sports assets, which Pollin built over five decades before his Nov. 24 death, could not be learned. Washington Post

Detroit Pistons owner Karen Davidson has confirmed she is looking to sell the team. Davidson issued a statement through public relations firm Marx Layne & Company saying, "I'm pleased, as noted by Oscar Feldman, that the limited partners concur in my decision into inquiring about selling the team." The statement confirmed a Crain's Detroit Business report that said Davidson was looking to sell the team she inherited after her husband, Bill Davidson, died last year. The team is currently run by a five member board that includes Karen Davidson, Bill Davidson's son Ethan, estate trustees John Aaron and Eric Garber and Palace Sports & Entertainment President Tom Wilson. WXYZ.com

NBA Commissioner David Stern has endorsed the most complicated of the new arena plans recently submitted to Mayor Kevin Johnson's task force, and not surprisingly, his reasoning relates to funding. Local developer Gerry Kamilos - with financing provided by the Macquarie Capital of Australia and Pacific Coast Capital Partners of California - is proposing a downtown sports and entertainment complex on the city's 33-acre portion of the downtown railyard. Sacramento Bee

To this day, the low-key Sharman’s influence within the Lakers remains a key factor, despite the fact that he’s well into his 80s. Each season he writes a report on the team and its personnel that is to be read only by Buss. “Sharman has always had considerable influence,” team consultant Tex Winter confided last year. Laker Noise

That may help explain the numbers that Buss has put up in three decades of ownership. His Lakers teams have won nine titles and appeared in the league championship series another six occasions, In his 30 years of ownership his teams have played for the big cheese 15 times, numbers not even close to being matched in the modern NBA, or any other modern pro sport. Buss once said his negotiations to buy the Lakers allowed him admire the immense toughness of Cooke, the irascible owner in the ‘60s and ‘70s. Laker Noise

Buss and his elderly friends gather in his owner’s box at Lakers games with their young dates, a sight that’s increasingly hard for Jeanie Buss, the owner’s daughter and Phil Jackson’s girlfriend, to stomach. One Lakers insider contends that only in Los Angeles could a team owner get away with such antics and basically get a free pass by the media. Jeanie Buss is known for her competence in running the team, yet the power balance between her and rival brother Jim Buss remains murky. Laker Noise

The Jazz will honor longtime broadcaster "Hot" Rod Hundley as part of their Jan. 29 game against Sacramento, retiring a banner in Hundley's honor as well as renaming the EnergySolutions Arena press room after him. Jazz president Randy Rigby said in a statement that it was important for fans and the organization to formally thank Hundley, adding that the press room was "an opportunity to showcase his passion for Jazz basketball and to be sure his presence remains." Salt Lake Tribune

The Basketball Hall of Fame will announce Thursday afternoon that it will move this year's enshrinement date from mid-September to Aug. 13 in anticipation of the 1992 Dream Team being among the inductees of the Class of 2010, a source said. The official list of finalists will be announced Feb. 12, but the men's team that won Olympic gold in Barcelona for the United States and featured superstars Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird and Charles Barkley undoubtedly will be included in that select group. Two other Dream Team stars, Scottie Pippen and Karl Malone, also will be eligible for induction this year for the first time. ESPN.com

Lon Rosen, Johnson's agent, confirmed Wednesday night that Johnson will be in Springfield on Aug. 13 to celebrate the accomplishments of one of the greatest teams ever assembled. The Dream Team cruised to the gold medal under the late Chuck Daly without ever calling a timeout during the entire Olympic Games. ESPN.com

Sidelined by a foot injury, Houston Rockets star Yao Ming says he's finding a new kind of satisfaction as owner of his former Chinese team, the Shanghai Sharks. Yao bought out the financially troubled team's former owners in July for an undisclosed sum in a bid to revive its fortunes. The club is in fourth in the 17-team Chinese league, two points out of first place. "I bought the Sharks to give them a boost and do something on behalf of Chinese basketball," Yao said in an interview with the official Xinhua News Agency appearing in newspapers Thursday. "To be honest, they've played well this season, beyond my expectations, but we also see their deficiencies and need to toughen up in the coming seasons." USA Today

Jarrett Jack (Raptors): Websites: “We be going to gossip site, mediatakeout. It’s funny man to see what people say. I think the most factual site, for us as far as job-wise, is Hoopshype.com. Of course we got to NBA.com, I got to Pickyourshoes.com – I’m a sneaker fanatic. 23isback.com, they let you know all the Jordans that are coming out. Dime

Larry Hughes (Knicks): Websites: “I shop online, so I do some Louis Vuitton shopping and some Gucci shopping. I rarely ever go to the mall, so I buy underwear and everything from Nordstroms.com and ToysRus.com for the kids. I’m not not really a social surfer or whatever. Just shopping. I go to Hoopshype.com.” Dime

Martin Frank: Dalembert describes harrowing scenes of amputuations, or surgery on top of tables, of children wandering around without families. Twitter.com

Martin Frank: “I tried to be strong,” Dalembert said, with tears streaming down his face, about trip to Haiti. “But that was enough for me.” Twitter.com

Utah Jazz players Carlos Boozer and Ronnie Brewer have teamed up with Dwyane Wade of the Miami Heat and NBA legend Alonzo Mourning as part of the “Athletes Relief Fund for Haiti,” making individual donations of funds and supplies to aid earthquake victims in Haiti. With donations from 20 NBA players and seven NFL players, the initiative has raised over $1,000,000 since its inception on January 15. KJZZ.com

Sacramento Kings rookie Tyreke Evans says he is letting his agent and lawyer deal with a wrongful-death lawsuit resulting from a fatal shooting committed out of his vehicle by a teenage cousin. Evans is among four people being sued over the November 2007 drive-by shooting near his home in Chester, Pa., just south of Philadelphia. His cousin, Jamar Evans, is serving a 9-to-20-year prison term after admitting he fired out the passenger-side door and killed 19-year-old Marcus Reason. Canadian Press

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