HoopsHype.com Rumors

Friday, January 22

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NBA sources said the Washington Wizards had “light conversations” about sending center Brendan Haywood to the Portland Trail Blazers for guard Andre Miller, but nothing is imminent. The transition of the Wizards’ ownership has complicated any changes the team is considering making to its roster. One NBA executive said Portland still hopes it can use Miller to net a center or small forward. Yahoo! Sports

One source with knowledge of the Blazers' thinking insisted this week that, contrary to persistent speculation, Portland has not made Miller and his cap-friendly contract (guaranteed only this season and next season) available. ESPN.com

Trail Blazers general manager Kevin Pritchard on Friday said the Trail Blazers are involved in trade talks regarding acquiring a big man. "We're having discussions,'' Pritchard said. "But so is the whole league.'' Oregonian

Alvin Gentry on the rumors that are going to be thrown around regarding an Amar’e Stoudemire trade and whether he has to keep his players from thinking about that: “Yeah we do and I will tell you I think guys that Amar’e has handled it beautifully. Those rumors were out there at the start of the season and they are always going to be out there. Obviously when you have an opportunity to opt out of a contract and he is a terrific player. As I told him, there is not one thing that he can do about it. The only thing he can do is to continue to play at a real high level and whatever is going to happen is going to happen anyway so it is not something that he should be real concerned about. I just think he will continue to play and as you say, we have no control over that so we will see what happens. At this point right now, he has got to just focus at the task at hand and that is the Chicago game, the Golden State game and then go from there.” Sports Radio Interviews

Chris Mannix: From what I'm told, Wash is still looking for equal value in Jamison, Butler swaps. That is likely to change, though, closer to Feb. 18. Twitter.com

Chris Mannix: Let's be clear: Rockets looking for a STAR for T-Mac's salary; Otherwise they will take their $15 mill in cap space and bid on a FA. Twitter.com

Chris Mannix: Sammy D/Iggy for T-Mac? I keep hearing in Philly that the Sixers would need more. Umm, so wouldn't Houston. Twitter.com

One NBA front-office source told ESPN.com that the Sixers would also be amenable to moving Lou Williams in the right deal. The 23-year-old guard was previously thought to be a Philly untouchable. ESPN.com

Ross Siler: Ronnie Brewer said he woke up to 50 messages yesterday asking if he'd been traded to Memphis. Twitter.com

Ross Siler: Jerry Sloan said he remains very happy with the growth Brewer has made in four seasons in Utah. Twitter.com

Chris Mannix: Execs still believe Cleveland will use Wally's contract and maybe Z to get a big name. And that scares the crap out of everyone. Twitter.com

Chris Mannix: If Jamison-for-Z (or some form) goes through and Big Z comes back to Cavs in April, there will be a rule change next season. Guaranteed. Twitter.com

Look for the Cavaliers to sign Cedric Jackson of the Erie Bayhawks. Akron Beacon Journal

Lisa Dillman: Clippers expected to sign JamesOn Curry to ten day contract. Twitter.com

The surging Charlotte Bobcats are in the market for a power forward and could dangle guard D.J. Augustin as possible trade bait. Yahoo! Sports

While the Nuggets have made a run at Indiana Pacers center Jeff Foster and Chicago Bulls center Aaron Gray, sources say no deal is imminent and it wouldn’t be a surprise if the team doesn’t make a move prior to the trade deadline. Teams have called asking for rookie point guard Ty Lawson, but the Nuggets have declared him off limits. Yahoo! Sports

Though it is obviously tough to assess his team because of a plethora of injuries, Warriors general manager Larry Riley has come away from the season's first half convinced they need to add a top-flight player. "Is a little something good enough? I can tell you right now: No it isn't," Riley said. "We're not looking to do something minor. "It might take trading somebody that we would rather not trade, but we need another player of substance." San Francisco Chronicle

The Warriors will have some options at the trade deadline, and Riley said he "fully anticipates a trade" at the deadline or in the offseason. With about $12 million in expiring contracts from Raja Bell, Speedy Claxton and Devean George, the Warriors could put together an attractive package to a team seeking cap relief or looking to enter this summer's free-agent sweepstakes for LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and/or Chris Bosh. San Francisco Chronicle

Panathinaikos, with Tsartsaris out for Euroleague Top 16 and with Batiste injured for at least ten days, decided to go on the market. The Euroleague Champions are close to signing Marcus Haislip, released today by San Antonio Spurs. Sportando

Rob Kurz's move to Aris has stalled, and they're now pursuing James Gist instead. Earl Barron to move to Maccabi Tel-Aviv. Twitter.com

Stephon Marbury joined the show after announcing that he is going to play in China. Marbury explained why he's doing it. "I want to play basketball," Marbury said. "I want to get back into the game. I know I still can play." Dan asked Marbury what he knows about China. "I know that they love basketball and they're really excited about me coming," Marbury said. SI.com

Marbury also talked about his controversial YouTube videos. He said they were fun and shouldn't be taken too seriously. And he apologized for smoking marijuana on the videos. He said he doesn't smoke pot any more. "There were things that I said that were true," Marbury said. "It wasn't like I was lying about anything. People couldn't distinguish what was entertainment and what wasn't. There were some situations that came about, people were looking at me like there was something wrong with me. I was like, 'if you think something is wrong with me ... that's what you're going to think. SI.com

And, then, just as quickly as Iverson was gone, so were the Grizzlies’ problems. Some two months later, Memphis is now one of the NBA’s hottest teams and in contention for a playoff berth. As excited as the Grizzlies are about their future, Hollins is doing his best to forget the team’s chaotic past with Iverson. “It’s over. It’s gone. Bye,” Hollins said. “We are thinking about the next game. The next practice. We don’t worry about who is not on our team. He played in three games. We moved so far away from that. You’d have to ask each individual player how it affected them. But it’s gone. It’s over.” Yahoo! Sports

“He likes to speak his mind,” Conley said of Iverson. “When he was doing that in Sacramento, it was something that was new to me. I tried not to take it personal. If anything, I tried to use it as motivation to better myself and help the team out more. … It was a tough time the way we were playing as a group, with him coming back and things like that. “I heard a lot of things. I tried not to pay attention to them, but I could feel it throughout the city in Memphis just the way conversations were going and how people loved Allen Iverson and how they described [the situation]. Of course it’s going to bother you knowing that all this stuff is going on and the only way you can control it was to perform well. What people say was their opinion. They could say what they want, and I could keep doing what I’m doing on the court and hoped it worked out.” Yahoo! Sports

The Grizzlies’ problems also extended beyond Iverson. The team didn’t put much effort toward playing defense, was selfish offensively and the players didn’t seem to have much camaraderie. During one game, Mayo and Rudy Gay shouted at each other. “The toughest part of it was just seeing how our team had kind of changed,” Conley said. “We got separated a little bit. Groups formed a little bit, separating sides. The year before, at the end of the year, it seemed like we were making a lot of progress. We grew apart a little bit at the beginning of the season.” Yahoo! Sports

“When I got to the NBA, I always made a conscious effort to never change and kept my hood mentality,” Artest reveals in the March issue of Men’s Fitness. “It was erratic to a lot of people from the outside. So I had to find a way to stay true and not be so erratic. People know I’m a good person, so they take me for what I am now. I just want them to see somebody that they can always relate to. That’s real important.” All Hip Hop

With a renewed focus on being the best on and off the basketball court, the athlete’s energy is put on bettering his body. According to the Lakers forward, being mindful of what he puts into his body now is a far cry from the foods he ate out of necessity. “I grew up not having a lot of money, so I ate no-frills brand fried chicken,” Artest said. “Everything was no-frills brand oils, butter, lots of salts—the cheapest way to make it. Luckily I ran a lot.” All Hip Hop

Alvin Gentry on having two starters from his team starting on the All-Star team: “No it is not bad at all but what does that say though? I think it saved the league a real embarrassing situation. For a guy that has played forty-seven minutes obviously not deserving of that. Steve is not one that is going to ever say anything about that but I think it would have been embarrassing for everybody in the league and Tracy included for him to be voted an All-Star starter.” Sports Radio Interviews

Finally, after the throng of men in flowing white robes began walking to the Verizon Center court, Wizards Coach Flip Saunders addressed the small gathering of media and talked about the potential for forward Antawn Jamison to be a coaches selection to the All-Star team. "What always happens when you get to the All-Star situation is there's usually 16 guys who are deserving, and so those spots end up becoming difficult," Saunders said. "If you can make it, it's great. How I've always voted a lot, I've voted on record to be honest, so if he [doesn't] make it, it's not because he's not playing at an All-Star caliber. It's because the team is not fuctioning at the level it needs to be." Washington Post

In the locker room afterward, Mike Miller had brought his two sons in, and as they were grabbing drinks from the refrigerator, Miller said to his older son, "Say, good game, Antawn." Miller's son did exactly that. Jamison's response? "Thanks, but don't say that today. Just say, 'Go get 'em next time.'" Washington Examiner

Bob Myers, the agent for Brandon Roy, said the All-Star guard will be given one week of rest before his right hamstring is re- evaluated next Thursday. That means Roy will miss at least the Blazers' next four games: Tonight in Boston, Saturday in Detroit, and home games Jan. 25 against New Orleans and Jan. 27 against Utah. Roy flew to from Philadelphia to Seattle with team athletic trainer Jay Jensen on Thursday to receive a second opinion on his strained right hamstring. The consensus out of that meeting was to give Roy a week to recover, then determine a course of action. Oregonian

Cavaliers point guard Delonte West, who started his first game in place of injured Mo Williams on Thursday night against the Lakers, has a fractured left ring finger and will miss Saturday night's game against the Oklahoma City Thunder at The Q. He will be listed as day-to-day after that as the Cavs hope to reevaluate the injury early next week. Cavs coach Mike Brown said today that he expected to start Daniel "Boobie'' Gibson at point guard against the Thunder and did not rule out the possibility that the Cavs would sign a free agent point guard. Cleveland Plain Dealer

A couple Friday morning updates thanks to recent Tweets from Celtics players: Celtics guard Marquis Daniels (@lambo6) Tweeted earlier today that he had the cast removed from his surgically repaired left hand: Thanks to my higher power my good LORD n Saviour on that note Got my cast off one step closer to gettn back, so excited. ESPN.com

Denver Nuggets coach George Karl is expected to suspend contract negotiations with the team if he doesn’t have a new deal in place by the All-Star break, a source with knowledge of the talks said. Karl’s contract ends after the season and he doesn’t want his status becoming a distraction during the Nuggets’ playoff push. Karl turned down a one-year, $3 million extension over the summer in hopes of getting a longer deal and a raise. He is making $3 million this season with incentives that could boost his pay to $3.8 million. A source said the team has had internal discussions about offering Karl a three-year, $12 million extension, but those talks haven’t progressed. Yahoo! Sports

What is the most difficult thing you’ve gone through over the course of your career? Larry Bird: Well probably the incident in Detroit when players went up into the stands. What it’s done to our franchise and how we were going to get out of it. It’s been frustrating, and especially when you want kids to do well. But just watching them and knowing what type of team we had that year and to see it all come to a halt in less than 30 seconds in Detroit. SLAM

How do you deal with that pressure and that attention that you receive now and that you’ve received over your entire career? Larry Bird: Well, it’s always been embarrassing to me that a kid from a small town that is all I wanted to do was just be the best player on my high school team went this far. There were a lot of ups and downs and there was a lot of frustration along the way, but if you really sit down and really look at my career, the pluses outweigh the minuses by a lot. SLAM

Tania Ganguli: Wasserman Media Group and its clients donating minimum $500,000 to Haiti relief. Jason Williams and jj redick among them. Twitter.com

Chris Tomasson: Class move by Denver's Kenyon Martin on Friday vs. Clippers. Donated $1,500 per rebound to Haiti relief. Got 14 boards so he gave $21,000. Twitter.com

The Sacramento Kings continue to insist that Kevin Martin is not going to be made available to interested teams before the Feb. 18 trading deadline. The Mavericks, according to NBA front-office sources, continue to tell the Kings that they want a call back if that stance changes. ESPN.com

The Kings, though, have been telling teams that they are not ready to field offers for Martin, determined to give his fledging backcourt partnership with hot-shot rookie Tyreke Evans an extended period of evaluation. ESPN.com

One hypothetical trade scenario could see Dallas offer Howard, Drew Gooden, J.J. Barea and cash to the Kings for Martin and Nocioni. That, however, is a lot of long-term salary for the Mavs to add. It's also not known if a combination of payroll relief, Barea and the opportunity to resurrect Howard's career would ultimately be enough to satisfy Sacramento even if Dallas was willing to take on Nocioni as well. ESPN.com

Asked about a recent ESPN analysis (Insider) that put the chances of an Amare trade at "40 to 50 percent", the Phoenix Suns all-star center (in waiting) said this about those odds, "I'm not sure. It's possible, same as it was last year. So like I've said before my agent is conversing a lot with the front office here (in Phoenix) and we are going to come up with a decision soon." Bright Side Of The Sun

On numerous occasions Amare has said that winning is an important factor in any decision on where he wants to go but admitted today that market size also plays a role. "Market size does play a factor. There's a lot of different factors. Being able to win and if you can't win this year then how long would it take to build it to win," Amare said. "It's all about being able to, and being willing to have a team that's willing to build a championship caliber team." Bright Side Of The Sun

The Grizzlies are playing their best basketball since Jerry West was the GM, so why would they mess with a good thing? There are two reasons, according to a pair of general managers who have spoken with the Grizzlies in recent days. One, Memphis is concerned that this summer a team flush with cap space will offer Gay (who will be a restricted free agent this summer) a huge contract that Grizzlies owner Michael Heisley will be unwilling to match. Two, the team, currently at 22-19, would love to make the playoffs and believes it's a veteran defensive presence away from getting there. ESPN.com

While a number of teams would be interested in Gay, a rising talent at age 23, keep your eye on the Pistons. They have been hunting for the right trade in which to move Tayshaun Prince. If Prince is healthy (he has been battling back and knee injuries all season), he might fit the bill for Memphis — and the Pistons could throw in a lottery pick from this year's draft to sweeten the deal. ESPN.com

The Wizards don't have a young building block comparable to Garnett, but they may have to look into starting over, with several Western Conference teams interested in Caron Butler and the Cleveland Cavaliers listing Jamison highly among their trade targets. According to multiple sources, the Wizards have not received viable offers because other teams are expecting a fire sale. One league source said that the Wizards likely won't get equal value in any trade and may have to settle for packages that include expiring contracts and either draft picks or young talent. Washington Post

"Part of the NBA life is to always look to improve and get the best possible team out there that you can," Wizards President Ernie Grunfeld said. "Those kind of things take care of themselves. Obviously, at the trade deadline there are going to be a lot of opportunities, but we're going to keep our options open and see which direction we want to go in." Washington Post

The Jazz were greeted Thursday by a report from the Memphis Commercial Appeal that the Grizzlies were discussing a deal through which they would acquire Ronnie Brewer from Utah for one or more draft picks. Jazz general manager Kevin O'Connor declined to comment, but the team was not believed to have initiated any talks with Memphis and was disappointed to be dealing with the subject at a time when it is enjoying one of its best stretches of the season. Salt Lake Tribune

O'Connor said the Jazz were "looking at anything that can help out the team but not anything about short-term gains or cosmetics." He added that he would defer to coach Jerry Sloan when it comes to dealing with the potential distractions of trade season. Salt Lake Tribune

A team insider said the Cavs will evaluate their options, and it wouldn't be surprising if they signed a player to a 10-day contract. In the meantime, the Cavaliers will just play the cards in their hand. ''It's part of the business. You hope he gets better, and gets better soon, but you have to just keep going forward,'' Brown said. Akron Beacon Journal

Panathinaikos is interested in Spurs forward Marcus Haislip now that Kostas Tsartsaris is out with an injury. Gazzetta.gr

ESPN's Chad Ford reported (Insider) this morning that, "the word out of Phoenix is that there has been some tension in the locker room involving Stoudemire." Amare had no idea what this was about. When I brought it up he was perplexed and a little irritated asking me, "What's locker room tension? What is that?" Bright Side Of The Sun

Stoudemire was adamant in his denial of this report, "I think it's great. The chemistry with us is phenomenal. It's been fun all season long and we've been growing that way. There's no locker room tension. I don't know where that came from." Bright Side Of The Sun

Devin Harris knows his name is out there now, circulated mostly by out-of-towners using speculation and third-hand info to conclude that he’s outta here as soon as the right deal comes along. He’s buying it, anyway: “Been through it, done it, lived it. I remember how I got here,” the Nets point guard said. “Have I heard it? Yes. Does it bother me? No. Will I talk to anyone (in management) about it?” A pause. A laugh. Sounds like derision. “Nah.” Newark Star-Ledger

Too bad. Because all he had to do was walk across the gym Thursday and ask the only guy who is capable of putting the uninformed rumors to rest. “It’s very, very unlikely that we’d trade Devin. I never say never, but it’s very unlikely that he’s going to be traded,” Nets president Rod Thorn said as he watched the start of practice at a health club in the city’s financial district. “I read the same things you do. There was one thing I saw the other day that was just wrong ­— about we were talking to Washington about trading Devin for Caron Butler? We never had one conversation with Washington about Caron Butler in five years — period. “But you expect speculation, especially when you have a team that has a record like we do.” Newark Star-Ledger

Still, without solicitation, Thorn added this for emphasis: “We value Devin. We think he’s a terrific player,” he said. “I don’t see it happening. But again, you know me — I never say I won’t trade anybody — because you never know what anyone’s going to offer you. That’s why you can never speak in absolutes. But we value Devin.” Newark Star-Ledger

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What’s about your future? Viktor Sanikidze: I have a 2+1 years contract, with an NBA escape clause at the end of the second year. I feel really good here in Bologna… [HESITATES] Let’s forget he [Virtus’ Team Manager] is here… Viktor Sanikidze: [LAUGHS] He’s my friend first and then he works for Virtus, so… Seriously, I really like this place and this organization, a club with such history, it was my dream to come here, so as of now I see my future here, I would not leave even for top Euroleague teams such as Barcelona or Real Madrid, I don’t feel there is a huge difference with Virtus. I would only leave for the NBA. 48 Minutes of Hell

Do you think about the NBA? Viktor Sanikidze: Of course I think about NBA. That’s my dream. 48 Minutes of Hell

Do you have contacts with the Spurs organization? Viktor Sanikidze: Yes I have contacts with them. NM: Is there a possibility to see you in next year’s Summer League? Viktor Sanikidze: I think so, they already invited me a couple of years, so maybe I’ll be there. 48 Minutes of Hell

Clippers center Chris Kaman said in an interview with FanHouse after Thursday's 105-85 loss to Denver that Lakers big man Pau Gasol doesn't deserve to be in the All-Star Game. "I don't think Gasol should be in it at all,'' Kaman said when asked if he would be disappointed if Gasol, who starts at power forward for the Lakers, is slid over to be the backup center when West coaches vote for All-Star reserves. "He's only played like 20 games (he played Thursday in his 25th out of 42 Lakers games) this year. I think there should be a number of games you should play. I think you should have to play like 80 percent of the games. "It shouldn't be 50 percent (of games a player has logged) over a guy who plays 90 percent and who has better numbers. Not just me. Zach Randolph, a power forward, he has better numbers (than Gasol). But he's not on the Lakers.'' FanHouse

Gasol is averaging 16.8 points and 11.1 rebounds to 20.4 points and 9.2 rebounds for Kaman, who has played in 38 of 42 games. Randolph is averaging 20.8 points and 11.5 rebounds while having played in all 41 games. But Kaman does not believe it would be fair to slide Randolph over to center because he starts at power forward for Memphis. "I don't think he's a center,'' Kaman said. FanHouse

Regardless of position, Kaman believes he's a more deserving All-Star than Gasol. He also believes he would be a better choice than Lakers center Andrew Bynum, who is averaging 15.4 points and 8.4 rebounds, if coaches voted for a player who starts at center. "I think I'm more deserving than Andrew Bynum,'' Kaman said. "I'd be disappointed if they put Pau Gasol in front of me. If they put Bynum (ahead of me), it would be disappointing but it would be easier to accept.'' FanHouse

Steve Nash: Big thank you to all you fans who took the time to vote for me. I'm humbled and flattered and proud to represent you and my team in Dallas! Twitter.com

Though he's no longer an elite guard, Iverson remains quite popular with fans around the league and the world. "I really think it's an honor," said Iverson earlier this week. "The fans make us. Without the fans, there would be no us. For them to vote me in, being that I've only played 20 games or less, says a lot about them appreciating what I do on the basketball court. It's a good feeling that the fans want to see me play. I'm looking forward to it." phillyburbs.com

Iverson was voted ahead of more productive guards such as Ray Allen, Joe Johnson, Rajon Rondo and Derrick Rose. ``I would never say anything about who the fans love,'' Wade said. ``He's done something to get to that point, where they love him no matter what, and that's a testament to him and his ability for so many years.'' Miami Herald

On TNT's telecast, former Sixer Charles Barkley, per usual, had a distinct opinion. "I personally think he should decline to play," Barkley said. "The Sixers are not playing well and he has not played well. . . . I hope this don't go over the wrong way in Philly, but this guy has not played well." "I do agree that the fans should have a vote," said Barkley's colleague Kenny Smith. "And I think one of the greatest compliments is that the fans admire what you do. But to me the greatest compliment is that your peers vote for you. . . . Game recognizes game." Philadelphia Inquirer

Jeff Van Gundy doesn't believe that David Lee is an All-Star this season because the former Knicks coach feels that no player on a sub .500 team deserves All-Star consideration. “He's gotten a lot better,” said Van Gundy, who will work Friday's Knicks-Lakers game for ESPN. “He's a good to very good player. And that's not a knock to say that someone is very good at their job. But I think (Atlanta's) Al Horford deserves to go.” New York Daily News

James Harden: happy my bro @kevindurant35 makin the all-star game..well deserved! Twitter.com

The NBA delivered the final statement of the Glen Davis/Detroit fan incident, slapping the Celtics forward with a $25,000 fine for yelling an expletive in retaliation to heckling in the second quarter of Wednesday’s 92-86 loss to the Pistons at the Palace of Auburn Hills. During an injury timeout for Detroit’s Chucky Atkins, the fan, Scott Zack, yelled “fat boy’’ at Davis, who was leaning against the scorer’s table. Davis stared back at Zack, who was sitting in the first row of the lower bowl, and yelled an obscene statement that could be heard in the entire section behind the Celtics bench. Boston Globe

Davis apologized for his statements on his Twitter page and then received a flood of support from his followers yesterday. It is the second time Davis has been fined this season. He was docked an undisclosed amount by the Celtics for the circumstances surrounding his broken right thumb, which was sustained in a fight with a childhood friend. Boston Globe

When the ball came off the rim, Varejao somehow came up with it, using his always-running motor and long arms to snag it in traffic. He was fouled by reaching Lakers forward Ron Artest, and after Varejao made both free throws, the Cavs' lead had suddenly stretched to five. "That's what I do; I go for every offensive rebound," Varejao said. "Sometimes I get it, sometimes I don't." On this night, Varejao got it. "I have no idea how he does it," James said of Varejao. "I'm just glad he's on my side. He always does it at the right time, too." NBA.com

Thirty minutes after his team lost to Cleveland for the second time in less than a month, Kobe Bryant emerged from a quick shower convinced that the desperation that burnt within the Lakers last season is starting to flicker. "I think last year we probably were a little hungrier, played a little harder," Bryant said. "This year, when we played them the two times, they were the hungrier team. They want to win a championship, they want to go after it, so they were playing with the sense of urgency we played with last year." Riverside Press-Enterprise

Kevin Ding: To be clear, Kobe was firm on teammates in postgame quotes but smiling/laughing while saying he'd "strangle every single one." Twitter.com

Outside the locker room late Thursday, Kobe Bryant leaned against a wall and chatted with some friends. They were replaying the game again, where it had been lost and finally Bryant breathed out, shrugged and insisted the only truth that could hang over a late January night: ”Well, we’ll see in June.” Yahoo! Sports

Bryant reached 25,000 career points on Thursday, a staggering total that just 14 other players have reached in the 63-year history of the NBA, with a free throw in the second quarter against Cleveland. "That's what I do best," Bryant said on Sunday. "Steve Nash is a great passer, I'm a great scorer. It's what I do." ESPN.com

"I think it just came easiest to me because, at an early age [when I was] five or six years old, I could put it in my left hand, put it in my right and that age, if you can go left against those kids it's like shooting fish in a barrel," Bryant said about his earliest scoring memories. "I just became more curious about it the better I got at it all the way until now." ESPN.com

Bryant won the dunking crown when he was a rookie. He says players should not feel a responsibility toward entering the contest as a way of giving back to the league. James has been criticized for backing out. Bryant would like to see the MVP take part. "Responsibility? No," Bryant said following the Lakers' shootaround. "People want to see it, so it's good to do it at least one time in your career. It's fun." ESPN.com

The contest is Feb. 13 in Dallas, and Bryant has been giving tips to Los Angeles teammate Shannon Brown. Does Bryant think James would win? "I think he would come in a close second behind Shannon Brown," he said. ESPN.com

Earlier this week, Lakers legend Jerry West was our featured guest at Lunch with a Legend, and he cast a surprising vote. "Kobe isn't very happy with me right now," West said. "Because I said recently that LeBron has passed him as the best player in the league. But that's OK ... I think it's good for people to give honest opinions." ESPN.com

And then there's "Montana 1948," the book that Jackson gave Kobe Bryant. The choice raised eyebrows among some Lakers fans because it tells the story of a man who sexually assaults Native American women and is imprisoned for it, but Jackson explained that he selected it because it's set in his native Montana. "(Kobe) never reads my books, so I got him a book about Montana," Jackson said. "I'm not looking forward to having a review from him, but it was about the part of the country I grew up in so it's something special for me to give it to him." Riverside Press-Enterprise

Asked before the game if he would be attending Kim Kardashian's star-studded benefit at the Barley House later Thursday night, James said, "I'm just now hearing about it. I got my own party going on here in about 56 minutes." News-Herald

The franchise could also be headed to court to resolve an ownership dispute following the Nov. 24 death of owner Abe Pollin. And all of that doesn't even take into account the losses, injuries and trade rumors that continue to mount daily. ``I've been around some crazy situations before, but it's tough,'' said Wizards guard Randy Foye. ``We're professionals. We all get paid to play. We have to come in every day with our hardhats and be ready. What doesn't kill you, makes you stronger.'' Miami Herald

Ironically, one of the few photos of Arenas left hangs in the arena's security entrance. ``It's tough to see how this is all happening, especially to a guy like Gil, who everybody in the city loved,'' Beasley said. ``He's done so many things for so many places. But you have to respect how the team is trying to keep it together in a bad, bad time.'' Miami Herald

On a team filled with high-priced stars, it's the low-budget journeyman who is becoming their leader. Matt Barnes smiles at the irony. With their heart and toughness being questioned through a recent slump, the Orlando Magic have turned to the unheralded forward Barnes to kick start the second half of the season. He may be the 10th highest-paid guy on the roster -- making only $1.6 million -- and he wasn't here when they won the Eastern Conference title last season, but he is the key now to getting back to that level. FanHouse

The Magic (27-15) beat the Indiana Pacers Wednesday night, but they remain second in the Southeast Division behind Atlanta with only the fourth best record in the Eastern Conference. "This easily is the most talented team I've ever played for,'' he said. "But the energy level hasn't always been there. I expected our record to be better, but you get what you put out there. You put out a lackluster effort, you'll get beat. And we did.'' FanHouse

"His energy level has been very, very helpful to us. He's really given us a boost,'' Van Gundy said. "One of the things we liked about him when we got him this summer was his versatility, and the way he played. He's a guy who can do a lot of different things.'' FanHouse

The Nets look around and see Brook Lopez, a budding All-Star. They spot a swift backcourt in Devin Harris and Courtney Lee. They see Keyon Dooling and Jarvis Hayes. And they wonder, how the heck are we this bad? "I don't pay attention to that stuff. I'm involved in it and it [stinks], so I try not to pay attention," Lee said. "We're not the worst. Talent wise, I think we can compete with every team in the league. It's effort, knowing the right rotations and doing it." New York Post

"On paper it certainly is not [the worst team ever]," Vandeweghe said. "Sometimes, it's difficult to search for positives. . . . The low-hanging fruit is the negative. Everyone can see that. But you also have to tell them, 'This is our record. This is the reality and we got ourselves here.' " New York Post

Trail Blazers guard Brandon Roy will miss the team's next two games after aggravating a right hamstring injury. Roy re-injured the hamstring late in the first half of Portland's 98-90 victory at Philadelphia on Wednesday night. The two-time All-Star was originally injured during the third quarter of the Blazers' 120-108 home victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Jan. 13. ESPN.com

Delonte West suffered an injury to the ring finger on his left hand late in the fourth quarter after chasing a loose ball. West, who is left-handed, was able to finish the game but was in discomfort afterward. The Cavs did not announce the injury but he's expected to have tests on the finger at the Cleveland Clinic on Friday. Cleveland Plain Dealer

Phil Jackson, back at the Garden tonight, has declined the Knicks' invitation to attend their 40th anniversary celebration of their first championship, according to a source. The 64-year-old Lakers coach was a power forward on the Knicks' 1969-70 championship team in his third NBA season, though he spent the entire season on injured reserve with a back injury. Jackson didn't miss a game during their second championship season in 1972-73. He also has 10 NBA titles as a head coach, including six with the Bulls. New York Post

When Pistons owner Karen Davidson decides to sell the team, she doesn't have to be involved in any of the negotiations if she selects a broker to handle the transaction. Two leading brokerage dealers are Goldman Sachs and Smith Barney of New York, who've brokered several professional sports deals. Detroit News

But an expert in sports franchises predicts Davidson will find it difficult to sell the Pistons in the current economic climate. He said the $479 million value Forbes magazine placed on the franchise is too high, and predicts it'll sell for $350 million. "If the negotiating price is based on the Forbes value, there's not going to be many takers," said Detroit Mercy professor of economics Mike Bernacchi. "People say Detroit is a great sports town, but that is way overvalued. It has to be a value based on what's happening now. I am sure the negotiations are going to be tough. The Pistons will want to sell based on what they were and what they've done. The buyer will want to buy it for where they are now and for where they are headed in the future." Detroit News

The Lakers have finalized their plans to visit the White House on Monday, and they’re expecting to be there only for an hour or so — so unfortunately it doesn’t seem there won’t be any basketball played on President Obama’s recently renovated court there. But it remains to be seen. Obama did bring the UConn women’s basketball team over there on the spur of the moment. Magic Johnson will join the team for the visit with Obama, whom he — like many Lakers, including all the team leaders — supported during his presidential campaign. Orange County Register

Rashard Lewis: I'm going to hire some of y'all to teach haterology lol. I don't live in the gym, we are human like y'all. We can be on here like y'all lol. Twitter.com

In 1988, Ossie Schectman, then a mere 68, picked up the phone at his Florida home. On the line was somebody from the NBA. Schectman wondered what the call was about. He had played one season for the New York Knickerbockers in 1946-47 in the Basketball Association of America, which would become the NBA. But it wasn't as if league officials had put in many calls since then to the man who recently had retired from being a fabric salesman. Ricky Green of Utah had scored on Jan. 25, 1988 the five millionth point in NBA history, so league officials had set out to find out who scored the initial points. What they learned brought them to Schectman. "They had started researching and looking back at old newspapers,''Schectman said in a phone interview. "So they said 'You scored the first basket in NBA history.' I was surprised. I never had any idea.'' FanHouse

Schectman became a minor celebrity years after it had been forgotten he was a pretty darn good guard. And earlier this month, Schectman, now 90 and living in an assisted-living apartment in Ardsley, N.Y., picked up the New York Times. "There was my name in the paper,'' Schectman said. "It was in a story about Ben Gordon having scored the 10 millionth point.'' FanHouse

So Schectman adjusts his hearing aid and tells the story for what might be the 10 millionth time about scoring the NBA's first bucket. Schectman used to recount the tale when he would meet 30 to 40 friends weekly for breakfast in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., down the road from where he once lived in Delray Beach. Schectman moved last year back to the New York City area, where he grew up, after so many of his friends had died. "It's been hard on me,'' said Schectman, who lives with his wife, Evelyn, who is 88 and in failing health. "We used to take two cars of people down every week (from Delray Beach) and now they're all gone but me.'' But Schectman's health is as good as he could expect. "I never thought I'd live to be 90, but I think I mostly still have all my marbles,'' he said. FanHouse

A crowd of 7,090 showed up. Shortly after the opening tip, Schectman, the team captain, found himself heading toward the basket. "It was a fast break, and there were three men coming down and I was in the middle position,'' Schectman said. "I got the ball, and it was a two-handed underhand layup.'' FanHouse

Abdul-Jabbar says although he faced his own mortality and he is continuing to fight the disease. knowing it is treatable has allowed him to push on. "I don't necessarily think that I'm going to die from CML that's a very good thing to know and it gives me a lot of hope to continue to do all of the things I love to do," he said. 9News.com / KUSA-TV

Abdul-Jabbar says there is something positive about his very public bout with CML - raising awareness about the importance of getting regular check-ups and blood work. "It's so important. I had one of my friends call me when I first went public with this a couple of months ago and he said, 'Hey thanks Kareem because I haven't been to the doctor, I haven't been to see the doctor in ten years." And I was like, 'What are you doing?' Abdul-Jabbar said. "It's just a common thing, it's a cultural thing where people just - unless something is so bad that they can't go to work or that it's impairing their work or their lifestlyle they won't go see the doctor. We've got to change that." 9News.com / KUSA-TV

The owners of the Oklahoma City Thunder, formerly the Seattle SuperSonics, have agreed to pay former Sonics season-ticket holders $1.6 million to settle a class-action lawsuit. Clay Bennett and his Professional Basketball Club, the ownership group that moved the Sonics to Oklahoma less than two years ago, reached the settlement agreement last month. It is awaiting approval from a federal judge in Seattle. ESPN.com

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