HoopsHype.com Rumors

Monday, February 1

Visit the HoopsHype.com Forums to discuss the latest news and rumors in the NBA / You also can check out rumors from back in the day in the Rumors Archive

The Celtics have initiated trade proposals on Allen, multiple league sources say, and Boston is searching for a younger, less expensive guard and an expiring contract. This way they can find a replacement for the 34-year-old Allen without losing him and his $20 million expiring contract for nothing in free agency this summer. Only, there isn’t a shooting guard available who’s Allen’s peer. This threatens a perilous choice between transitioning for the future and refusing to compromise a chance to win a title now. Yahoo! Sports

Allen is privately resigned to the fact that it’s unlikely the Celtics will want to re-sign him this summer. He’s believed to be intrigued with the possibility of joining the Miami Heat or staying close to his Connecticut home and signing with the New York Knicks. Nevertheless, Allen wants to stay a Celtic and that’s never wavered. Yet the sheer economics make it improbable unless he’s willing to cost himself several million dollars next year. Yahoo! Sports

Adande didn't put much stock in this possibility. But Simmons was undeterred. "If I had to rank the LeBron teams, I would put Washington in the Top 5," he said. "I do think that it would take a lot for those things to work out. But if they did work out that is a very viable option for him in a place that has a ton of basketball history." "I was told by one of the LeBron guys that championship, that's the criteria," Adande said, still skeptical, and being well familiar with the Curse. "Yeah, but you could have LeBron, Bosh...." Simmons continued. "I mean, Washington has no salary cap next year. He could basically be the GM...." Washington Post

Stoudemire sitting out in the fourth quarter last week as the Suns rallied to beat Dallas probably was a good hint his time is Phoenix is limited. He actually has mentioned interest in the Nets, so he’s not exactly worried about winning. They do have a lot of players, sort of. Yi Jianlian? Nah. The Suns don’t need more soft guys who don’t defend. Maybe Courtney Lee. Maybe Devin Harris to succeed Steve Nash, though the Suns like their Goran Dragic. I can see something with the 76ers, as there’s widespread talk of moving former University of Arizona star Andre Iguodala, who could return to the desert, say, with someone like Samuel Dalembert, who’s long been available and would fit the Suns defensive needs. I guess Stoudemire could play center in the East. But with Elton Brand? I don’t know. NBA.com

But here’s my shocker: Gilbert Arenas to the 76ers as well? Call it a shot in the dark. NBA.com

This is here’s why: One of the hottest rumors floating around the NBA is former super agent David Falk could be in line to take a prominent role with the Wizards once the sale is completed from the Pollin family. Falk, who represented Michael Jordan and once was the game’s preeminent agent, has been looking for a way to increase his role in the NBA and long has talked about running a team. The joke long around the NBA was that Falk always believed he was running teams because he’d always propose trades to reshape teams with his players. It’s the natural extension he’s long been seeking, and he is a Washington fixture with his business there. NBA.com

Falk doesn’t have many clients anymore, but still represents Brand. The talk is if Falk gets in, it’s to help remake the team, and taking on Brand would simplify the Arenas situation. Brand has played better of late, though the 76ers supposedly would love to move his deal. For the Wizards, they wouldn’t have to fight the union and the negative of going after the contract they gave out. NBA.com

The Bulls aren’t shopping Hinrich around, but if they get to the trade deadline and haven’t moved a contract, they could be forced to make a deal. If you are Chicago, you absolutely cannot go into the summer without the cap space to offer at least one max deal. Thus far, all I’ve heard is the Lakers want to “get off” money and reduce their payroll. As for the Celtics, it’s all about KG. He’s still talking, but he no longer can back it up. He’s over 43,000 minutes in his career, about where the likes of Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen were when their bodies gave way. Then you factor in Boston’s loss Sunday as well as losing to the young Hawks for the fourth straight time this season. Look, the deal was still well worth it. It got them a title. But it’s probably over now and they should deal Ray Allen’s expiring contract to begin retooling. Will they? NBA.com

The Blazers remain interested in Haywood, since they've been relying on soon-to-be 37-year-old Juwan Howard at center in recent weeks. They reportedly declined a deal for Haywood that would've cost them Rudy Fernandez and Nicolas Batum. I know the Wizards asked for a lot there, but I wouldn't close the books on discussions about Haywood or Fernandez. Fernandez has been unhappy with his role in Portland, according to a league source. Washington Post

The Hawks today signed Mario West for the remainder of the season, the team announced. West had signed consecutive 10-day contracts with the Hawks and, under the rules of the collective bargaining agreement, the team was required to sign him for the rest of the season to retain him. West, a Douglas County and Georgia Tech product, has appeared in eight games and averaged six minutes during his most recent stint with the Hawks. Atlanta Journal-Constitution

As one NBA coach privately says, “They’re just not as nasty as they were” when they won the title. “And they don’t rebound.” No, Boston never did replace James Posey, P.J. Brown and Leon Powe off that ’08 championship bench. The Celtics coaches insist the development of Rondo and Kendrick Perkins – whom they believe is the best low-post defender in the league – can still pick up for Garnett’s fading fury. “The other guys are better defenders,” Rivers said, “so hopefully [Garnett] doesn’t have to do as much.” Yahoo! Sports

Sam Amick: BREAKING NEWS --- @Sam_Amick just told the Rise Guys Tyreke Evans will not start tonight. Rise Guys show, www.KHTK.com! Twitter.com

Bender feels good about his physical progression after being away from the game for so long. “I don’t put too many expectations on myself. My goal was to make it back and I did.” He feels that he can physically perform like he used to in spurts, obviously hoping to build consistency and trust in his knees which rely on the surrounding muscle for support. Truth About It

“I’ve accomplished by goal of getting back here. I don’t think too far in the future, I just take it day by day. Keep up with my training, keep in shape, keep feeling good about the whole situation. That’s where I’m at right now.” Truth About It

Nowitzki gives the Jazz faithful their props. He says they make Energy Solutions Arena one of the most difficult NBA stops for opposing teams. "Those buildings where they don’t have football, where they don’t have nothing else like Portland and here, that’s usually the buildings where they get the loudest and the craziest," Nowitzki said after the Monday morning shootaround. "The fans just really get into it. "It’s a challenging building to play in, so hopefully we can keep our emotions in check. There will be some stuff called we don’t like or whatever. Some stuff will go down. We’ve just got to do a good job of staying calm and keeping the emotions in check." ESPN.com

The fans of Shanxi Zhongyu can now relate to those of the Knicks. Stephon Marbury made his debut in China yesterday, his team lost, and the fans were disappointed with his performance. Sound familiar? Marbury scored 15 points, had four rebounds, eight assists and four steals, but was criticized for passing up the game-winning shot against Dongguan Marco Polo. With his team trailing 102-101, Marbury dished the ball to another former NBA player, Maurice Taylor, who missed a 3-pointer that would have won the game. New York Post

Casey Jacobsen: “Starbury” was one of the most polarizing players I’ve ever played with, meaning that as many people admit to being a fan of his, you will find an equal amount of people who hate his game and claim he wasn’t a winner. I liked Stephon. We got along well and I thought his obvious skill and competitiveness helped us win more games than it lost. The problem was his personality was so overwhelming that, when mixed with other players who are also trying to establish themselves as star players (I.e. Marion and Stoudemire), it created a problem in the locker room. Everywhere Stephon played, it seemed like he struggled to share the spotlight with others. SLAM

After a game in Madison Square Garden, I saw Steph talking to a very “peculiar” looking girl. When we sat down on the plane that night (Steph sat right in front of me), I asked him who she was. He said it was a friend of his and that she happened to be a successful “adult film actress.” He then reached into his bag and showed me an autographed copy of her latest DVD project. “You want to watch it?” he asked me with a big smile on his face. “No thanks…. I’m good.” Then he put it on his computer and started watching it, as if it were just another episode of 24. That’s the only time I’ve ever seen that on a team flight. SLAM

Frank Johnson: Steph! Is there something more important that you are talking about right now than our game plan? I don’t want to interrupt you. [sarcastically, of course] Stephon: What??!! Frank Johnson: I heard you talking…Is there something you want to say? [A little less sarcastic] Stephon: [He had a crazy look in his eyes as he slowly started to walk toward Coach Johnson] Look… I’m not a little boy! If I want to say something to you, then I will say it right to your face! The two were inches away from each other at this point, but that was the end of that conversation. You could have heard a pin drop for a solid 5 seconds before Randy Brown stepped between the two and we continued the walkthrough. I don’t know why Stephon was so mad, but I have never heard a player talk to a coach like that and get away with it like Steph did. SLAM

Leandro Barbosa, a rookie during the ‘03-04 season, was trying his best to adjust to both the NBA and the American culture. It wasn’t easy, obviously, but Stephon really took his role of leader and mentor seriously. He could often be seen explaining plays and pick and role nuances to the young Brazilian. They developed a bond that went beyond the court, and Stephon helped advise him on what car Leandro should buy: a black Escalade, of course. SLAM

One day, I pull into my usual parking spot under America West Arena for a day of practice and notice group of mechanics who have Leandro’s SUV jacked up and are putting on new 22-inch custom rims. My first thought was, “That’s weird. Why would Leandro have the rims put on here? Why wouldn’t he just go to the auto shop after practice?” When I got to the locker room, I said something about it to our strength coach, who then told me Stephon hired those guys to do it as a surprise gift to Leandro. Most of the team waited in the parking garage to see the look on LB’s face. He was so happy to get the gift, but it was Stephon who was most excited. It was a genuine moment of generosity, and it wasn’t the only one I saw from him. SLAM

Danilo Gallinari has yet to be informed that he will participate in the 3-point contest at All-Star Weekend in Dallas but word around the league is that the second-year forward will be invited to the event. Reports out of Phoenix claim that former Knicks lottery pick Channing Frye is a participant in the 3-point contest. As of late Sunday, Gallo said he hadn't heard any news but he did make news by stating "I will win it. I'm telling you right now I'm going there to win." New York Daily News

DeRozan embraced this event long before he was invited, putting up a Web site to lobby for a spot and reminding folks that, when he enters dunk contests, he wins dunk contests. "I don't care if [Michael] Jordan is in it,'' the Raptors rookie told reporters. Gordon? Not so much. Either that or he's doing the ultimate job of sandbagging. "I don't know, I'm not really [a dunker],'' he told me after Clippers practice the other day. "I can do some dunks, but ... I don't know. Maybe [they chose me] because I'm flying under the radar a little bit. I can play, on the court, and probably don't get as much respect as some guys, but ... '' NBA.com

"He hasn't been one of those guys who's been too flamboyant or tried to generate crowd enthusiasm,'' Clippers coach Mike Dunleavy said. "He's been a guy who has just been able to go up, from distance, over people. A powerful kind of dunker. I haven't seen him try to do stuff that some guys do, like bouncing it off the backboard. Eric is very explosive and gets up really good, but I don't know the critieria for how they picked guys.'' NBA.com

Hornets All-Star point guard Chris Paul is out indefinitely with a left knee injury. Hornets coach Jeff Bower said on Monday that an MRI revealed more damage to the knee than the initial diagnosis of a bruise. The coach refused, however, to confirm reports that Paul had a meniscus tear and would miss at least a month. ESPN.com

The doctors have cleared Garnett, and he plays on, but multiple sources say there’s a sentiment that maybe his hyperextended right knee would be best suited to sit out longer. Nevertheless, it’s never easy telling Garnett “no,” telling him to back off, because he’s so relentless and resolved to push past the pain, push to a final, gasping championship chase. Yahoo! Sports

Milwaukee Bucks General Manager John Hammond announced today that center Francisco Elson (7-0, 240) had successful surgery on Friday to repair a hernia. Elson is expected to miss six weeks of action. NBA.com

But the strategy isn't always flawless, and sometimes, you need to challenge your players with the authority of a mentor. Sometimes it doesn't work to be friends. Calipari apparently put on the mentor mask with John Wall after South Carolina's upset of the Wildcats last week, and Wall isn't too happy about it: "I don't know. He said I played awful," says John Wall. "I didn't think I played that bad. I don't know what to expect. He's probably going to say I played bad today too so I don't know. I just try not to listen to him and go out and play basketball and try and help my team win." ESPN.com

I'll make the obvious statement here, because someone has to do it: It's not a good thing when your all-world star point guard tells the media he "tries not to listen to" his coach. This is not, at least in the short-term, what we in the business would call "a positive." Wall also said he wasn't having fun: "To be honest, I really haven't been having fun for the last two weeks. It's just being frustrated and things like that so, I just got to figure it out before we go further in league play." ESPN.com

Holly McKenzie: Larry Brown and George Karl named Eastern and Western Conference coaches of the month for January. Twitter.com

If NBA owners ask players to give back an inordinate amount of money in collective bargaining talks, those talks at All-Star Weekend probably won't last long. That was the implication from union president Derek Fisher of the Los Angeles Lakers in the wake of a report on SI.com that owners will seek to cut the players' share of revenues from 57 to 45 percent. "I don't foresee any situation where we agree to a deal that flips the percentage in that manner, but there are a lot of ways to get to a destination or a goal," Fisher told ESPN.com. ESPN.com

A reduction from 57 percent of revenues, which the players are now guaranteed, to 45 percent would be tantamount to a 21 percent drop in player salary expenditures. The NBA would not comment on the accuracy of the SI.com report. "It's a negotiation, so I don't think we'd be surprised if there's an overreach," Fisher said. "So we'll see when we receive it how it looks, but I don't know if we should box ourselves in to just sending back our response to what they sent. ESPN.com

"In these meetings we've really tried to give them a feel for exactly what we are looking in this deal, as well," Fisher told ESPN.com. "I don't think any side has any intentions on dragging it out unnecessarily, but at the same time we have year and a half [remaining on the current agreement, which expires at the end of the 2010-11 season]. We're serious in our approach to getting this started sooner than later, but we're not going to rush to judgment to things that are sent out this early in the game." ESPN.com

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's production company says it paid $500,000 for a full-length movie based on Abdul-Jabbar's book about the Harlem Renaissance, but the producer it hired turned in an "unreleasable" 12-minute tape of interviews that had nothing to do with Abdul-Jabbar's script. Abdul-Jabbar's production company, Union/OSG, claims it hired William Zagger and B-Train Films to produce a feature-length documentary based on Jabbar's sixth book, "On the Shoulders of Giants: My Journey Through the Harlem Renaissance." Courthouse News

New Orleans Hornets All-Star point guard Chris Paul will undergo arthroscopic surgery for a cartilage tear in his left knee on Monday and could miss one to two months, sources close to Paul told Yahoo! Sports on Sunday night. Paul injured the knee in the final moments of regulation in a loss to the Chicago Bulls on Friday. Paul was injured after he fell into a photographer on the baseline after trying to catch an errant inbounds pass from Hornets forward David West. Paul came up limping after the play, which led to the Bulls tying the game with .2 seconds left. Yahoo! Sports

One person familiar with the situation told CBSSports.com that Paul tweaked the knee Wednesday night in a 123-110 victory at Golden State. On Friday night, the Hornets appeared to have a victory over the Bulls wrapped up when West threw a court-length pass out of Paul's reach in the final seconds of regulation. Paul aggravated the knee, and the Bulls parlayed the turnover into an overtime-forcing basket. CBSSports.com

Marc Stein: Firm timetable on CP3 won't be known until his knee is scoped, but sources say Hornets cautiously optimistic that he'll only miss a month. Twitter.com

Paul is expected to miss the All-Star Game because of the injury. Once the NBA confirms Paul’s unavailability, commissioner David Stern will appoint a replacement to the Western Conference roster. Denver Nuggets point guard Chauncey Billups likely will be among the leading candidates to replace Paul. Yahoo! Sports

The time has come for the Celtics to think long and hard about whether they want to head into the postseason with their main core intact; or whether they want to explore the possibility of trading Allen and his expiring $18.8 million deal for a package of players that'll make them a better team. Allen is aware it's a possibility. "Nothing would surprise me. I've seen guys come and go, whether on my team or another team, that you didn't expect to go. That's just the nature of the business. You can always say somebody is untradeable or untouchable, but that's the guy who has all the value." ESPN.com

Allen was deemed expendable by then-Bucks GM Ernie Grunfeld, who called the Seattle SuperSonics to inquire about the availability of Gary Payton. Told there would be no Payton discussion unless Allen was in the conversation, too, Grunfeld decided against hanging up the phone, requested that Desmond Mason be included in the deal, and then pulled the trigger on a trade that completely blindsided Allen and the city of Milwaukee. "Yup, the guy who wasn't supposed to get traded got traded. That's the lesson I learned -- if somebody ever says you're untouchable then that's the one you need to worry about. Everyone wants you, because the value you bring to that franchise you could bring to another franchise," Allen said. "I've seen stranger things happen." ESPN.com

Rondo doesn’t have the confidence, while the Big Perimeter Three just aren’t making them. So, you bring in reinforcements. An intriguing name could be the Warriors’ Raja Bell, a tough defender, premier outside shooter, and the type of veteran Ainge likes. Bell is an impending free agent and underwent wrist surgery in early December. His recovery time was supposed to be three months, meaning he could be healthy at the trade deadline. It’s apparent the Celtics need to make adjustments. Expecting the same roster to suddenly transform into a team that executes is unrealistic. Ainge has been waiting for the Celtics to emerge as a dominant team, and it hasn’t happened. Boston Globe

Stoudemire fouled out with 3:08 to go in overtime but dominated offensively for a season-high 36 points. He also grabbed 11 rebounds, 10 more than he had Thursday against Dallas. "It's great to be away from home for a little bit to get away from the trade rumors," he said. "It definitely helped to be on the road and play stress-free and get back to what I'm used to." Arizona Daily Star

I can, however, share something from a friend who is a long-time scout and front office guy. I had come over thinking Andre Iguodala would be a better get than Caron Butler. He strongly disagreed, arguing that neither is a guy that carries a team, but Iguodala has the contract of one. Butler has one more year left on his deal. He said Butler "isn't a good guy, he's a great guy." Most of all, he said Butler is a better fit, giving the Rockets shooting they desperately need and that would work well next season with Yao Ming. Houston Chronicle

Ric Bucher: To be clear, (the Lakers) can't get Devin. They inquired, that was it. I reported it as a reflection of LAL mindset, not because it was happening. Twitter.com

Charlotte – which sources say would be very motivated by any trade involving Kings second-year forward Jason Thompson – has a logjam of centers whom the Kings may inquire about: Nazr Mohammed (6-foot-10), DeSagana Diop (7-0), Alexis Ajinca (7-0) and oft-injured Tyson Chandler (7-1). The Bobcats may also have interest in the expiring contract of Kenny Thomas ($8.7 million this season), as he has been highly regarded by Charlotte coach Larry Brown since they were together in Philadelphia. Sacramento Bee

Alex Kennedy: Teams are calling and offering for J.J. Redick but performances like the one he had tonight make parting ways harder than ever. Twitter.com

Multiple sources said Denver’s longstanding pursuit of Indiana’s Jeff Foster is over because he’s likely to require surgery for his injured back and miss the rest of the season. With the team over the luxury tax and possessing few quality trade assets, especially with J.R. Smith trade rumors drowning in cold water, it appears other potential moves for frontcourt help seem nearly as unlikely. ESPN.com

Amityville's point guard Mike James told The Post he is hoping the Wizards can find a new home for him at Feb. 18's trading deadline and he is the expiring contract the Knicks would be willing to take on as they look for backcourt help. The sharpshooter has played just three games this season and was showcased in a game last week. But he was back in a suit during the Wizards' 106-96 victory over the Knicks last night, even with guards Gilbert Arenas and Javaris Crittenton suspended for the season. "This isn't how I envisioned it," James said. "I want to get out of here. The coach [Flip Sanders] never had me in his plans. I could see [sitting me] if we're winning, but you can't tell me I can't help now." New York Post

The word around the NBA is that team president Donnie Walsh is actively looking for a play maker. He's got to do something fast if the Knicks are serious about making the playoffs. And he's got to do something with Hughes and Darko. New York Daily News

Yet asked whether he thinks something has to happen, coach Mike D’Antoni tap-danced, talking about how it had to fit into the Knicks’ plan not to clog their salary cap for this summer’s free agency. "It’s a tricky thing to do, not easy to do, but we’ll keep looking," D’Antoni said. "To be honest, there’s just not a whole lot outside. I think about our guys, I like our guys. There’s something we’re not quite doing. We’re there. We’re playing pretty well, but we’re not getting over the hump." Bergen Record

The Feb. 18 trade deadline is almost three weeks away, so don't read too much into Cuban's words Saturday when asked about the Mavs' prospects for a deal. "I don't see any bargains happening out there, so I'm not looking for any big deals," he said. Dallas Morning News

If the Timberwolves make a trade before the NBA's Feb. 18 trade deadline, Wolves president of basketball operations David Kahn said the deal would be "modest" and would not involve any of the team's "core players." Based on playing time and productivity, the Wolves' core players are forwards Al Jefferson, Kevin Love, Ryan Gomes and Damien Wilkins, and guards Jonny Flynn, Corey Brewer, Ramon Sessions and Wayne Ellington. St. Paul Pioneer Press

Desmond Mason, who played for Oklahoma State, the Hornets and the Thunder, attended Sunday’s game. Mason lives in Portland but flew to Oklahoma to see friends, discuss some business options and watch tonight’s Texas game at Gallagher-Iba Arena. Waived early in the season by Sacramento, Mason was asked if he’s retired. "Maybe. I haven’t made a final decision, yet, but I’m kind of leaning,” Mason said. "I’m enjoying my family. I keep myself busy. I’m working on some (projects).” Oklahoman

Cedric Jackson's 10-day contract will expire Monday and the Cavs will have to make a decision on whether to re-sign him. He can be signed to one more 10-day contract before the team has to make a decision on the rest of the season. Jackson has just been a stopgap with Delonte West and Mo Williams out with injuries. But West doesn't appear quite ready to return from his fractured finger, as he missed his fifth game with the injury Sunday and the team is not setting a timetable. Cleveland Plain Dealer

After one month and four games former NBA player Michael Dickerson leaves Palencia, in Spanish Leb ORO. The played asked too much money to continue his adventure in Spain. Dickerson, who has played 212 games in NBA with more than 15ppg, was averaging 11.8ppg in four games with Palencia. Sportando

	Want to follow HoopsHype.com on Twitter too? Click here.

Bad left ankle or not, injured right index finger or not, Kobe Bryant channeled Keyshawn Johnson on Sunday and made the Celtics pay in the end. “I didn’t say, ‘Give me one more chance.’ I said, ‘Give me the damn ball.’ I didn’t really give [my teammates] much of a choice,” Bryant said of the moments in the huddle before his game-winner with 7.3 seconds left in the fourth quarter. “All we talked about was the execution of [the play], where I was going to catch the ball. That was the only difference. Throughout the course of the game, I was pretty much a decoy because of all the traps they run but if I catch it at the top of the floor, it’s a different story.” WEEI.com

Speaking of pushing off, Bryant said his left ankle was so sore, he couldn’t elevate, leading to this tidy little jab at Allen. “Oh yeah, I couldn’t push off,” Bryant said. “Ray’s athletic but my elevator goes to the 12th floor, his stays at the seventh. But I couldn’t get to the 12th floor today, so it was hurting. “Special for me, personally, because I had opportunity to win the game last year and I didn’t do it. I didn’t get the shot I wanted so I wanted to make sure I redeemed myself today.” WEEI.com

Andrew Bynum has so seldom been on the floor in the waning minutes of close games that he admits he had no idea how to react Sunday night when Kobe Bryant fed him the ball in the post on the Lakers' final possession. "I passed it right back like a hot potato," Bynum said. "I didn't know what to do. I was standing there like, 'Yo, why do I have the ball right now?' " Riverside Press-Enterprise

Kevin Ding: Doc said BOS "went back and forth" on whether to have Tony Allen guard Kobe at end instead of Ray Allen, but wanted "a star guarding a star" Twitter.com

"He performed exceptionally well," said Bryant, who needed to dump the ball on Bynum briefly to reset himself before nailing the winning jumper. "He was aggressive, wasn't passive at all and didn't back down from the contact. I felt like this was a steppingstone for him." Orange County Register

Allen could only shrug after the loss. “I had a good look,” he said. “I think maybe I rushed it a little bit, but I did have a good look.” Boston Herald

The Celtics are no longer reliable. That’s rather evident. They can’t sustain. They can’t hang. They can’t finish. Dare I suggest they’ ve lost their confidence as a unit? Hey, why not? Their coach looks at the fourth-quarter collapses and thinks it’s a possibility. “You know, I just don’t know what it is, honestly,’’ said Doc Rivers. “[Today] it was that we didn’t play well. I thought we tried to hold on to the game. What disappointed me about that is that I told our guys, ‘We can’t act like we’re surprised to be up.’ We should have been up, and we should have been up more. So that was rough.’’ Boston Globe

As Shaquille O'Neal got off to a slow start this season, both when it came to his role within the offense and his ability to finish around the rim, it became obvious that other teams took notice and advantage. I often overheard advance scouts talking about how small of a role O'Neal had and some of them even made fun of him. There were over the hill jokes, etc. They put in their reports, obviously, that it was no longer necessary to double team O'Neal. Teams have been single-covering him for months now. In fact, he's probably faced more single coverage this season than in the last four or five years piled together. Cleveland Plain Dealer

So now the advance scouts are writing something different in their reports. The Clippers were doubling Shaq regularly in the first quarter. It was clear that it was a point of emphasis, especially after the way he and Zydrunas Ilgauskas dominated the Indiana Pacers inside. It became more of an issue when Chris Kaman couldn't play because of his ankle injury. Cleveland Plain Dealer

He has two 20-point efforts in his last five games. In his last seven games, O'Neal is averaging 17.3 points, 6.6 rebounds and 2.6 assists. He is shooting 69.4 percent from the field (50 of 72) in that span. "He's an All-Star," Cavs coach Mike Brown said. "He's a top-50 player, if not higher. "We could have easily been throwing him the ball and letting him go to work and playing him minutes. But we didn't need to. "We didn't want to wear him out." News-Herald

There was some humor in the locker room after the game about Jamario Moon's skin cream. It was a very aromatic strawberry, filling the whole room, and it had several guys making jokes at Moon's expense. Said one person who shall remain nameless: "It smells like a girls locker room in here." Cleveland Plain Dealer

Chris Douglas-Roberts: People say "don't pay attention to the negative". However, paying attention to negativity is what got me here. I use negativity as gas. Twitter.com

"I've been on pretty poor teams, but none that poor," Elton Brand said. "No disrespect to the Nets franchise, but we couldn't lose this game today. We're trying to make a (playoff) run. We were counting our blessings. We needed the victory." phillyburbs.com

Lou Williams didn't play in the second half of Friday night's loss to the Lakers, totaling a season-low nine minutes along the way. Sixers coach Eddie Jordan said he went with the hot hand in Allen Iverson, who scored 21 of his season-high 23 points after intermission, and needed the second guard to have more size for defensive purposes against the Lakers' bigger backcourt. Andre Iguodala, normally a small forward, earned a lot of time at the "two" spot and Thaddeus Young played extended minutes at small forward. Williams wasn't too happy about it, tweeting afterward that "all this + is just making me strong." Asked before Sunday night's game against the Nets if he expects to sit for another second half this season, Williams replied, "It'll happen again. Definitely, it'll happen again." phillyburbs.com

Asked if this is something he needs to talk to Jordan about, Williams said, "No." Williams is averaging 14.5 points and 31.4 minutes this season. Things have changed for him since he fractured his jaw Nov. 24 against the Wizards. Though he only missed 3 1/2 weeks, while he was out the Sixers signed Iverson, another undersized guard who is playing more of a prominent role than Williams since then. phillyburbs.com

Veteran power forward Etan Thomas hasn’t played in nearly two months (Dec. 4). In Friday’s win against Denver, coach Scott Brooks inserted Kevin Ollie and other bench players but not Thomas. "There’s no reason to throw him in there the last three or four minutes of a blowout,” Brooks said. "It’s a veteran thing. I have a lot of respect for the work he puts in. I’m not going to call it garbage minutes because they’re good minutes. But they’re minutes Serge (Ibaka) and Byron (Mullens) can use more than he can use.” Oklahoman

Suns center Channing Frye could go where no NBA center has gone. Frye was chosen to participate in the All-Star Game weekend's 3-point shootout on Feb. 13, a league source confirmed. Frye could be the first center to win the championship. He already is the first center to participate in the 3-point shootout since Seattle's Sam Perkins, a forward-center, did in 1997. Arizona Republic

On Wednesday, the NBA is expected to announce the contestants for the Three-Point Shootout for All-Star Saturday Night in Dallas. One Cavalier doesn't think he'll be reading his name on the list, but another still may be in the mix. "I've talked to my agent and we're waiting for an answer," said Anthony Parker, who has been ranked in the top 10 in 3-point shooting all season. "I think there's still a chance, but I wouldn't be surprised if they don't select me because they didn't when I was in Toronto." Cleveland Plain Dealer

Daniel Gibson said on Sunday that the word he's getting from his agent is that he will not be invited. This is despite Gibson being in the top five of the league's 3-point shooters for the last month. Cleveland Plain Dealer

With the All-Star Game in his home state and in the middle of the best shooting season of his career, Gibson was hoping for another chance. "I'm very surprised," Gibson said. "I was hoping for a second shot at it, especially being in Texas." Cleveland Plain Dealer

Yesterday, as Weems was addressing the media in the morning shootaround before his first NBA start — because DeRozan was out of the lineup with an ankle injury– he was informed that DeRozan was left off of the rookie team for the rookie-sophomore game to be played in Dallas on All-Star weekend. Saying, “that’s bogus,” six times in less than two minutes, Weems made his displeasure with the snub easy to see. He was the one that delivered the news to DeRozan who was getting treatment on his injured right ankle. “Sonny came in. Sonny was mad,” DeRozan said laughing. “I was getting treatment on my ankle and he came in and was going off. I was like, ‘what’s up,’ He was like, ‘Man, they ain’t put you in the rookie game,’ Then I looked at my phone and I saw the players that were in it. I was like, ‘dang.’ I know when Sonny’s joking and when he’s not joking. I could see the seriousness on his face.” The Score

DeRozan said he was disappointed and a bit confused, pointing to the team’s winning record, something that has coincided with his jump in numbers over the past two months. It’s frustrating,” he said. “I definitely wanted to participate and just go out there and have fun. I felt like I did a lot this season. I worked hard. I was on a good team with, in my opinion, one of the best power forwards in the league. It’s just disappointing that I wasn’t selected to play in it.” The Score

When it comes to his individual performance, though, the reviews have been mixed. While Rubio ranks among the leaders in assists and steals in both the domestic and European competition, he’s averaging a rather pedestrian 6.4 ppg in the Euroleague, which ties him with journeyman Daniel Santiago. He has not been shooting very well – 39.0 percent from the field – and has not been shooting much either – just 3.7 attempts per game. Nikola Loncar, an NBA analyst for Spanish TV, went as far as to question whether Rubio would have been worthy of a first-round pick in 2010 given his play early in the season. That said, even Loncar, who won gold medals with Yugoslavia in the European and World Championsip playing with the likes of Zeljko Rebraca and Dejan Bodiroga, recognizes Rubio has been making some strides lately. “I didn’t like his conservative approach,” Loncar said. “We got used to seeing Ricky score 15-18 points very often. That’s the Ricky I like the most and it wasn’t happening anymore. Then there was a turning point for his season with the game against Real Madrid (in late December). Even his shooting form has changed. He’s not shooting like he used to.” HoopsHype.com

Meanwhile, Timberwolves scout Pete Philo, who was in the war room when Minnesota drafted the Spanish guard, thinks it makes sense for him to defer to the veterans in his first few months playing with Barça. “Ricky is a very smart and clever player, so he’s not going to come into a new team early in the season and try to do too many things,” Philo said. “I think he’s such a great teammate and great team player that it was brilliant actually the way he came into that team. “There aren’t that many point guards that have his makeup. To me, it’s pretty refreshing to see his unselfishness.” HoopsHype.com

“I spent time this summer with (Rubio) during the Spanish National Team training camp down in Cadiz and I watched him really getting in a lot of work both before and after practice,” Philo said. “He’s dedicated and he knows where he needs to work as far as shooting. It’s getting better.” Mickeal agrees: “He puts the work in every day. Anybody who’s willing to put the work in can be anything they wanna be. It doesn’t matter what anybody says, what the media says. I watch him every day. He’s gotten so much better because he’s been putting the work in before practice. That’s the bottom line.” HoopsHype.com

Dave McMenamin: LFLN: I asked a Celtics front office person how the season was going w/ new personnel and he said he wished Shelden Williams played more. Twitter.com

Dave McMenamin: Leftovers from last night: Kobe was going to wear sunglasses to his postgame presser. Ron made fun of him. Kobe took them off. Twitter.com

A weird week of setbacks and "not quites" has Nuggets star Carmelo Anthony looking at each day, wondering if it's the one when he actually will play again. Sunday was not that day. But according to coach George Karl, today may be. "I think he'll try to play against Sacramento," Karl said. "(Not playing against the Spurs), it was maybe the pace of the game, and it's going to be another 36 hours (of rest)." Denver Post

Carlos Boozer continued to express optimism Sunday about his recovery from a moderate right calf strain and suggested that it was possible he might be able to play by the end of the week. “I think I have a shot at it if it continues to get better,” Boozer said. He appeared on the court before Jazz practice, but said he was planning only to ride a stationary bike and possibly work out on an elliptical machine and lift weights. Boozer suffered in the calf strain in the third quarter of Wednesday’s victory in Portland. Salt Lake Tribune

All season long, Doc Rivers has maintained that even when his players return to the court, it takes some time to get them back into game shape. When asked if he could put the same expectations on Garnett as he did two years ago, Rivers answered definitively. "Yeah I can," said Rivers. "But not right now. Right now, none of our guys that have come back [from injury], you can't hold any of them to normal standards. The biggest issue with our injuries is they're healthy now, but they're not ready to play basketball at this level yet, full-time. "The only way they're going to get back is to keeping them on the floor and letting them play through it. Unfortunately while you're doing that, your team is going to struggle a little bit." Boston Globe

Andrew Bynum said Sunday he needed a root canal on one of his front teeth because of the elbow he took from Shaquille O’Neal to start this trip. O’Neal made a post-up move and elbowed Bynum (no foul was called) early in Cleveland’s victory over the Lakers on Jan. 21. Bynum staggered away as play continued and eventually got treatment on the bench from Lakers trainer Gary Vitti. Orange County Register

Yao Ming: Sorry I've been silent for a few weeks. Back from China. In Houston for 10 more days. At Toyota Center for workout, then Suns game tonight. Twitter.com

The Miami Heat received mixed results from MRIs taken Sunday on ailing forward Michael Beasley and sidelined guard Mario Chalmers. The test on Beasley's hyperextended right knee came back negative, with the starting power forward possibly to return as soon as Monday night's game against the Milwaukee Bucks at AmericanAirlines Arena. South Florida Sun-Sentinel

The MRI on Chalmers, however, showed a partial tear in his sprained left thumb, putting the backup point guard out indefinitely, quite possibly through the NBA All-Star break, which ends Feb. 15. South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Forward Charlie Villanueva could not stand up straight Sunday night while discussing the back spasms that kept him out of the Detroit Pistons' 91-86 loss to the Orlando Magic. "When I tried to go out there in the layup line, it just didn't feel right," Villanueva said after the game. "It doesn't feel right now. It doesn't feel good at all. "I can't even straighten out my back right now." Booth Newspapers

Hansbrough's latest setback -- an inner ear infection -- has left the former University of North Carolina All-American sidelined for 14 of the past 18 games, and the team is not putting a target date on his return. "It's a major setback for us," Pacers coach Jim O'Brien said. "To have a guy that we drafted in the lottery only get just a tad over 500 minutes to this point in time is not what we had in mind and it's not what he had in mind. Not only is he injured and missing games, he never got training camp and by not getting training camp, that is significant." Indianapolis Star

The infection can take months for some people to overcome because it goes away on its own and there's not really a medication given to cure it. "The fact that I'm not taking part in any contact drills tells you where I'm at with things," said Hansbrough, who has not been flying with the team on the road. "I'm not putting a timetable on my return. We'll see when things start to clear up. If you're off balance, you put yourself at risk of getting hit." Indianapolis Star

Jerry Colangelo on the recent report that cites "Team USA Insiders" saying there is some concern about how many of the team's core from 2008 will keep their verbal agreements... "Quite honestly, I saw that (story) and I don't know if it was a misprint or whatever. I understand how Dwyane is feeling but I haven't heard that from any of the other guys. I don't have any anxiety at all. We're going to have 25 players to choose from. We're going to field an excellent team. We have a lot of young talent ready and chomping at the bit for an opportunity, so right now the depth chart is pretty strong. Sacramento Bee

Peter Luukko said Sunday that there’s “nothing” to a report in Sunday’s New York Daily News citing a rumor that “ownership wants to clear out president Ed Stefanski and coach Eddie Jordan at the (Feb. 11-15) all-star break." Luukko is the president and COO of Comcast-Spectacor, which owns the Sixers. phillyburbs.com

When asked about those rumors that he was nearly fired last month, Del Negro basically shrugs his shoulders and claims not to worry about what he can't control. What he can do, though, is influence a positive atmosphere when things go bad and spend extra time understanding how to get the most from his players. "I think so much of the NBA now is managing people," Del Negro said. "So the relationship with the players is very important. Sometimes you have to put your arm around them. Sometimes you have to kick them and get them going a little bit Arlington Heights Daily Herald

Stan Van Gundy will coach the East in the All-Star game after the Orlando Magic edged Atlanta for the second-best record in the conference through January. The Magic improved to 32-16 (.667) with their 91-86 victory at Detroit on Sunday. Atlanta was idle Sunday and finished January with a 30-16 mark (.652). WFTV.com

Terrence Williams: Taylor swift beat Lady Gaga and Beyonce I'm pissssssssed lol. Twitter.com

DeMar DeRozan: Where's Kanye at when you need him. Twitter.com

Any rumor missing? E-mail us at hoopshype@hoopshype.com.