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Friday, February 5

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NBA Hall of Famer and current men’s basketball coach at Florida International University Isiah Thomas has emerged as one of the candidates to run the Los Angeles Clippers. FOXSports.com

According to a source close to the situation, the Clippers have reached out to Thomas -- who coached the Indiana Pacers and also the New York Knicks -- to take over coaching, general manager and president duties. He would replace Mike Dunleavy, who was relieved of his coaching duties earlier this week but remains the general manager. FOXSports.com

Ramona Shelburne: Just checked with Clippers brass on the report about Isiah and got an ALL CAPS denial... Twitter.com

Ramona Shelburne: This feels like story came from Isiah... Can't see why the Clippers would want to pay $10 mill worth of coach next year. Twitter.com

Only thing keeping me from completely ignoring this story is respect I have for Jeff Goodman, one of the best in the biz. Twitter.com

Adrian Wojnarowski: Getting some fantastic texts/emails from league front office executives on Fox Sports story on Clipps contacting Isiah. Should I post a few? Front office responses on Isiah-to-Clips: "Initial reaction is that it's not true, but it's the Clippers so I'll have to reserve judgment." Another: "God help us all -- no way!" The leader in the clubhouse: "You wonder why their (crap) is always (bleeped) up???" One final from a GM: "Man oh man, that would be the 7th sign of the Apocalypse..." Twitter.com

Adrian Wojnarowski: One final plea from a Western Conference exec. on reported Clips contact of Isiah Thomas to run operation: "Please God, let it be true." Twitter.com

In an interview Thursday with ESPN Radio's L.A. tandem of John Ireland and Steve Mason, Dunleavy also suggested that the Clippers will be looking to make a trade for a top player before the Feb. 18 trading deadline as opposed to waiting for free agency. "I think if you're given that opportunity, a bird in the hand is the way to go," Dunleavy told Mason and Ireland. "That would be my recommendation, because you just never know. There's too many variables in an offseason. … I'm a firm believer that, given the opportunity to make a good deal that is going to make your team significantly better, do it now. Do it when you can." ESPN.com

Said Dunleavy of being restricted to front-office duties after starting the season as the NBA's third longest-tenured coach behind Utah's Jerry Sloan and San Antonio's Gregg Popovich: "The franchise has never been in a better position as far as [having] a nucleus of young talent [along with] expiring contracts coming up this summer. … I feel really good. I feel good because I know the state of the franchise. The state of the franchise is terrific." ESPN.com

Kevin Martin, Andre Iguodala and Caron Butler continue to be the three swingmen most frequently linked with Mark Cuban's trade-seeking Mavericks, who have been stonewalled in their attempts to pry Martin away from Sacramento and thus have not ruled out a move for Butler. Sources say that Washington and Dallas have maintained a Butler dialogue while the Wizards also continue talks with Houston in a larger deal for Tracy McGrady. ESPN.com

One NBA executive said he wouldn’t be surprised if the Washington Wizards don’t make a major move before the trade deadline because of the uncertainty about their ownership situation and Gilbert Arenas’ future. Still, that hasn’t stopped the other Wizards’ players from fretting about their own futures. The players think only one of them is safe from a trade: Mike Miller. Yahoo! Sports

The Philadelphia 76ers are still evaluating their trade options with swingman Andre Iguodala. One source says the Cleveland Cavaliers remain interested in Iguodala, but might need a third team to get a deal done since the 76ers don’t seem to want center Zydrunas Ilgauskas. While Houston Rockets guard Tracy McGrady’s expiring contract continues to draw interest, his hefty $23 million salary would make him hard to deal for players like Iguodala ($12.2 million this season) and Ilgauskas ($11.5 million) in a three-way deal. Yahoo! Sports

The Wiz and Mavs, meanwhile, have discussed a deal that would swap Josh Howard and one other player (such as James Singleton or Quinton Ross) for Butler and DeShawn Stevenson. But Dallas has little interest in taking back Stevenson and is still weighing whether Butler can help pull the All-Star Weekend hosts out of a spiral that has been openly addressed this week by Mark Cuban. "We're just in a funk right now," Cuban said Wednesday night, publicly acknowledging his desire to make a move just a week before much of the league descends upon Big D. ESPN.com

There are reports that LAC was holding out hope of staying in playoffs contention, and that if that went south, the Clips would suddenly be willing to move Camby. Meanwhile, we know of the Mavs' high opinion of Kaman, who has a relationship with Dirk Nowitzki and others in the Mavs family. If all this is coming and if you’re the Mavs – and again, this is a speculative “heads-up’’ on our part – what do you go shopping for? How would you choose between supposedly available SGs like Kevin Martin, Andre Igoudala, Caron Butler, and Mike Miller on one hand, and supposedly available big men like Camby, Kaman, Samuel Dalembert, Elton Brand, and Amar'e Stoudemire on the other? Right now the list of "available players" is all just talk - but this Dunleavy move adds to the intrigue. … and it might move Clippers players to the front of the sales shelf. DallasBasketball.com

The veteran Raptors beat writer for the Toronto Star, Doug Smith, addresses the story: The volume of “hey, Josh Howard says he might end up in Toronto, whaddya think” chatter was getting out of control. In various transmissions with folks in these parts who would have an idea about this sort of thing, two words stood out: “No interest.” We have complete trust in Smith. Complete trust that he was able to make the same sort of contact with Raptors officials that we made with Mavs officials. … and was therefore able to shoot down the idea of Josh-to-Toronto. Oh, and complete trust in Smith for another reason: He actually read our story. DallasBasketball.com

As for a Wizards-Rockets deal, one source with knowledge of the talks says the obstacles preventing the teams from closing in on a McGrady deal haven't changed much. The Wizards are believed to be willing to surrender coveted center Brendan Haywood along with Butler but want a player from Houston's scrappy core -- such as Luis Scola, Carl Landry or Shane Battier -- that the Rockets aren't willing to surrender in addition to McGrady's $22.5 million expiring contract. As my ESPN.com colleague Chad Ford wrote Thursday, Washington's preference is moving Butler ahead of team statesman Antawn Jamison, who has been chased hard by Cleveland since last season and with particular vigor since the Cavs lost out to Charlotte in the trade race to acquire Stephen Jackson. ESPN.com

Jamison has been the subject recently of numerous trade talks, most prominently with the Cleveland Cavaliers, who are looking for a reliable, frontcourt veteran to help them win an NBA title. But as attractive as it sounds -- and he likely is privately hoping it happens -- he refused Friday to lobby or encourage his departure. It was just the opposite, which is surprising because he has been saddled to mostly bad teams throughout his career. He is attractive to most of the contenders now because of his career averages of 19.9 points and 8 rebounds. "A lot of people here would like to escape, try to find a better situation, but I signed a contract to be in Washington for four years (he is in just the second year), and I want to finish here,'' he said. "I plan to be here for two more years after this one.'' FanHouse

The Sixers, just to be clear, do still hope to snag some affordable talent in addition to payroll relief if they part with Iguodala, who might be overpriced but still qualifies as an unquestionable all-around impact player who's just 26. That should explain why one plugged-in source warned this week that it won't be a surprise if Philly does not make a deadline deal. Iguodala has been made available after Philly got nowhere with its long-standing attempts to move Dalembert and Elton Brand. ESPN.com

An NBA source said the Sacramento Kings are open to moving guard Kevin Martin and swingman Francisco Garcia prior to the trade deadline while the Chicago Bulls are still exploring options to trade forward Tyrus Thomas. The Bulls, however, have no interest in adding any player that could negatively affect their salary-cap space for free agency this summer. Yahoo! Sports

Phoenix Suns forward Amar’e Stoudemire said he expects the team to make him another contract offer soon, but rival team executives insist that hasn’t kept the Suns from trying to move him. “I know they’re fielding offers and I would be surprised if he isn’t dealt before the deadline,” one executive said. Yahoo! Sports

Yet Miller admits that he does "glance on the Internet" on occasion to read the latest chatter, expecting to hear his name tossed around until the deadline passes because he's a vet who knows how the league works. "I hear more [trade speculation] from friends, but if I'm on the computer, why not?" Miller said. "You can try, but you can't shut it out [totally]. I take it in stride." ESPN.com

Arenas, who is owed $80.2 million over the next four years, has told people close to him that he would like to continue his career in Orlando, where he maintains a residence. When asked about a possible reunion, Smith said, "I have no idea. That's a long way to go for anyone to talk about that. [The league] just suspended him for the rest of the year and that's kind of where it is. What happens in the offseason is up to the Wizards and Gil. Who knows what's going to happen from there?" He said he understands why people have been quick to mention the Magic as a possible future home for Arenas. "Familiarity," Smith said. "It's somebody he's familiar with. Everyone would make that connection because I'm the general manager and I've been a mentor of his since he came into the league. That's an easy connection. I'm not necessarily sure that's going to happen. We have a long way to go before we get to the basketball portion of his career." Washington Post

With Arenas facing sentencing for felony gun possession on March 26, Smith said that Arenas has more pressing concerns than where he plays basketball. He added that this has been a difficult period for Arenas, who already had to miss the past two seasons with a left knee injury. After this season, Arenas would've missed out on 199 of 246 games. "He's had some unfortunate times that he's had to deal with -- on the court with injuries and off the court with this incident," Smith said. "He has some things that he has to deal with in his head. We sometimes take the athlete out of society and not necessarily think that they have to deal with, with their own mental state on things. I think he's dealing with some stuff. He's a resilient kid in a lot of different ways and at the end of the day, he just wants to play basketball." Washington Post

I'm not sure that Riley shouldn't take the Danny Ferry approach and trade now, build a team now, get one star now, to make Wade comfortable enough to stay. Your thoughts? -- Martin. A: My thoughts are this approach was a huge risk from the start, but it's too late to turn back now. And coaching is not among the prime reasons for the record. It just isn't. But, all of that said, one of Wade's postgame quotes Thursday does get you thinking, when he said of LeBron James and the Cavaliers, "I understand his team has NBA championship aspirations. We don't. We're trying to concentrate on getting to the playoffs. His team is trying to get to the championship. It's totally different." South Florida Sun-Sentinel

There is a window though that may allow the Warriors to keep Tolliver and Hunter. Say they waive Hunter and keep Tolliver. That leaves them with no spot for Karl, should they decide they want to keep him for the rest of the season. However, Karl’s second 10-day contract expires after the trade deadline. The Warriors will either have capitalized off their expiring contracts, or they’re going to let them come off the cap anyway. Of course, if Cartier Martin is still available, they may want to pick him up. Who should the Warriors keep: Hunter, Tolliver or Karl? Contra Costa Times

The Chicago Bulls today signed forward Chris Richard to a 10-day contract. Richard, a 6-9, 256-pound forward, will be in uniform tonight in Atlanta when the Bulls take on the Hawks at Philips Arena at 7:00 p.m. (CT). NBA.com

The New Orleans Hornets announced today that they have signed free agent guard Jason Hart to a 10-day contract. “Jason is a solid veteran basketball player that will add depth to our backcourt,” said Hornets General Manager and Head Coach Jeff Bower. NBA.com

Suns center Channing Frye now knows his competition for the All-Star Game weekend's 3-point shootout. The Republic reported Sunday that Frye had been invited to participate in the Feb. 13 Foot Locker 3-Point Shootout in Dallas but the official field was not named until today. Frye, the first center to compete in it in 13 years, will go against All-Stars Paul Pierce of Boston and Chauncey Billups of Denver, as well as defending champion Daequan Cook of Miami, another tall shooter, New York's Danilo Gallinari and Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors. Frye could become the first center ever to win the contest. If he did, he said he would donate the payout to a charity. "I just figure I'm a shooter," Frye said today. "I'd probably have more 3s if my big feet weren't on the line so it's actually a deterrence (to be 6 feet 11). I'm just excited that they honored me with the opportunity. I'm going to have fun." Arizona Republic

Phoenix Suns guard Steve Nash isn’t expected to arrive in Dallas for the All-Star weekend until late Friday, causing him to miss the afternoon media availability session. He does, however, have a good excuse: Nash, a native of Vancouver, British Columbia, will be in his hometown to carry the Olympic torch to help start the 2010 Winter Games. Nash will fly to Vancouver after the Suns play the Portland Trail Blazers in Phoenix on Wednesday. While players have received fines for missing previous media sessions, Nash is confident the NBA will excuse him. “It’s going to be an incredible experience for me,” Nash said. “Obviously, for us to host the Olympics, to host the world, it’s something very special. And for me to be asked to run with the torch is a big honor.” Yahoo! Sports

"No. It's not." Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, when asked by a local reporter if the word "suck" is a little harsh to describe Dallas' recent play. The question was a follow-up to Cuban's claim Wednesday night, in the wake of the Mavs' first three-game losing streak this season, that they "suck right now." "I'm not happy that we suck right now," Cuban continued. The Mavs' loquacious boss is known as a vociferous public defender of his players. His famed outspokenness is almost never aimed at his team; Cuban's repeated statements of support this season for on-the-block swingman Josh Howard are merely the latest example. ESPN.com

Drew Gooden, who has started the majority of his career, doesn't complain about his role as a reserve. He critiques his performance in that role. And the 6-10 Gooden, who serves as the Mavs' backup center, isn't satisfied with how he's adjusted to coming off the bench. He's particularly concerned about his performance in the second half. "I don't think I’m providing the same energy in the second half as I do when I come in the first half," Gooden said. "It's been bothering me." ESPN.com

Nuggets guard Chauncey Billups says the Lakers might have actually digressed from last season. “I don’t know if they’re better,” Billups said. “But they won it all. They don’t have to be better. Nobody was as good as them. “That’s yet to be seen. I really, really thought Trevor Ariza was good for that team. I think they miss him.” Yahoo! Sports

And here's the odometer we promised, starting with Bryant's Team USA duty in the '07 not-so-offseason: 2007 Olympic Qualifying: 10 games. 2007-08 Regular Season: 82 games. 2007-08 Postseason: 21 games. 2008 Pre-Olympic Tour: 5 games. 2008 Olympics: 8 games. 2008-09 Regular Season: 82 games. 2008-09 Postseason: 23 games. 2009-10 Regular Season: 50 games. TOTAL: 281 games. ESPN.com

Q: When you're the former No. 1 overall pick in the draft, do you still have to live up to that every day? Andrew Bogut: I know when I have great games now that some people will say: "He's supposed to do that. He's a No. 1 pick." But it doesn't really bother me any more. I tried to run away from it maybe for the first couple years. I just want to be in the playoffs now. That's all I'm really worried about. ESPN.com

Bogut: I'm not really worried about trying to be an All-Star. Like I said, I just want to be in the playoffs again. These last three seasons we've had have really sucked, and the offseason training we had sucked because we had a bad year and didn't make the playoffs. … I'm not going to lie. I'd definitely like to be an All-Star once or twice. I'd definitely like to experience that. I think I'm definitely up there after Dwight Howard as one of the best centers in the East. I know I'll get there one day, but if you tell me playoffs or All-Star, I'd definitely take playoffs. ESPN.com

Q: You can probably identify with the pressure on Brandon [Jennings] better than anyone else in this locker room. How's he dealing with it? Bogut: He's gone back to that 55-point game and I think he's right: It kind of helped him and kind of hurt him. You score 55 and you're on the national radar. So much is expected of you every single night. But he's handling it OK. He's a young kid. He's 19 years old. He still can't even have a legal drink. He's had some good days and bad days, but I like his work ethic. I like that he's not afraid to talk and get into teammates already as a young player. I definitely think Brandon and myself are two guys you can build around. ESPN.com

The Nuggets aren’t just yapping; they do have some basis for their feelings. Denver did rout the Lakers, 105-79, in November. And at 33-16, the Nuggets are second only to the Lakers in the Western Conference. “They think they’re better than us? I’ll let Kobe (Bryant) answer that,” Ron Artest said. Like the old children’s nursery rhyme about sticks and stones, Pau Gasol said words don’t mean much. “It’s what you do out there and the result at the end of the ball game,” Gasol said. “I think it (Denver thinking that) is a mistake. They can talk all day long because it really comes downn to how you play and who ends up being the winner at the end.” Orange County Register

When Stephen Jackson began demanding a trade from the Golden State Warriors and eventually got his wish, many thought Corey Maggette would be the next veteran to jump ship. After all, he's someone who could potentially help a playoff team become a contender or help a borderline playoff team possibly become a home court advantage team. It's the way many in the media tried to paint Maggette, but the reality is he has no desire whatsoever to be traded away from the Warriors. "He's genuinely happy, and he's certainly been a pro," says Warriors GM Larry Riley. "There have been people, from time to time, who may have wanted to second-guess Corey, but he's missed two games this year, and believe me, when he misses a game he's been beaten up enough that he should go sit down. He's answered the bell several times this year when I didn't think he could go. He's just been the consummate pro, and he's done a lot of good things for our ball club both on the court and in the locker room. It didn't start that way at the beginning of the season, but he's emerged as one of those guys that answers the bell every night and gives us all he's got and you can't ask for any more than that. We're really pleased with him." HoopsWorld

Kobe Bryant is expected to play Friday at home against the Denver Nuggets despite spraining his left ankle Wednesday against the Charlotte Bobcats. "I think he wants to see his way through this game," Lakers coach Phil Jackson said Friday at the team's morning shootaround. ESPN.com

Brandon Roy said he hopes to play against the Los Angeles Lakers Saturday night, but he and the staff will exercise caution in making the final decision. Roy will go through a more extensive practice today and then determine how his tender right hamstring feels after the practice. Oregonian

The 76ers announced that guard Allen Iverson did not make the trip to New Orleans: He will miss his second game in a row tonight vs. the Hornets for personal reasons related to an illness suffered by one of his children. Philadelphia Inquirer

Now that Joakim Noah is out at least through the All-Star break, the Bulls officially began trying to make up for the loss of their starting center (and arguably their second most-important player) at this morning's shootaround at Philips Arena. "He's been struggling with it for a while, since really the road trip," coach Vinny Del Negro said of Noah. "He hasn't been the same the last few games. We just felt with the All-Star break and things coming, it was best to get him some rest and treatment. "But it's a big loss for us. Jo's had a tremendous year for us - he's second in the league in rebounding - so we're gonna have to gang rebound. Everybody's gonna have to chip in and step up a little bit. Tonight's a tough matchup for us [against the Atlanta Hawks], not only with their talent but their athleticism and size up front." Chicago Sun-Times

Ken Berger: #NBA owners have submitted their first bargaining proposal to the union, and it's a doozy. Owners are proposing some elements of a hard cap, a paycut for players, and a reduction in max contracts, CBSSports.com has learned. The proposal was sent to the union earlier this week, an opening salvo in what are expected to be contentious labor talks. Owners and players will meet in Dallas during All-Star weekend for their first face-to-face bargaining session. #NBA 4 minutes ago. Twitter.com

Launching a grim opening salvo in what are expected to be contentious labor talks, NBA owners have sent their initial proposal to the NBA Players Association and are pushing for some elements of a "hard" salary cap as well as a drastic reduction in player salaries, CBSSports.com has learned. The proposal, sent to the union earlier this week, seeks a reduction in the players' share of basketball-related income from 57 percent to well below 50 percent, according to a person familiar with the document. Owners also are seeking some elements of a hard cap -- a departure from the current luxury-tax system -- and a reduction in the length and amount of max contracts. Owners and players will meet in Dallas during All-Star weekend for their first face-to-face bargaining session as they try to reach an agreement before the current deal expires in 2011. The talks coincide with the NFL's labor negotiation, in which owners have proposed a 20 percent paycut for players. CBSSports.com

If the owners succeed in implementing some version of a hard cap, management sources predict it would drive player salaries down precipitously. The players likely will argue that the luxury tax system is working as a payroll impediment. Only a handful of the highest-revenue teams pay luxury tax in a given year, and a flurry of trades prior to the Feb. 18 deadline will illustrate the union's point. The majority of trades that will be consummated will be driven by teams trying to pare salary to avoid clipping the luxury tax line. But the owners want to go farther than changing the rules; they want the league's highest-paid players to take a haircut, as well, according to the person familiar with the proposal. Owners are seeking to reduce the maximum length of contracts to five years for players re-signing with their current teams and to four years for players signing with new teams. Under the current collective bargaining agreement, in effect since 2005, players re-signing with their current teams can be under contract for a maximum of six years. Other free agents can sign for a maximum of five. CBSSports.com

While four executives predicted last week that the NBA will install a hard cap on salaries in 2011-12, the truth is that no one can be sure what the negotiations between owners and players will bring. As much as many owners may wish for a hard cap with no allowance for a luxury tax or other vehicles that provide extra money to players, a hard cap will include aspects they won't like. For one thing, it will be harder than ever to make a trade if every team's payroll is bumping up against the impenetrable ceiling of a hard cap. In many cases, players would be dealt for each other only if their salaries matched up exactly. "You don't see many player-for-player trades in the NFL," one GM said. The executive went on to advise his peers to be careful about wishing for a hard-cap system similar to the NFL's; Football's system is almost impossible to follow because the ceiling is circumvented by bonuses and all kinds of hidden money. SI.com

There is truth in that point of view. I think I have a decent understanding of sports economics after following the NBA for so many years, but even I can't figure out the metrics of the NFL's system. I spoke Thursday with a GM who predicts the owners will compel the players to accept 50 percent or less of overall revenues. (The players are supposed to receive 57 percent under the current deal, but they're actually taking in more than 60 percent thanks to all the salaries paid by clubs above the luxury-tax threshold.) From there, he said, the league needs to slash the mid-level exception down to $3 million or less annually, limit annual raises to cost-of-living increases, trim back rookie contracts and make a few other small changes. "Once those things are done,'' he said, "everything will be fine.'' SI.com

But then other executives are convinced that the current system needs an overhaul, which is an example of why the negotiations among the owners will be just as interesting as the talks with the players. One idea I've heard is utterly simple: Give the players all of the ticket revenues (not including suites), which I'm told accounts for almost 50 percent of league revenues. Those revenues will be split equally among the 30 team payrolls, and then (you may remember me mentioning this part last week) the players will sign contracts entitling them to a negotiated percentage of that revenue. When the ticket revenues go up, the players' salaries go up; when the revenues go down, so too will salaries. SI.com

Question: Would you stay if Jordan was no longer associated with the team? Larry Brown: "That's hypothetical. I don't know. I don't even know who the buyer is. I'm hopeful Michael's the buyer. I go to bed at night hoping that. A lot of us do. "But again, there's no better resource in the NBA than Michael Jordan. We all know that. And from my perspective, I did come here because of him, I've never been disappointed, All the things he's told me he's going to do he's done, and with (team president) Fred Whitfield and Rod, that's a pretty good group to work with. AndI I hope it stays that way.'' Charlotte Observer

But news out of Tampa Bay suggests Mrs. Davidson may be in a more comfortable position to sell the Pistons after an agreement was reached in the sale of the NHL's Tampa Bay Lightning. For months, Koules and Barrie worked to bring in additional investors in order to part ways. The safety net in the process was the backing of former owner Palace Sports & Entertainment, which helped finance the sale to OK Hockey by loaning the new owners nearly $100 million to complete the transaction. ... Karen Davidson, widow of Palace Sports founder Bill Davidson, began exploring selling the Detroit Pistons and possibly Palace Sports, likely preferring to clear the Lightning off the books completely first. Calls to Katzman's office for comment have not been returned. Booth Newspapers

David Stern joked Friday that the NBA All-Star Game will have the largest crowd "in the history of the world." Actually, it most likely won't even be the biggest in Cowboys Stadium. That's OK with the commissioner, because he only wants to set the basketball record for attendance, not the stadium's. The All-Star Game should do that with ease. The league expects more than 90,000 fans next Sunday. The record for a basketball game is 78,129, set for a college game between Kentucky and Michigan State at Detroit's Ford Field on Dec. 13, 2003. Stern said because of the collaboration between Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, "The result is now we're going to wind up having the largest crowd attend a game in the history of the world." AP

Social networking will influence the free-agent market this summer. So promises a league insider with an extended background in college basketball. "In the old days, teams used to control players," he said. "Now the teams have lost that control, to the point that the NBA had to put in rules that players are not allowed to use Twitter at halftime. The thing with these players, their lifestyles revolve around technology. They want instant information. "You're now dealing with kids who think that anything you do or say is public. To them it is public, because they all communicate with each other." SI.com

"Twitter has become a broadcasting network for athletes. Around July 1, there is going to be so much tweeting among the free agents, and all of these guys will be communicating with each other, and if you don't think they're going to be telling each other about the offers they're getting, then you're crazy. It's going to be the summer of instant information, and it's going to change the whole market, because everybody will know what kind of money is out there and what each team is trying to do. "If I were a GM, I'd hire two or three kids from college and have them scour the Internet every day to find out what's being said by who. If you want to know what's going on, that's how you can find out." SI.com

When it's over, the year 2010 could go down as the year Dwight Howard joined Wilt, Kareem and Shaq as the NBA's next great center-turned-actor. The Orlando Magic big man's horizontal jump to off-court stardom begins Friday, when he appears on an episode of "The Electric Company" on PBS Kids Go! (Here's the video of Howard's segment, which has him dancing while characters rap about reading. Or something like that.) Then, later this year, Howard can be seen in "Just Wright," a film about an NBA player (rapper Common) who falls for his trainer (Queen Latifah) while rehabbing from an injury. Howard said that while the story line probably isn't fact-based, it's not a stretch: "It could happen. Love has no color, shape or form. But I wouldn't talk to a trainer. The trainers I know are males. I'll stick to the women." ESPN.com

Lamar Odom loves Peyton Manning. His words, not mine. “I love watching him perform,” Odom added. But the Lakers forward won’t be rooting for the Indianapolis Colts in Sunday’s Super Bowl. No, his Super Bowl loyalties rest with the Saints and his reason is two-fold. One, he said a Super Bowl victory would “be good for the city of New Orleans.” And two, well, it’s a family thing. “Something like that, yeah,” he said. Orange County Register

The Cake Poker Network site Only Poker may sign former five-time NBA champion Dennis Rodman. Rumors abound that the announcement of the NBA bad boy joining the site will be made in two weeks. A source close to the USA-friendly Only Poker told Poker News Daily, “We have just signed a major sports celebrity who has won numerous championships during their career.” Whether the mystery man or woman will turn out to be Rodman remains to be seen, but Only Poker appears to be ramping up its efforts to become one of the online poker industry’s household names. The site makes its home on the Cake Poker Network alongside industry giants like Cake Poker, DoylesRoom, and Poker Host. Poker News Daily

The agent for Brandon Bass said Thursday that he would push the Orlando Magic to trade the little-used power forward this offseason if it becomes apparent he isn't fitting into their plans. "Without question," Tony Dutt, Brandon's agent, told the Sentinel by phone. "If things keep going the way they are through the rest of the year, then I think the writing's on the wall." Orlando Sentinel

Dutt said he plans on speaking with Magic General Manager Otis Smith sometime during the upcoming all-star break to get a feel for Bass' future in Orlando. The trading deadline is Feb. 18. Dutt is not actively seeking a trade for Bass, 24. He said it could be "premature" to demand that Bass be moved, considering Bass' role could change. Orlando Sentinel

With the trade deadline approaching and him hardly playing, Bass has become the subject of numerous trade rumors, including one involving the Charlotte Bobcats, who are desperate for front-court help. FanHouse

"Do I want to stay here?'' Bass repeated the question. "If they feel I could help here, sooner than later, then I would love to stay here. But if nothing changes, then that means I can't help the team, that they don't want me here, then maybe I have to do what's best for me.'' Despite not playing as much as he hoped or expected, Bass said he would be surprised if he wasn't still with the Magic after the trade deadline. "I came here for a chance to win a championship. And I feel like I'm good enough to play. I can help this team,'' he said. "Every night, I feel like I want to get in. I feel like I'm supposed to get in. But when I don't get in, you get frustrated a little bit. I'm trying to stay positive.'' FanHouse

James, Wade and Bosh, of course, are the names on the tongues of every NBA executive these days. All three will be free agents this summer, the headliners of what promises to be the deepest and most heralded free-agent class in league history. That all three are represented by the same agency only adds to the drama and intrigue. It stands to reason that CAA – an agency which wasn’t doing much sports business as recently as five years ago – will now have some influence on how the NBA’s power structure shifts for the future. “When you have those type of players,” New Jersey Nets president Rod Thorn said, “that’s power in itself.” Yahoo! Sports

“I want to be in Miami,” Wade said. “I’ve said it from day one. I’m sure my team will do everything in their power to make sure we’re a winning team. But at the end of the day, we have to do it. People have to want to come and be in Miami.” Yahoo! Sports

All three also have relationships with Nike, whose influence shouldn’t be discounted. And should any of the three players be willing to take less than the maximum salary, their options will only increase. “Anything is possible,” said Thomas, who came to CAA as the agent for Wade and Bosh. “Let’s put it that way.” “Anything is possible because it’s the correct answer,” said Rose, who is James’ agent. Yahoo! Sports

As a result of that summer, the NBA placed limits on what teams can do to woo free agents during the July recruiting process. In the years since, big-name players have seemed less interested in making visits to prospective teams, though Thomas would not rule out James, Wade or Bosh taking trips, perhaps even together. “Needless to say, conversations will be had coming up to it,” Thomas said. Yahoo! Sports

“If one company has influence on so many good players at one time, that makes it really difficult for negotiations for everybody in the league,” one Western Conference executive said. Yahoo! Sports

“In the end, [James, Wade and Bosh] are going to go where they want to go,” one Eastern Conference executive said. “They’re all getting the max. There is nothing CAA needs to do other than set it up wherever they want to go.” Yahoo! Sports

Babby also represents Boston Celtics guard Ray Allen, who will be a free agent this summer. He admits that unless Allen reaches a quick agreement to re-sign with the Celtics, he’ll likely have to wait until James, Wade and Bosh decide their futures before fielding outside offers. The Memphis Grizzlies’ Gay will be one of the top players in the second tier of free agents, and his agent, Jeff Austin, is optimistic the Big Three won’t cause a long delay. “The top guys will be done quick,” Austin said. “There is too much money at stake, too much money that will be held. If you hold a player for too long, it could be a big risk.” Yahoo! Sports

However, an NBA source told CSNPhilly.com that “Phoenix desperately wants Andre. They are pushing this. That I know for a fact.” CSNPhilly.com

An NBA source called Thursday's ESPN.com report of supposed conversation between the Sixers and Suns about trading Amare Stoudemire for Andre Iguodala and Samuel Dalembert an “old story.” Team president Ed Stefanski has said the 17-31 Sixers are talking to many teams about the possibility of making a deal before the Feb. 18 trade deadline. phillyburbs.com

"Do we want to trade Andre Iguodala? No," Stefanski said. "But will we talk if people want to talk about him? Sure. It's just like if we talk to another team about another player. It's the same way. Philadelphia Daily News

Bucher feels the Stoudemire rumors are going to continue to be at the forefront of all NBA trade rumors until he does indeed get traded. "I'd say at this point certainly because there is such a desire by Phoenix to try to move him," Bucher said when asked if Stoudemire is the number one piece of all trade rumors. "There is a pretty wide market and his contract situation is very intriguing." KTAR.com

The Mavs are involved in “due diligence’’ regarding entering trade discussions with the Sixers for Andre Iguodala, sources tell DallasBasketball.com. And they add that there are three specific debate points – and in conflict with some published reports, one of them is not having to take on the contract of Samuel Dalembert, but rather having to take on the contract of Elton Brand. DallasBasketball.com

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Adrian Wojnarowski: Before coaching change, Clips told other teams: If we're contending for playoffs, we'll keep Marcus Camby. If not, we'll look to move him. Twitter.com

RealGM caught up with Marcus Camby following the Clippers' 103-97 loss in Atlanta on Wednesday and asked him about the trade rumors surrounding him. "It always feels good to be wanted," said Camby. "That's all I can really do and say." Camby was then asked if he would welcome a trade out of Los Angeles. "No," said Camby. "I like the guys here. Mike [Dunleavy] and Mr. Sterling have been great to me. My family loves L.A. But I do understand that it's a business." RealGM

"It's not my say where this team is going," Prince said. "I'm not the GM of this team. I don't know where it's going. He makes the decisions. Obviously, we've got a younger team now. We're in a situation where we've got to find the right chemistry between these guys. But when you've played three games this season with everybody healthy, what can you say? It's unfortunate that it's going the way it's going this year with the transitions and adjustments that we've made with the team." CBSSports.com

League sources say the Kings continue to tell inquiring teams that they have no interest in moving Martin, especially in scenarios intended solely to create salary cap space by freeing them of his contract (three seasons and a combined $34.6 million remaining beyond this season). Houston is among those teams recently informed of that fact, with that possibility set to include Tracy McGrady and his expiring contract ($22.5 million) if talks had progressed. Sacramento Bee

Meanwhile, the Nets - who play the Celtics tonight - could be willing to say "no way" to Chris Douglas-Roberts, who lost his starting small forward job earlier this week to veteran Jarvis Hayes. With his production steadily declining, the Nets no longer view Douglas -Roberts as one of their foundation players. Plus, his outspokenness has annoyed the team, sources say. New York Daily News

According to internet reports, Douglas-Roberts has fallen out of favor with the Nets and has been relegated to the bench. He would fit the description of the type of player Memphis seems to be inquiring about: an athletic, guard/forward who can score and is aggressive on defense. The Griz have also looked into potential deals involving Miami's Dorell Wright and Utah's Ronnie Brewer. Memphis Commercial Appeal

Chris Douglas-Roberts: I LOVE my Memphis people! Twitter.com

General manager Chris Wallace reiterated Thursday night that the Griz are seeking "reinforcement for the stretch run" with a primary goal of securing a playoff berth. The Grizzlies' most glaring weakness remains a woefully unproductive bench. Their lack of depth is what separates the Griz from postseason competitors like the Houston Rockets, who arrive in FedExForum tonight with an identical record at 26-22. Memphis Commercial Appeal

Alex Kennedy: The New York Knicks have shown interest in Acie Law. The Indiana Pacers are the other team showing interest as the deadline approaches. Twitter.com

The Spurs are sure to at least test the trade winds, but if coach Gregg Popovich had to guess, his roster on Feb. 19 probably will look a lot like it does now. “There's a whole lot of talk that goes on between all 30 teams,” Popovich said before Thursday's game. “As we all know, come trade deadline, very little ever happens. So I wouldn't hold my breath or anything like that.” San Antonio Express-News

Citing an unidentified source, Reynolds said during the broadcast of Wednesday's Spurs-Kings game that the Spurs were in the process of completing a trade that would bring a backup point guard and a forward to San Antonio. That rumor could not be independently corroborated Thursday, and all Spurs players were in uniform against the Blazers. San Antonio Express-News

A league source suggested 80-90 percent of the rumors involving the Bulls have probably been discussed in some form. Arlington Heights Daily Herald

Coach Vinny Del Negro said in a phone interview that Brad Miller would take Noah's starting center position. Tyrus Thomas' minutes also should increase, and sources said the Bulls plan to sign Noah's fellow Florida alum Chris Richard to a 10-day contract. Richard, a late training-camp cut by the Bulls, suddenly is needed to shore up a depleted frontcourt that no longer has Aaron Gray and features Taj Gibson battling plantar fasciitis in his right foot and Miller nursing a sore left knee. Chicago Tribune

The NBA trade deadline is just two weeks away, and while the Warriors aren't close to making a move, that doesn't mean they aren't looking . . .and not for a small move, either. Riley says his team is open to a major roster move if they can find a partner. "I don't see tweaking anything. I think if we were to make a move it would be something significant, otherwise I don't see doing something that just tweaks things, and I think that will be difficult to do. We have so many guys injured, and it's difficult to trade an injured player, though not totally impossible. Odds are, we'll probably stand pat with what we've got, but we're certainly searching, and if we find the right deal, we're ready to go." HoopsWorld

Turns out, it was actually the other way around. Rather than the Celtics going after Alston, Alston told his camp after the buyout that he would like to play in Boston. He is “pretty sure” the Celtics knew of his interest, but never had a conversation with the organization. “I think it was my interest,” he told WEEI.com. “But I don’t think Doc (Rivers) would have opposed it knowing that you can grab a guy that can give you minutes at backup point for this team, and who’s a willing passer and just a natural point guard. Then understand, I played for (assistant coach Tom) Thibodeau before in Houston. So I’d always had them on my mind before I came here.” WEEI.com

There is an element of surprise in Alston’s interest in the Celtics, though. He has been involved in some heated moments at the TD Garden. Last season he slapped Eddie House in the head during the Eastern Conference Semifinals as a member of the Magic. Just Wednesday night, he was issued a technical foul in the Celtics - Heat game. But Alston says that has nothing to do with ill will. It’s about the competition. “I enjoy watching them on League Pass,” he admitted. “Playing against them, I know it’s going to be a competitive game. We always chat at each other, but deep down I always care about each of the players in this league. So even if I did come, I hope they wouldn’t have taken the chatter back and forth that we all do against each other personally. Again, I have a great respect for the level of competition that they bring.” WEEI.com

Iowa Energy shooting guard Othyus Jeffers says there should be more D-League players in the NBA. To him, LeBron James is the reason why there are not more. With James becoming a free agent at the end of this season, Jeffers says NBA teams are saving money to have a boatload of cash to throw at the Cleveland Cavaliers' megastar this offseason. "There are a lot of things going on right now in 2010 with the 'LeBron Act' so they didn't want to spend money this year," said Jeffers, who was the D-League rookie of the year last season. GoErie.com

James is one of many NBA stars who are unrestricted free agents heading into the offseason. Others include Dwyane Wade of the Miami Heat and Chris Bosh of the Toronto Raptors. However, James seems to be the most attractive one of them all. So Jeffers thinks NBA teams are keeping tight grips on their money clips for the 2008-09 NBA MVP. "They're pinching pennies," Jeffers said. "They don't want to give up any extra money. They don't want to go over the luxury tax even though they could use (D-League players) right now. "They said, 'We'll take our losses cause we need our money,' but there is nothing people in the D-League can do about it. You just have to bide your time, wait, stay consistent and be ready when they call." GoErie.com

Carmelo Anthony's ankle injury is persistent. It has kept the Nuggets star sidelined for six games, and now could threaten his ability to play in the All-Star Game. If the injury keeps the Nuggets forward out of the team's last four games before the all-star break, Anthony said he would not play in the All-Star Game on Feb. 14. "I wouldn't do that," Anthony said. "I couldn't have people talking bad about me like that. I care about the All-Star Game, but I really care about my team first." Denver Post

Pierce hopes to improve on his performance in the 3-point contest in 2002. “If I don’t do anything else, I plan on doing [the 3-point contest],’’ he said. “I’ll be fine in that. Yesterday, or a couple days ago, I was told I was going to participate in it. I’m excited about it, it’s a great part of All-Star Weekend. And you have so many memories, Larry Bird winning the contest years ago, Ray Allen winning the contest. I think it’s fun. Me being one of the great shooters in NBA history, I deserve to be in it. Boston Globe

The NBA announced Bill Walker would be competing in the D-League dunk contest in Arlington, Texas, on Friday of All-Star Weekend. Just one problem: It didn’t consult Walker. And considering that he would have to accept an assignment to Maine of the D-League to be eligible for the event, he just said he’ll pass. Walker added that he’d rather spend the time at home than travel. “I’m in it?” he said after practice when asked about the contest. When it was explained to him, Walker said, “Hey, I don’t want to do it. I’d rather go home and see my mom.” Boston Herald

"I definitely [get overlooked],'' Stoudemire said in an interview with FanHouse. "That year it was tough going against Yao Ming as far as Rookie of the Year, and I was able to win that award. Sometimes you get lost in the shuffle when the year after such great players as Carmelo [Anthony of Denver], Dwyane [Wade of Miami] and Lebron came in. I think I did get overlooked a little.'' FanHouse

"Garnett was OK,'' said Stoudemire, who has built upon his fine start by averaging 21.0 points and 8.9 rebounds for his career and making five All-Star Games. "Kobe was OK. McGrady was OK. But I was able to win Rookie of the Year. I was the first to ever do it [straight from high school]. Then LeBron gets it the year after. I think when LeBron came after me, he had so much hype that [people] tend to forget the fact that I was the first.'' FanHouse

When he signed as a free agent this summer, power forward Brandon Bass thought he would become the final -- and very integral -- piece to help the Orlando Magic win a championship. He has turned into the missing piece, all right. As in, missing from the lineup. The defending Eastern Conference champions have been moving forward mostly without him. "I felt in my heart this was the right place for me,'' Bass said Thursday after practice. "When I signed, it just felt right – but it's not going right, (right) now. I'm not playing, and that's bad.'' FanHouse

"The majority of nights, we can beat a team stretching the floor (with 3-pointers), so guys couldn't dig on Dwight,'' Bass said. "But other nights I think it would be better if we played differently. We could give teams different looks, but we don't necessarily use it.'' FanHouse

Lounging in an Orlando hotel lobby, sipping a caramel Frappuccino — a personal vice — Jennings brims with optimism. He wants to lead the Bucks to the playoffs. He wants to break the assists record at the rookie-sophomore game next Friday during All-Star weekend. He wants to disprove every draft expert and general manager who doubted him last spring. He will have a grand opportunity Friday night, when the Bucks visit Madison Square Garden to play the Knicks — one of nine teams that passed on him in the June draft. New York Times

Arenas bringing guns to the locker room as part of a dispute with teammate Javaris Crittenton isn't the same as Artest fighting with fans, but both incidents brought shame to the players and embarrassed their respective organizations. Their subsequent season-ending suspensions also placed a heavy burden on teammates forced to regroup in their absence. "You never actually recover. Not only did it derail that year, it knocked the floor from under us, organization-wise," O'Neal, now with the Miami Heat, said of the brawl. "It was a cloud over the organization." Washington Post

"It takes a lot of mental toughness to stay focused and not be distracted by what's going on outside," reserve point guard Earl Boykins said. "Right now, we're a struggling basketball team, so the distraction has affected us." Washington Post

"From the outside looking in at Gil's situation, everybody's put him on an island by himself," O'Neal said when the Heat visited the Wizards last month. "It's very difficult to go through that and it never really stops because you live it over and over and over again. It's like Groundhog Day. It takes a lot out of you mentally and physically. All of a sudden you find your career being all about negativity and nothing about basketball. As a player you have to understand that you have to get away so an organization can move on. Why not transition to something that the city can be proud of again?" Washington Post

Most fans greet the news of LeBron James winning Player of the Month with a ho-hum attitude. But after further review, James has actually won the award five consecutive months — the last two of the 2008-09 season and the first three of 2009-10. "Wow," Cavs coach Mike Brown said. "That is really impressive. I didn’t know that. That sounds like MVP to me, don’t you think?" Morning Journal

Then in the fourth quarter when the Heat were attempting to block his paths, James started hitting mid-range jumpers. He nailed four of them in the stretch run to turn the game into a blowout, reminding the Heat that he's shooting a career-best 51 percent this season for a reason. "He gets better every year," said Wade, who had 24 points and nine assists as the Heat lost for the fifth time in six games, of his friend and rival. ESPN.com

Cartier Martin: Damn!!! D Wade just got put in a serious poster!! I thought he would of learned by tryin to jump wit LeBron last week. Twitter.com

Just as the Cavaliers guard was about to fall asleep Thursday afternoon, his fiancee, R&B star Keyshia Cole, who is expecting the couple's first child on March 2, felt what she thought were labor pains. The two rushed to the Cleveland Clinic, where they found out it was a false alarm. After doctors ran a couple of tests to make sure everything was OK, Gibson took Cole home and then headed to Quicken Loans Arena for Thursday night's game against the Miami Heat. "When I got home, the first play I saw was J.J.'s dunk on D-Wade," Gibson said, referring to J.J. Hickson's throwdown over Miami star Dwyane Wade two minutes into the Cavs' 102-86 victory. "I was like, 'I've got to get to this game ASAP.'" Cleveland Plain Dealer

"Once I got here -- I got stretched and got taped -- there really weren't any jitters," Gibson said. "Once I got out there, I didn't go directly into the game. I got to watch a little bit. At halftime, I got some shots up and got ready to play." Cleveland Plain Dealer

"Everything's perfect," Gibson said of Cole's condition. "We both are looking forward to the whole experience. Now I get to go home and reflect on today's events. "We had a long day today." Cleveland Plain Dealer

Nate Robinson will start at point guard for the Knicks on Friday, completing a stunning turnaround. Coach Mike D’Antoni made the announcement Thursday, a day after Robinson sparked a comeback victory over the Washington Wizards. Robinson scored 23 points and started the second half in place of Chris Duhon, who will go to the bench. New York Times

T.J. Ford won't spend the rest of the season on the Indiana Pacers' bench after all. Ford will end his 18-game hiatus when he backs up emergency starter A.J. Price against the Detroit Pistons tonight. Price is replacing Earl Watson, who will miss games tonight and Saturday at Milwaukee because of the death of his grandmother. "It's been tough," Ford said. "You want to play any time you're on the roster. It's a waiting game and it's out of my control. I just try to do the best I can to stay in shape and work on my game." Indianapolis Star

Asked whether Aldridge was answering negative criticism with positive play, McMillan said critique is “part of the world we live in.” “When things go wrong or you’re not winning, people are going to look for someone to blame,” McMillan said. Columbian

McMillan credited Aldridge’s ability to play 41 minutes on the second night of a back-to-back, while also holding his own against former NBA most valuable player Tim Duncan. “I think you’re seeing growth from LaMarcus,” McMillan said. “And he’s been good. We needed him to step up on both ends of the floor. He’s rebounding and scoring, and he had a great night tonight.” Columbian

His return has compounded issues that already existed as well, among them the ball-dominating ways of rookie guard Tyreke Evans and how the Kings' offense can best function. There is frustration among players regarding stylistic and rotation matters, with reserve point guard Beno Udrih among those who continue to preach the need for increased ball movement. "We always have somebody in who we're focusing on (offensively) – isolating and stuff like that – instead of just moving the ball sometimes," Udrih said. "It's on the coaches and the players, but the coaches have to figure out how the team plays the best." Sacramento Bee

Phil Jackson has watched Kobe Bryant navigate through almost too many injuries to count. Now it might be time for Bryant to sit a game or two, a thought that crossed the mind of the Lakers' coach. "It occurred to me yesterday during the course of that game," Jackson said Thursday, a day after Bryant had five points on two-for- 12 shooting while fighting though a sprained left ankle against the Charlotte Bobcats. Los Angeles Times

New Orleans Hornets point guard Chris Paul will be sidelined approximately four to six weeks after undergoing successful arthroscopic knee surgery performed by Dr. James Andrews in Pensacola, Fla., on Thursday. Paul's meniscus in his left knee was torn after colliding into a camera while trying to save a pass overthrown by forward David West in last week's overtime loss to the Chicago Bulls at the New Orleans Arena. After the game, Paul revealed he initially twisted the knee in the Jan. 27 game against Golden State and hit it in the same spot when he collided with the camera. New Orleans Times-Picayune

Tyson Chandler: One more note, as I sit here preparing to comeback, it pains me to see my good friend Chris Paul go down with an injury for the Hornets. I haven't had a chance to talk to Chris yet, but just knowing the type of guy he is, I know this has to be really tough. It's been a tough season for them and he's been banged up and had some injuries. He's a competitor and I know he wants to be out there every second, so it definitely has to be tough on him. My thoughts and prayers go out to him and I wish him a speedy recovery. Tyson Chandler

Pierce worked out on a treadmill yesterday and had his foot in an electric muscle and nerve stimulator as he conducted interviews after practice. “I’m doing the necessary treatments so I can get back on the court soon as possible,’’ Pierce said. “The good thing about it is over the last couple days it’s gotten better every day. So, just taking it day by day. “It’s tough, but I think at this point in my career and understanding my body, I know the most important thing for me right now is to just get healthy. I know as a younger player I probably would have pushed it too much and, who knows, I probably would have made the injury even worse. “So, right now, at this age, I’ve got to take care of my body and do what’s right and right now the right thing is getting rest.’’ Boston Herald

The Bulls announced plans Thursday to rest center Joakim Noah through the all-star break. Noah will head back to Chicago and receive treatment for plantar fascitis in his left foot. This means Noah will miss at least four games. The Bulls are in Atlanta on Friday, then return to play Miami at home on Saturday. Next week, they have another back-to-back at Indiana and at home against Orlando. Arlington Heights Daily Herald

Portland Trail Blazers guard Jerryd Bayless said a bruised left thigh is causing him serious pain. Due to the injury, Bayless said he is unsure whether he will be able to play during Saturday's home game against the Los Angeles Lakers. Bayless played 11 minutes and 54 seconds of scoreless ball during Portland's 96-93 victory over San Antonio on Thursday. Columbian

From what we’re told, (Latavious) Williams came into training camp with little to no concept of the nuances of playing professional basketball. He was just asked to “run and jump in high school,” and things like half-court spacing, defensive rotations, advance scouting and other basic concepts were largely a mystery to him. Had he shown up in Europe in this state, there is little doubt that he would have been on the first plane back home before the jet lag could even set in. According to everyone we’ve spoken with, he’s been a very willing student all season long, responding extremely well to coaching and showing an excellent work ethic, two things that definitely bode well for his future. DraftExpress.com

While there is plenty to be said for the poor quality of the big men that are found in the D-League and the often inflated numbers that are produced for that reason, it’s tough to ignore the terrific nose for the ball that Williams shows going up against players often 3-5 years older than him. All things considered, this is something we can probably expect to translate in some capacity to the NBA level. Other than the work Williams does on the offensive glass, running the floor in transition or on simple dives to the rim, he’s largely a limited offensive threat, rarely touching the ball in Tulsa’a half-court offense, and struggling badly to create his own shot when he does. Billed as a potential small forward by some of the high school recruiting services, Williams has spent most of his time at the power forward position, and has even seen some minutes at center. While he shows a nice first step, his ball-handling skills are weak, relegating him to straight-line drives and making it difficult for him to change directions with the ball or execute advanced moves. DraftExpress.com

The interesting thing about Williams is that he does not seem to get caught up in the selfishness that often plagues the D-League. While he surely deserves credit for this, this is just as much a testament to his coaching staff (led by the well-respected Nate Tibbetts) and the entire Tulsa organization, as they refused to just spoon-feed him minutes early on in the year and really made him earn his playing time by doing things the right way. He’s bought into being a role player, which is a good sign since that is almost certainly what he’ll be if he’s able to carve out a niche for himself in the NBA. His feel for the game is still quite limited, but he’s not a terribly turnover prone guy and seems to understand his limitations. DraftExpress.com

Mike Dunleavy walked into Kim Hughes’ office at the Los Angeles Clippers’ practice facility on Wednesday, told his longtime assistant he was stepping down as coach and asked if he’d like to take over. “He said it’s the right time,” Hughes said. “I said OK, I would take the job.” And just like that the Clippers switched coaches. Saddled with a 21-28 record and stuck in 12th place in the Western Conference the team announced the move in a statement, saying the decision was mutual. Dunleavy will remain the team’s general manager. “I’ve come to the conclusion that this is the ideal time for me to direct my efforts toward the many personnel opportunities that lie before us, such as the trade market, the draft and the free-agent process,” Dunleavy said in the statement. “We fully expect to be active and productive on all those fronts.” Yahoo! Sports

The Clippers began the season with playoff hopes, but promptly lost their first four games. No. 1 pick Blake Griffin has yet to play a game and will miss the rest of the season after breaking his left kneecap in the preseason. The Clippers just returned home from an eight-game trip in which they won only twice. “It is a challenge but I’m not afraid of it,” Hughes told Yahoo! Sports. “We’ve had chemistry problems. We have to get on the same page. Maybe with a different voice, it will be different.” Yahoo! Sports

Asked about his chances of retaining the head-coaching job on a full-time basis, Hughes said, “probably bleak. But it depends on how we play.” “I feel bad for Mike,” Hughes said. “He’s a friend. He taught me a lot. He told me that if you can’t get it together the coach will always go. But I’m not afraid of a challenge.” Yahoo! Sports

This is the third coaching change in the NBA this season. New Orleans (Jeff Bower replacing Byron Scott) and New Jersey (Kiki Vandeweghe replacing Lawrence Frank) are the other teams to make changes this season. "This is something we've been contemplating for some time," Dunleavy's longtime agent Warren LeGarie said. "There's a shelf life to coaching sometimes. So you constantly have to keep measuring whether [the team's inconsistency] is because of injuries, because of you, or something else. "And at some point you have to make a judgement call about what's best for the team, and that's what Mike did." ESPN.com

The shock is not that Mike Dunleavy decided yesterday it was best to end his coaching relationship with the Clippers players, who apparently need to hear a new voice, it's that team owner Donald Sterling opposed his "halfway resignation." Dunleavy will continue his role as general manager for the remaining 1 ½ years on his contract and has proposed assistant Kim Hughes replace him on the sidelines. New York Post

How long Dunleavy stays as GM remains to be seen. According to his contract, next season's $5.4-million salary will be paid over two years, but the Clippers aren't in the habit of paying GMs $2.7 million. Actually, no Clippers exec ever made $0.7 million. Los Angeles Times

Thursday's sudden announcement of Mike Dunleavy leaving the Clippers bench could have South Florida implications, with Dunleavy close to the Arison family. It is not out of the realm that he could emerge as a transition figure at the end of the Riley era. South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Wallace is multitasking at the moment. He also is negotiating a contract extension with coach Lionel Hollins. Wallace wouldn't characterize the talks except to say both sides are moving toward a deal. Griz owner Michael Heisley said Thursday that he expected Hollins and the team to agree to an extension sometime this month. "I'm confident something will get done," Heisley said. Memphis Commercial Appeal

There's a growing feeling in the locker room that Kuester isn't holding the veterans on the team accountable, and that he's "too soft," said a person with direct knowledge of locker room conversations. "Once Joe traded Chauncey, that was sort of the tipping point for all that stuff," the person said. "There is this old-guard mentality there, and it holds them back." CBSSports.com

Ewing will renew his push this summer, and with a powerful new ally. He recently hired Lonnie Cooper, who is perhaps the most influential coaching agent in the N.B.A. Cooper has been representing coaches for 24 years and has a deep and talented stable of clients that includes Doc Rivers, Eddie Jordan and Nate McMillan. “I really believe in him,” Cooper said of Ewing, “and I think he will be a head coach.” New York Times

Ewing had been represented by the agent David Falk for 25 years, since his rookie season with the Knicks. But Falk is limited by rules that prohibit agents from simultaneously representing coaches and players. It was Falk, who is also close to Cooper, who recommended the move to Ewing. “I’m very serious about trying to get a job,” Ewing said. “He definitely knows a lot of people — knows a lot coaches, knows a lot of GMs, represents a lot of them. So he definitely is someone who is in the mix.” At least three teams will have openings this summer: New Orleans, the Nets and the Los Angeles Clippers, all of which are being led by interim coaches. At least two coaches are in the final years of their contracts: Denver’s George Karl and Atlanta’s Mike Woodson. Several others seem vulnerable, including Chicago’s Vinny Del Negro, Indiana’s Jim O’Brien, Detroit’s John Kuester and Golden State’s Don Nelson. New York Times

Ewing said he was well prepared, and a bit puzzled by the lack of interest from N.B.A. executives. “That’s one of the reasons why I hired Lonnie,” he said. “It’s his job to push the buttons, knock on doors and do everything possible that he can do to get me interviews. Hopefully, things will work out and I’m able to break down that barrier.” New York Times

Some in the organization – and in the Nets' locker room – believe Loyer should have replaced Lawrence Frank and are happy he will have a bigger role because of his vision, work ethic and passion for the game. Loyer is much younger, has the players' respect and relates to them better than the 72-year-old Harris, who resigned in part because he couldn't reach players. "The game has passed him by," one team source said. Bergen Record

Vandeweghe doesn't plan to follow Harris. Leaving the bench could cost Vandeweghe his general manager's duties, too. He views the job as "a tremendous opportunity for improvement as a general manager and understanding how to help a coach in today's environment." Bergen Record

Chris Douglas-Roberts: Jus brought to my attention.Del Harris left b/c of "immaturity" in the lockeroom (CD-R).I find a way to make the cut for errything negative. This repuation of me being a jerk is growing so fast & it's so false.Articles can really make a fan think a certain way.That's sad. O well. For the record, that's not the reason Del left. It was for personal reasons. He actually really took a liking to me every since Memphis. I wonder what "immaturity" is in a lockeroom anyway...hahahaaa. Can't win for losing here. Twitter.com

How many franchises don't make money? More than 10? David Stern: Oh, probably closer to almost 15. There are plenty of corporations that don't make money, but their stock is robust and their prices go up. Actually, we're heading into a collective bargaining negotiation, and...we need a sustainable business model where every team has the opportunity to break even or make some money. We are trying to compress the difference between the highest team and the lowest team because what we're selling is competition. Business Week

When you heard about this, what did you say? Drawing guns in the locker room of an NBA franchise? David Stern: Well, it wasn't exactly drawing guns. But the mere possession of guns in the locker room was horrible and dumb enough without embellishing it with even more threatening descriptions. So they're out for the season? David Stern: Yes. Half the world will think it's too severe, half will be convinced that I should have barred them for life. But you do what you think is fair on all the facts. It cost Gilbert several million dollars. Javaris was in a rookie contract, but nevertheless it cost him huge sums average people can't identify with. And they were remorseful. Business Week

Has Karen Davidson found someone to take the NBA's 4th most valuable franchise off her hands? According to the Detroit Sports Rag, she has: "Jeff Moss is reporting that David Katzman will soon become the new owner of the Detroit Pistons, acquiring a majority ownership position from the Davidson family. Moss’ sources (who also correctly predicted the firing of Rick Carlisle days before the firing was reported in the mainstream media) are stating the Katzman has severed ties with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Quicken Loans in anticipation of this move. David Katzman is currently part owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers and Vice Chairman for Quicken Loans. Detroit Bad Boys

Not so fast, though. There is nothing around the 'net, aside from this report, about Katzman severing ties with the Cavaliers and Quicken Loans, much less becoming the next Pistons owner. And the parenthetical, citing that this "source" was right about something 7-8 years ago, doesn't exactly scream credibility. Most importantly, who is Jeff Moss and who is his "source"? However, this "source," who correctly predicted the Rick Carlisle firing in 2002-2003, also told Moss sometime around December 22 that Karen Davidson was not seeing eye-to-eye with Tom Wilson. A month later, and out of the blue, Karen Davidson admitted that she is trying to sell the team. Interesting. Maybe, just maybe, DSR was on to something then and perhaps there is some truth to this David Katzman rumor. Detroit Bad Boys

The NBA All-Star weekend is the second thing bringing Magic Johnson to Dallas next weekend. The first is a personal appearance by his wife, Cookie Johnson, at Neiman Marcus NorthPark. Last year, she founded the company Cj by Cookie Johnson to make premium denim for women with curves. To celebrate the firm's anniversary, she'll present her Cj collection at Neiman's on Feb. 13. Expect Magic to appear. Dallas Morning News

After the Suns play Portland at home Wednesday, Nash will squeeze in a one-day trip to Vancouver to run the Olympic torch into City Hall. His home-province visit will be quick because he has to be in Dallas on Thursday for the lead-up to the Feb. 14 All-Star Game. After that, Nash and fellow All-Star Amar'e Stoudemire go directly to Memphis for a road game. "It's going to be tough but it's going to be worth it," Nash said of his Vancouver trip after playing this week through abdominal and back pain. "I'm looking forward to getting Sacramento out of the way and having a few days to recover. The worst is behind us." Arizona Republic

Nike's Jordan Brand is launching the latest chapter of the "Become Legendary" national brand campaign, titled "Nightmares Never Sleep" and starring Miami Heat All-Star Dwyane Wade. The integrated marketing campaign focuses on Wade's Air Jordan 2010. The spot takes viewers to another world view of a basketball player's "nightmares" when dealing with the unstoppable -- Wade on-court during an intense basketball game. Wade will be the first Team Jordan athlete to debut the Air Jordan on-court during this year's All-Star weekend. MediaPost

A second "Yao Restaurant and Bar," named after Chinese NBA star Yao Ming, opened Wednesday in downtown Houston, Texas. Five years after the first Yao restaurant was opened in West Houston, the new addition brings Yao closer to Toyota Center where NBA Rockets play. Xinhua

Shaquille O'Neal is settling into Cleveland and his Richfield neighborhood. Even though he has a wide array of fashionable coats -- from a mink jacket to a full-length Louis Vuitton coat -- he says it hasn't been as cold as he thought it would be. He's also found a couple of favorite restaurants he frequents. "There are some restaurants that take good care of me. Everybody has been hospitable," O'Neal said. "My favorite Italian spot is Lago and I also like Ken Stewart's Lodge." Cleveland Plain Dealer

Brandon Jennings: I don't go to clubs unless they pay me. So stop saying I'm hosting stuff, And plus I don't drink and I sit in the dark in the back low-key. Twitter.com

Chris Douglas-Roberts: ONLY reason I'm on Twitter is b/c I absolutely LOVE my fans.& I know how much it means to them to interact w/me. Twitter.com

Chris Douglas-Roberts: It ain't all bad but it ain't all good homieeee. I know why Brandon Jennings deleted his account like 6 times. Twitter.com

Manu Ginobili: I just tricked @George_Hill3 into eating a snail. His face was funny when I told him what it really was. Twitter.com

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