HoopsHype.com Rumors

Tuesday, February 9

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The Boston Celtics and Charlotte Bobcats are discussing a trade centered around Glen "Big Baby'' Davis and D.J. Augustin, according to league sources. The sources cautioned that nothing is imminent, but said the clubs are having discussions. ESPN.com

A straight-up trade would not work because Davis is a base-year compensation player, so other players would have to be involved to meet the financial requirements. That could be a sticking point in the deal. ESPN.com

The Celtics have been rumored to be shopping Ray Allen, and while league sources insist the word "shopping'' is too strong, they say the shooting guard is definitely available. Few believe he'll be traded before the Feb. 18 deadline, though, because the Celtics aren't likely to get a better player in return. ESPN.com

As for Johnson, who’s already notoriously quiet by nature, he’s been even more closed-mouthed on the sensitive subject. “It’s nothing that I really sit back and think about. Every so often, but not much because we’ve been having so much fun and so much success here that I’m just trying to do what’s right, right now at this point,” said Johnson in Atlanta. “We’ve been playing great basketball. We’re just trying to position ourselves for down the stretch, to where we have a great spot in the playoffs. “I think [the Bulls are] a young, athletic team with a phenom, Derrick Rose at the one. He’s just so difficult to guard and so athletic that you’ve got to pay a lot of attention to him, but they’ve got a lot of bigs that are workhorses -- guys like Joakim Noah," Johnson told CSNChicago.com about his take on the Bulls in Atlanta. "I like Taj Gibson, and then they have [Luol] Deng and Kirk. They’re a really solid team. I don’t think nobody really wants to play them, especially right now. CSNChicago.com

And does Johnson have visions of playing alongside Rose dance through his head? “I don’t know. I’ve never thought about that [playing in a backcourt with Rose]," he said. "I think I can pretty much play off anybody. I’ve played with some of the best point guards [such as Steve Nash in Phoenix], so that’s not really a factor to me. They’ve got a solid team. ... I don’t really worry about free agency, especially not now, at a time like this when we’re so successful and having so much fun. We’re just trying to position ourselves for the right spot come postseason.” CSNChicago.com

I had a recent conversation with a rival league executive who told me that the Wizards' asking price for Jamison is unreasonable for a 33-year-old player "on a bad contract." The executive told me that whenever a team starts asking for too much, they are usually reluctant about making a deal happen. Barring some mindblowing deal, Jamison should stick around. Washington Post

The Cleveland Cavaliers remain the primary suitor for Jamison, but they have been unwilling to sacrifice much more than salary-cap relief, likely in the form of Zydrunas Ilgauskas's expiring contract, while the Wizards are also seeking a young prospect and/or a draft pick. According to a league source, the Cavaliers are still trying to determine if they even want to disrupt what they have going -- they have the league's best record and are on a league-high 11-game winning streak -- with Mo Williams, Delonte West and Leon Powe expected to return after the break. Washington Post

I've heard that the Wizards are trying to included DeShawn Stevenson in any deal involving Butler. They've included him in talks with Houston and Dallas. Moving Stevenson would take another $4.15 million off the Wizards' 2010-11 salary. As David Aldridge pointed out on NBA.com, the Wizards' desire to move Butler has increased since the team realized that it would receive salary cap relief for the Arenas and Crittenton suspensions. Washington Post

The Pistons' Tayshaun Prince hears about the trade rumors but doesn't pay attention to them. But his family, well, that's a different story. Prince's family and friends back in Los Angeles are constantly checking in with him, asking about the rumors. "There was some talk last year, and the year before, but so much more this year, and that's why it's been bothering them," said Prince, who appears expendable because of his contract status (one year remaining, $11 million). "Last year there were reports of me going to L.A. and they were going crazy about that. It's just part of the business and we'll see what happens. "I'm pretty sure it's (the same) for guys around the league. It's just something that happens and you have to move on. I haven't been paying much attention to it; my family does more than I do." Detroit News

The Los Angeles Clippers have assembled a solid supporting cast they’d love LeBron James to lead, but will only have about $10 million to spend. While Al Thornton and Sebastian Telfair are available, they’d probably still be a little short of a maximum offer after unloading them. They might be better off making a deal for a small forward (such as Andre Iguodala) at the trade deadline. New York Times

Brian Windhorst: And on the trade front, the Cavs hoped to have acted by now. But the market is frozen and they aren't close to anything. Still active, tho. The Cavs have generally made money-based bids to teams and no one wants to have to do such a deal so they are fallback option. Twitter.com

Antawn Jamison was fined an undisclosed sum of money for missing the Wizards' practice in Orlando on Monday. Jamison was granted permission to attend the Super Bowl in Miami on Sunday, but he said he was unable to make his commercial flight into Orlando. He said that when he originally planned to go to Miami nearly two months ago, he had booked a private jet out of Washington, but with the blizzard keeping the team in Orlando over the weekend, he bought a commercial round trip-ticket. But he said he got caught up with the rest of the Super Bowl revelers at the airport Monday morning and couldn't catch his early morning flight. Washington Post

"It was crazy," Jamison said after the Wizards' morning walkthrough at Time Warner Cable Center in Charlotte. "I thought everything was going to go smoothly. But it was a lot of people. It was hard getting out on time and on schedule. I wasn't fortunate to get back in time." Jamison wouldn't say how much he was fined, but when I asked, he smiled and said, "They got me." Washington Post

Omri Casspi of the Kings, the first Israeli-born player in the NBA, makes his Madison Square Garden debut Tuesday night in a game against the Knicks with particular transcontinental interest because of the large Jewish population in New York. Later in the week, Casspi goes to Dallas for All-Star weekend, with a media session with reporters from around the world and a spot on the rookie team that plays the sophomore squad Friday. That's four days, three high-profile events, two cities and one growing problem. The Kings are cheering his success and cringing at the same time. What was once the nice story of a player proudly representing his country and connecting with Jewish fans around the league has become a worry among team officials increasingly concerned he is being overburdened with commitments, to the point that they are stepping in to save Casspi from himself. NBA.com

He gets nonstop invitations and accepts many. The mail brings offers to come to dinner in various cities. Or visit a synagogue. Or, in what had become a regular request, the marketing departments from opposing teams trying to arrange a Casspi appearance before or after games on the road, hoping it will generate ticket sales. NBA.com

"It's a fine line," Kings coach Paul Westphal said. "One of the things that makes him special is he's got this country behind him and he's dedicated his performance to making them proud, and it's one of the reasons he's so focused. But I think that the extra demands on his time can be draining as well. "I think it's something that we're going to have to keep our eye on and really work with him to scale down some of the things. The people who want him to succeed the most, in a way, can be an impediment to that success just by their well-wishing. It's definitely a concern." NBA.com

"[It is] not tiring. I can't say that. I would say I'll do everything it takes. I'll do everything. But in all, I try to play basketball. I'm here to play basketball and I try to do everything I can to be fresh for the games. I'm trying to have fun, but I'm a basketball player. As long as nothing hurts my basketball shape or rhythm or my time of sleeping, everything is fine." He insists that hasn't happened. The Kings, in words and action, are becoming convinced otherwise. "It's part of who I am and where I'm coming from," Casspi said. "I took it into consideration in the beginning and I knew it was going to be. I'm just happy it happened the way I thought it would be. I'm just proud of it. It's really fun. Hopefully it will come more and more." NBA.com

The all-star center believes a players-only meeting in late January has helped make Magic players more accountable to each other and has helped him be a more effective, more mature and more vocal leader. Late Monday, Howard revealed that he called a team meeting at RDV Sportsplex following a practice after Orlando’s 96-94 win over Boston on Jan. 28. “We all told each other we have to be honest with each other,” Howard said. “When we’re out there playing and we’re in the locker room, don’t be afraid to tell the next man anything. We have to hold each other accountable. Orlando Sentinel

“When we’re not playing well and when we’re taking bad shots, we have to be able to talk to each other, be able to tell each other, ‘Yo, that was not a good shot at this time.’ Little things like that.” According to Howard, 13-year NBA veteran center Adonal Foyle spoke up during the meeting and asked Howard to be more “businesslike.” Orlando Sentinel

“I don’t want to disgrace one of your fellow Tar Heels but Vince Carter is not playing very well for the Magic. Do you think they made a mistake by not trying harder to get [Hedo] Turkoglu back and then trading for him? I almost think he’d be better off the bench as kind of like a spark maybe that would help out. I don’t know, you tell me.” Jerry Stackhouse: “I got the scoop on that when we played them [February 2 in Orlando] and I’m glad we got to that, because I asked him. I was like, ‘Man, what’s going on? Is it the team? Kind of being close to home? What is it?’ He’s like, ‘Stack, man, my knee isn’t right. I’m basically not able, I’m able to play but ...’ I think he kind of has a number in his mind of how long he really wants to continue playing because of all of the pounding and jumping that he has on his knees, and that’s what he told me, so I think that maybe that’s some of it. ESPN.com

When Mike Dunleavy stepped down as the Los Angeles Clippers’ coach last week, Baron Davis(notes) lost his last excuse. If Davis doesn’t regain his All-Star form – if the Clippers don’t start winning – no longer can people simply blame it on Dunleavy’s controlling style. With interim coach Kim Hughes promising to run more, Davis is free again. And with that comes pressure. “I got to go out and get back to being my old self now,” Davis told Yahoo! Sports. “Coach Kim is going to allow me to be a little bit freer and play off instincts. So, I just got to get back to that mentality. From there, I think everything else will take care of itself.” ESPN.com

“I think me and coach have a great relationship now,” Davis said. “It came from us communicating in the summertime and really spending time with each other and getting to know one another on a one-on-one basis. [Last season], I just signed and we never really had a chance to spend some time together as coach and as player. We were both just thrust on the situation.” Yahoo! Sports

“He’s a quiet superstar, honestly. He doesn’t do anything for the fanfare," former Bull and current Hawk Jamal Crawford told CSNChicago.com in Atlanta. "If you watch the games, you may not say he blows you away with athleticism or anything like that, but he just gets it done every single night and he’s just as good as anybody in the league. It’s very easy for him. You forget that he’s 6-7, 6-8 and 240, 250 when he can handle the ball like that. He can play three positions (shooting guard, small forward and point guard) -- he seriously can.” CSNChicago.com

“Joe does everything -- he still does everything -- but now I think it comes easier to him because he has another guy on the floor who can do some similar things, so it’s not always on him to make the play. Instead of working so hard, he can make the easy two or get to the free-throw line and now he’s scoring 30 easy -- very easy -- on 20 shots and shooting a high percentage.” CSNChicago.com

Spud Webb became a giant when the 5-foot-6 mighty mite shocked the basketball world by beating 6-8 Atlanta Hawks teammate Dominique Wilkins to win the NBA Slam Dunk Contest at Reunion Arena in 1986. And with the NBA All-Star Game returning to Dallas for the first time since, Webb -- still the shortest champion in the event's history -- will have a big part in determining the next Slam Dunk Contest champion as a judge. "Having lived in Dallas my entire life, it's great to finally see the All-Star Game back here," Webb said in a statement. "This event brings back a lot of great memories." ESPN.com

Cuban hasn't been to the Pepsi Center since the first two games of last season's controversy-filled playoff series against the Denver Nuggets. He joined his wife at the Clio Awards, where she was honored, during the playoff series finale. The Cubans were on a family vacation over Christmas break when the Mavs made their previous stop this season in Denver. And now Cuban has a date with his daughter. "The rules are written in stone in the schedule at the start of the school year," Cuban said. "I didn’t make either schedule. All you’ve got to do is look at my daughter’s school calendar and you know exactly where I’m going to be. "I’m either going to be at the game or a family event. Given that I want to stay married, that’s a priority." ESPN.com

In case you were wondering, Cuban does not plan to put his Dancing With the Stars experience to work this evening. "I’m guessing my little 6-year-old with the corsage and a nice new dress isn’t looking for the mambo," he joked. "I don’t want her to try." ESPN.com

Are the D-League and WNBA OK? Stern: Yeah, they're both hard work. They're both building blocks in an interesting kind of way. The WNBA is a building block because there's no other sport that can be positioned to have a functioning sister league that has the opportunity to take advantage of the growth of women's sports at the collegiate level and the importance of female consumers to all of our marketing partners and the like. It doesn't mean there's a rich tradition of women's professional team sports, but we're out there pushing it. And our games are televised in 150 countries and I don't think they've gotten the same recognition for their Olympic excellence as the NBA has gotten, and it's very impressive. They're readying a team for the World Championships in the Czech Republic. And so there's a real opportunity for us there. And remember, what some people forget is that between the beginning of the league in May and the Finals, we end up getting 30 basketball games on ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC in a non-traditional basketball season. Those games are great for the promotion of our sport. And NBA TV is approaching 50 million homes, everything we provide for it is great programming. Dallas Morning News

Has anybody in Dallas inquired about a WNBA franchise? Stern: We had some discussions with a number of people who have been developing buildings and thought a smaller venue would make sense in Dallas – North Texas, I would say. But right now, we've stabilized at 12. We're having some discussions in the Bay Area, but I think we'll probably stay with 12. Dallas Morning News

Team executives differ widely in their assessment Marcus Camby’s availability, with some convinced Camby’s gone and others equally convinced he’s going nowhere. The truth is somewhere in between. CBSSports.com

Two of Camby’s former teams, the Nuggets and Knicks, are intrigued by the possibility of bringing him back for an encore. CBSSports.com

A person familiar with the Clippers’ internal discussions said the team would move Camby and his $7.65 million contract only in a deal that would yield a significant player who could help them next season – or the cap space to sign one. The Clips are a small deal away from clearing the $15-$16 million necessary to sign a max player. If they can’t improve their 2010-11 position dramatically, Camby stays. CBSSports.com

A high-level source involved in the Suns’ strategizing estimated that Stoudemire has a “30 percent chance” of being traded. His situation is the most intriguing of all the star players who could be moved by Feb. 18, given his status as an All-Star starter. The plot only became more interesting with Stoudemire’s recent comments/head fake that he’s leaning toward not exercising the early termination option in his contract, which would pay him $17.7 million next season. Some team executives believe Stoudemire, surmising that opting in would be the best move if Stoudemire doesn’t believe max money will be there for him this summer. Others find ignoring the ETO implausible for any player with a choice between signing a long contract under the current collective bargaining agreement and waiting for the new one, which clearly will be worse for the players. CBSSports.com

One league source familiar with the market for Stoudemire expressed skepticism about rumblings that Stoudemire could be headed to Philadelphia. The person said there’s no consensus among the Sixers’ brass that Stoudemire would be the player they’d want to commit max money to – especially after the Elton Brand fiasco. From the Phoenix side, the person said, owner Robert Sarver’s non-basketball businesses (banking and real estate) have been hit too hard by the recession to make the Suns a credible landing spot for Samuel Dalembert’s $12.2 million due next season – not to mention Andre Iguodala’s four years and $56 million remaining. CBSSports.com

Early Monday evening, the Arizona Republic posted a story that included a rumor that Gordon could be a part of a three-team deal that would bring Amar’e Stoudemire to the Pistons. Booth Newspapers

After practice Monday, Gordon said trades and trade rumors are “part of our everyday lives.” But he seemed relatively comfortable he would be with the Pistons for the foreseeable future. “My name hasn’t been in the talks as much this year, so I haven’t had to really think about that or concentrate on that,” Gordon said. “I wouldn’t say I’m at ease. I’m just more focused on what’s going to happen and how I can help us get better.” Booth Newspapers

The Jamison talk has the most legs because that is the guy LeBron has told management he wants them to go try and get. Ferry is usually active at the deadline, and I think he knows in his heart of harts that he does not have enough to get past the Lakers in a seven-game series unless he can get another big that'll stretch the defense, negate the Lakers' length advantage and open things up a lottle more for LeBron. I think the cavs believe they can get past anybody in the East with what they already have. ESPN.com

Despite their active posture in trade talks, the Sixers aren’t willing to do strictly a financial deal for Iguodala. Thus, they’re not interested in McGrady alone, but instead are pushing for legit value in return. CBSSports.com

Another active buyer in trade talks, the Mavericks, haven’t pushed hard for Kevin Martin in their conversations with Sacramento, sources say. CBSSports.com

That’s an indication that the Mavs are focused on another wing who’d fit their needs – Washington’s Caron Butler. How aggressively the Wizards look to unload contracts as they try to pick up the pieces from Gilbert Arenas’ suspension depends on how a fundamental internal disagreement is resolved. Some elements of the Wizards’ power structure favor “completely blowing it up,” according to one source, while others are holding out for a more patient approach. CBSSports.com

“How badly does Dallas want Caron Butler?” one rival executive said. “Washington will find out.” The Mavs have not been pushing for Antawn Jamison in their talks with the Wizards, believing they have enough 30-somethings on the roster. CBSSports.com

If the Wizards take the “blowing it up” route, their exploratory conversations with Houston involving Tracy McGrady would become more serious. But a high-level source familiar with the situation said T-Mac’s best chance to play again this season is in New York, which would willingly take on his $23 million expiring contract if it meant clearing some 2010-11 money off the books. The Knicks aren’t willing to part with anything Houston would want, however, so a third team would need to be recruited. CBSSports.com

Miami and Charlotte remain in the mix with the Rockets and Trail Blazers for Wizards center Brendan Haywood. The Blazers continue to steadfastly reject any scenario that includes Rudy Fernandez or Nicolas Batum. CBSSports.com

Washington wants Rudy Fernandez in a Haywood deal, and the Blazers haven't been willing to trade Rudy because owner Paul Allen thinks he'll be an All-Star one day. But if it gets to the 11th hour and all the Wiz can get is Blake/Outlaw, I think they'd probably do it. ESPN.com

Tyrus Thomas isn’t as big a name as Stoudemire, but league sources agree he’s far more likely to be dealt by Feb. 18 – if not sooner. One person familiar with the situation said it would be surprising if the Thomas situation stretched into next week after his recent dustup with coach Vinny Del Negro over losing his starting job to rookie Taj Gibson. CBSSports.com

Sources say the Bulls would prefer to package Thomas in a bigger deal that would clear cap space for a major free agent signing -- such as a scenario detailed here involving the Celtics’ Ray Allen. CBSSports.com

Two Western Conference teams intrigued by Thomas are the Nuggets, patiently seeking a big man to contend with the Lakers, and the Spurs, who were characterized by two rival executives as desperate to acquire an athletic big man. CBSSports.com

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Count the Orlando Magic and Miami HEAT as two possible teams interested in the services of Steve Blake, according to one trusted league source. "His value lies in the fact that he is a very serviceable and experienced starting point guard who, and as importantly, has a decent sized expiring contract," the source said when asked what teams - if any - are showing interest in Blake. "(Jameer) Nelson hasn't been great for the Magic, so they could use a solid back-up to (Jason) Williams. Miami now has (Rafer) Alston to platoon with (Mario) Chalmers and (Carlos) Arroyo, but Blake would be an upgrade over those three. His expiring contract would be vital to any deal (Pat) Riley would make." Beyond the Beat

Teams talking trade with the Dallas Mavericks shouldn't bother asking for rookie guard Roddy Beaubois. "I’m not going to trade him," owner Mark Cuban said while sitting in the first row before the Mavs-Warriors game. ESPN.com

Of course, that's exactly why the Mavs want to keep the kid. Cuban backed down a bit after declaring Beaubois off-limits, but odds are strong that the only way Beaubois departs Dallas is in a sign-and-trade deal for one of the free-agent superstars this summer. "There’s maybe one or two guys in the league that I would trade him for," Cuban said. "That’s it. Other than that, he’s pretty much untouchable." ESPN.com

With D'Antoni saying Nate Robinson is "a shooting guard," it exacerbates their need for point guard help at the Feb. 18 trade deadline and they have been linked to Bobcats point guard Acie Law, who has been given permission to talk to other clubs. New York Post

Jefferson is smart and mature, and had a young career that benefited incredibly from Jason Kidd feeding him the ball and winning him a $78 million contract from the Nets. League sources say the Spurs have raised his name in trades talks but found out quickly there’s no market for him and his contract. Yahoo! Sports

Some people in the know claim the Milwaukee Bucks are dangling veteran point guard Luke Ridnour, who is having a stellar season, along with veteran forward Hakim Warrick and young forward Joe Alexander, whom the Bucks chose with the eighth overall pick in the 2008 NBA draft but have since soured on. Racine Journal-Times

The San Antonio Spurs had wanted his old running mate, Vince Carter, but the Orlando Magic made the offer that most intrigued the New Jersey Nets. So, the Spurs’ front office turned to the Milwaukee Bucks for younger legs and a modestly smaller contract, believers that Richard Jefferson could make a dramatic difference in their chase of the Los Angeles Lakers. Yahoo! Sports

The Bucks wanted Jefferson out of there so badly, they took nothing but expiring contracts and washed-up vets. This wasn’t cost-cutting as much as cutting their losses. Bucks coach Scott Skiles had little use for Jefferson, found him to be a shell of his old self and was glad to move him. San Antonio didn’t need Jefferson to be a star, but they did need him to be a competent complement to their championship core. Yahoo! Sports

Is anyone on the team untouchable in terms of a trade? David Kahn: No, but there's only three or four players, in my opinion, in the league you can say that about. I don't think you ever take that position. I think you're always on the search to make the team better. But, having said that, I'm not trying to also imply we're looking to trade Al Jefferson or Kevin Love. We're not. And we won't do so this trade deadline. St. Paul Pioneer Press

A big trade? Involving the Timberwolves? Not likely, according to team president David Kahn. The Wolves have received inquiries about the availability of Al Jefferson, but Kahn said Monday there are no plans to trade the 6-foot-10 big man or to 'do something dramatic' before the Feb. 18 trade deadline. "I'm firm as firm can be. We will not move one of the big people," Kahn said. "It would be a mistake ... of epic proportions." St. Paul Pioneer Press

While discussing the team during a media luncheon, Kahn said the Wolves have not instigated trade talks related to Jefferson. He added he would "swear on a stack of Bibles" that there's "not one case we've initiated." Kahn said that before the luncheon began he received a phone call from an official from another NBA team interested in Jefferson. "I said, 'No,' " Kahn said, adding the conversation was "more" along the "ilk" that "if you ever think of doing something, please let us know." St. Paul Pioneer Press

Hawks GM Rick Sund said the core group of Hawks that has the team aiming for a Southeast Division title is the same group you can expect to see after the Feb. 18 trade deadline. “People are talking about us as one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference, and that’s what we strive for,” Sund said today. “If there is something out there that will make us better, we’ll look at it. Do I anticipate (a deal)? No, I don’t.” Atlanta Journal-Constitution

So the Hawks don’t appear to have any attractive pieces they are willing to part with and, in any event, they appear content to see what happens with a core group that still has room to grow. “Players start looking over their shoulders at this time of year,” Woody said. “But our group should feel pretty good about what we’ ve done up to this point.” Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Marcus Thompson: Coby Karl will not be signed to a second 10-day contract, (Warriors) announced. Twitter.com

The new Waikato Pistons import is a tattooed trash-talker with a history of off-court woes who may be the league's best player in recent history. The two-times defending NBL champions have signed former US college star Eric Devendorf to play point guard for the upcoming season. The 1.93m guard had an outstanding college career at Syracuse University and will be one of the best-credentialled imports to play in New Zealand's National Basketball League. But he won't get off the plane here without bringing some baggage. Waikato Times

Former Rockets forward Marc Jackson has announced his retirement. La Voz de Galicia

The guys care. They want to win. They believe in one another, for the most part. We heard it all Monday. The one thing I'm not buying is Spoelstra's suggestion that Wade's post-game comments in Chicago were "misconstrued" to make matters seem worse than they are. Wade then backed up his coach and suggested that his comments were filtered to come across as if his relationship with Spoelstra had soured amid the team's recent struggles. No one, at least not here, misconstrued anything. I was there. I've got the recording. And the Bulls media relations staff handed out Wade's post-game comments on the media transcript after the game. Miami Herald

But on Monday came the attempt to smooth everything over, which is understandable. "When you go through tough stages, then you start questioning yourself, then you start questioning things," Wade said after practice. "Then it becomes (outside) chatter. It was misconstrued because I don't have a problem with Coach at all. Me and him are on one page with each other. So it was misconstrued because if I had something to say to him, I would say it to him." Miami Herald

So I asked Spo specifically how were things patched up after Saturday's comments. "We talked," Spoelstra said. "But I think they were misconstrued. You can ask him about that. A lot ofWade-Face that after the game was about disappointment that we haven't been able to close out games." But what about Wade's concerns about the offense being predictable? "We can be more efficient," Spoelstra said. "There will be tweaks. You won't see anything major. But we do need to tweak." Miami Herald

Monday's practice was the first time Thomas was back on the floor with his teammates since the incident, but it was clear nothing had really changed. "What happened, happened," Del Negro said. "It's over with. Hopefully, Tyrus learns from it and gets better. But, it's not the first thing that's happened with Tyrus. He's got to be smarter and he's got to be committed to the team. Today was a good practice -- not for him, but for everybody and now we've got to move on." ESPN.com

Del Negro was asked if he believes that the young forward has gotten the point. It was apparent -- in so many words -- that Del Negro didn't think he had. "You hope so," Del Negro said. "Everyone handles things differently. Hopefully ... that's been expressed several times. But, different guys take it in different ways. No one guy is bigger than the team, but we got to move on from there. We got a game [Tuesday] night, let's focus in on that. For me, that stuff is in the past. We got to move forward and get ready." ESPN.com

Bulls point guard Derrick Rose told the media that Thomas apologized to all his teammates right after the incident, but his most revealing answer came when he was asked if anyone on the team had tried to talk to Thomas about keeping his emotions in check. "Everybody," Rose said. "Everybody talked to him. People handle stuff certain ways. It seems like he's on the right path, so we're just going to leave him that way." ESPN.com

There are also signs of resentment in the locker room over David Lee’s newfound stardom. Lee is having a breakout season (19.9 points and 11.5 rebounds) and was the Knicks’ top candidate to make the All-Star team. Some players believe that D’Antoni has featured Lee at their expense. Lee’s success comes with another gray lining for the Knicks. With his market value increasing daily, he will be that much tougher to re-sign this summer. New York Times

“Right now, we’re that team that’s playing poorly,’’ coach Doc Rivers said yesterday. “We need to get back to that team that was 23-5. We were playing terrific basketball, we were playing simple basketball, and we were trusting everything. “It really isn’t one glaring thing that we’re not doing. We watched film [yesterday] and there’s so many little things on both ends of the floor. When we need a stop we’re not getting stops, when we need a basket we’re not getting baskets. But it’s not as simple as I just said. It’s execution things, it’s things we know we can do but we haven’t done them. We had a good day [yesterday] and we’ ve just got to keep working - one day’s not going to turn anything around.’’ Boston Globe

"Our biggest concern and I have discussed it with him is defense," Kuester said. "We have to make sure he continually plays the consistent defense that I want to in the scheme. That is pick-and-roll, high pick-and-roll. Just making sure he knows." If Brown didn't know, he knows now. That is why he laughed when Kuester's words were relayed to him. Detroit News

"Listen, man, I don't want something to be flared up on what I say," Brown said. "I will do what the coach says in order to get better, although that is a first because there is one thing I do bring to the table and that is defense. That's the first time I heard that. It's the first time a coach said I don't play defense. But like I said, I will learn to play the defense he wants me to play." Detroit News

Gasol led the Lakers in every major category, with 21 points, 19 rebounds, eight assists and five turnovers. He seemed to relish having the ball placed in his hands almost every possession, while providing the last line of defense and playing all but two minutes of the game. "Tonight was fun," Gasol said. "We're playing hard. When you play hard and give your best and things work out, you're happy." ESPN.com

Mike Bresnahan: Lol quote of the night, courtesy of Ron Artest: "I'd rather have him play...I'd still rather see Kobe take 45 shots." Twitter.com

It's easy to zero in on Jefferson. The Spurs acquired him and his expensive contract (for this and next season) with the hope of adding firepower. So far all he's given them is one point and one rebound more than Roger Mason. Popovich stopped just short of selling him out, responding to a pregame query on Jefferson by saying "He's still in the process of trying to find himself on the court, both offensively and defensively. Maybe the defense takes a little bit longer. But at this point he's still a work in progress." ESPN.com

And already, San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich has so little patience left for Jefferson. Already, he’s wondering how he’ll ever make him a Spur. “They say that when they stop yelling at you, that’s when you have to be worried,” Jefferson said late Monday. “Well, he hasn’t stopped yelling at me yet.” Yahoo! Sports

“We haven’t developed a trust, a communication, a camaraderie as far as executing on the court,” Popovich said. “Which is strange for us. We’ve never had this situation. “…For some reason, I’m not getting through to this group.” Yahoo! Sports

No one has befuddled Popovich like Jefferson. The Spurs are dumbfounded about how to reach him, how to use him, how to get him to play fluid, mistake-free basketball. Jefferson missed nine of his 11 shots against the Lakers, wide-open jumpers that didn’t fall. He makes $14.2 million this season and $15 million next season. Only Tim Duncan makes more among these Spurs. Jefferson is the reason that owner Peter Holt was willing to push the payroll past $80 million and well into the luxury tax. Jefferson isn’t turning into a final piece to chase the Lakers but a crippling, contractual albatross. Yahoo! Sports

One mistake compounds the next, and Jefferson looks burdened, lost and alone. Scouts say “his confidence looks shot,” and that “he isn’t shooting the ball as much as guiding it.” Jefferson knows his lapses on defense are far more glaring when he can’t score. “When I’m shooting the ball like this, it makes it hard for everyone to get their job done,” he said. “I’m not putting all the blame on me, but you have to look at yourself first.” Yahoo! Sports

Naturally, Davis wishes he had a larger role. But he believes he can still make an impact in his limited time on the court. “I have a role, but at the same time I can do other things,” Davis said. “You do your role, but you also do what helps this team and that’s my mentality since a couple of games ago — just to realize the fact that I can play this game. It wasn’t too long ago that I was a key factor in helping us win and I know I can. I’m not helping my team if I’m not using my talent.” Boston Herald

Douglas-Roberts wears his passion on his sleeve. He spoke his mind all season, ruffled some feathers and now picks his words as carefully as fresh produce. He has heard his name mentioned in trade rumors, that his will be the next ticket out -- although team president Rod Thorn said this weekend the Nets are not looking to trade the second-year wing. But all the recent developments, including a move to the bench, have affected him. "A little bit. I'm just more cold. But all that stuff, I don't care one way or the other," said Douglas-Roberts. "Caring about winning? Absolutely. But everything else doesn't matter. All of this is because I want to win. I take losing bad. All of this, everything comes from me being a sore loser. I don't like losing." New York Post

Carter, whose first season with his hometown team has been marked mostly by disappointment, finally delivered the game he had promised, exploding for a season-high 48 points while carrying the Magic to a 123-117, come-from-behind victory against New Orleans. "That was vintage Vince Carter,'' gushed Magic coach Stan Van Gundy. "He was incredible, unbelievable tonight. Most of his shots didn't even hit the rim.'' FanHouse

After spending the summer with LeBron James, learning the preparation needed to compete in the NBA, Hickson found another willing mentor in O'Neal, who has been talking up Hickson and comparing him to former Lakers and Suns star Cedric Ceballos. Of course, Hickson, just 21, never heard of Ceballos, who retired in 2001. "I make him go on YouTube and look it up," O'Neal said of his protege. Cleveland Plain Dealer

Hickson doesn't mind the homework -- or the lectures. "Right now I'm a sponge, soaking everything up," he said. "[O'Neal]'s been talking to me a lot. Actually, I've been learning more by sitting and looking at his movements -- on and off the court. I've been learning a lot. "It's a blessing. I understand I'm a young player and still have a lot to learn. It's a blessing just to be in the presence of those two guys. One's a Hall of Famer, and one's a future Hall of Famer. I'm thankful to be in the situation I'm in right now." Cleveland Plain Dealer

Nazr Mohammed endorses giving up his starting spot to Tyson Chandler, saying he'd expect the same if he'd lost his spot to injury. Chandler replies that, as well as the Bobcats have played in his absence, he wants no part of disrupting the mix. The coach is in-between those two positions. "Under normal circumstances, you'd always start'' the guy who lost his spot to injury, coach Larry Brown said Monday. "But these aren't normal circumstances - he hasn't had a lot of time on the floor.'' Charlotte Observer

If you've watched him in his only regular-season turn as a Raptor – as a sometimes-manic bench presence – it's been difficult to say. Evans' courtside wardrobe has mostly consisted of two blazers that run a couple of sizes baggier than Bryan Colangelo's tailor might advise. They're Polo brand, one blue, the other beige, both 100 per cent linen. And yes, he has heard the teasing from teammates and Twitterers alike. Linen in winter? ``Hey, I ain't here to make a fashion statement. Those are my jackets, so I roll with 'em. They save me money. I don't get fined (for violating the NBA's jacket-required dress code),'' Evans said. ``I don't like suits. ... I don't have one suit, period. I'm not a suit type of guy.'' Toronto Star

Is the Reggie Evans Diet bound for the bestseller list? Perhaps not. Evans said the key to his stasis was a lot of work and very little candy. Convenience-store confections, after all, were an Evans staple before he was injured. But for the past few months, those packaged sugar rushes have been off a daily menu that included filet mignon, brocoli and mashed potatoes. ``Oh man, candy ...'' Evans said on Monday, licking his lips at the thought. ``I'm a candy fanatic. ... Lord have mercy. Morning, breakfast. ... I can eat candy all day, every day. ... I can eat candy for dinner and be all right. ``It's better than eating some junk food. I can get full off candy. Seriously. Give me some candy, and I'm good. Give me a pack of Starburst. The green pack, the blue pack, it don't matter. Yellow pack, it don't matter. I love it. Love it to death.'' Toronto Star

Allen Iverson hasn’t ruled out playing in Sunday’s All-Star Game if his daughter’s health issues improve this week, a league source said. Iverson has missed the Philadelphia 76ers’ last three games to be with his 3-year-old daughter in Atlanta, and the team doesn’t have a timetable for his return. Philadelphia plays Minnesota on Tuesday and at Toronto on Wednesday before the All-Star break. Yahoo! Sports

When Brandon Roy learned his strained right hamstring would keep him out until after the All-Star break, he said he hoped to “do nothing” for a week to allow the cumbersome injury to heal. Turns out the Trail Blazers’ All-Star will not completely be afforded that luxury. Roy is required by the NBA to attend All-Star Weekend, so he will leave Friday for the event and remain in Dallas until the game ends on Sunday. “It’s just a rule that I have to be there,” said Roy, who planned to skip the event altogether. “But it’s no big deal. For me, I’m just thinking about (what’s best for) the injury and the treatment. But it’s something that the players have to be a part of.” Oregonian

Roy is required to participate in All-Star activities as if he were playing in the game, but was unsure about how many events he was required to attend. He joked that he and his fiance Tiana Bardwell would just turn the trip into a vacation. “My whole thing is: How can I get back faster?” Roy said. “But if the loss here is going to All-Star Weekend and hanging out with all those great players, that’s fine too. There could be worse things.” Oregonian

Dwight revealed that he had a number of additional dunks planned for last year's All-Star game, many of which were overruled by the league, including a new costume. Dwight revealed that he had planned to head into the Phone booth he used to change into the Superman outfit, to change a second time to don a "Dr. J" outfit, complete with bulky knee pads and a large afro wig. Dwight had t -shirts made saying "Dr. Funk" HoopsWorld

Rajon Rondo said yesterday he accepted an invitation to play in the H-O-R-S-E competition on All-Star Saturday Night. Rondo will be joined by defending champion Kevin Durant and Sacramento rookie Omri Casspi. Rondo has some trick shots he’s ready to unleash. “I used to shoot a lot of crazy shots before games,’’ he said. “I got a lot of crazy shots I don’t think anybody can hit. It’s only a matter of if I can hit it.’’ Boston Globe

A team executive is worried that the League does not properly understand the appeal of H.O.R.S.E., and expressed the following in a gmail chat: The league selects the absolute worst H.O.R.S.E. competitors. Rajon Rondo??? Here's how you make H.O.R.S.E. good: You gotta have the guy who hits crazy impossible shots. Steve Nash would have been perfect. You gotta have guys with OVERSIZED trash talking personalities. A guy like Eddie House or Rasheed Wallace or even Brandon Jennings. Just an all-round talker. ESPN.com

After the Lakers' 101-89 win Monday night over the Spurs, Kobe Bryant met with the media and discussed for the first time the left ankle injury forcing him to miss both tonight's game and Saturday's win over the Blazers. "I can't push off, it's that simple. I can't move," Bryant said of the bum wheel. Still, Bryant hasn't yet decided if he'll play in Utah Wednesday night or not, reserving judgment until game day. As for the All Star break, it's anybody's guess. "If the All-Star Game was today, I couldn't play," he said. Ah, but the game isn't until Sunday, it was noted. Will he be better by then? "I don't know what it's going to look like Sunday," he smiled. "I'm not clairvoyant." ESPN.com

Kobe also tried to shrug off talk of his warrior mentality, with the ability and willingness to play through damn near anything. "I'm not an idiot. I'm not going to run through walls just to run through walls," he said. "If it's an injury where I feel like I can play through it and have it heal while I play, then I'll play. If it's the type of injury where it'll get worse while I play, then I won't." How will he know he's ready? "If I can move and get to the basket," Kobe said, "I'm good." "Absolutely, that's something we talked about, is that we need to step up and perform. It doesn't put any pressure on me to come back early. I can take my time and make sure it's healthy." ESPN.com

Carmelo Anthony is listed as probable for the Nuggets' home game tonight against the Dallas Mavericks as he recovers from a sprained left ankle. He took time to joke about what that meant in what has been an on-again, off-again saga with his game status each night. "Probable is like a 50-50 chance," the Nuggets' all-star forward said. "A 50 percent chance that I can be out there or a 50 percent chance that I can take another day off." Denver Post

Warriors forward Corey Maggette will be out until after the All-Star break with a dislocated finger on his left hand, the team announced Monday. San Francisco Chronicle

Marcus Thompson: Ellis on sprained lft knee: "It's not as bad as it looks or I made it seem. ... It was the knee I had surgery on, so it was a little scary." Twitter.com

Chris Tomasson: Sources say others named Wednesday by USA Basketball in mix for World Championships: Al Jefferson, Rudy Gay, Russell Westbrook, Jeff Green. Twitter.com

Walt will not come out and say Cole is definitely headed to the NBA Draft this May, but it long has been believed that’s a certainty. Coach Bill Self has said all along nobody should expect four years out of KU’s big man. Walt said he personally didn’t regret his son’s decision to stay at KU for his junior year, even though the Aldrich family has been hit hard by the economy. “I told him, ‘It’s your choice,’’’ Walt said. “He’s having a lot of fun. He loves Kansas.” Lawrence Journal-World

But what about the millions of dollars the family would have earned had Cole turned pro? “First of all, he would have the millions. His name is on the check, not mine,” Walt said with a laugh. “Things work out. They always have and always will. “If he keeps it up ... I prefer not to say. If I say something, everybody will make it a big deal. More than likely he’ll be gone. There are months left, so you never know.” Lawrence Journal-World

Charles Barkley has had his reservations about Vinny Del Negro. But "The Round Mound of Rebound" sounds as if he is in the corner of the Bulls coach, at least for now. "If he gets the Bulls back to the playoffs, Vinny Del Negro should be NBA Coach of the Year," Barkley said Monday on " Chicago Tribune Live." " Derrick Rose was hurt. Tyrus Thomas was hurt a lot and crazy a lot. If he gets that team back to the playoffs after losing Ben Gordon, I think that's a hell of a year." Chicago Tribune

Ramona Shelburne: Byron Scott calls Clippers job an ``attractive job'' on @710ESPN.. Intriguing idea, but hard to see a re-marriage with Baron tho. Twitter.com

Every time I turn on my computer there's another reporter attaching negative motives to Harris' "surprise" decision. Supposedly the 72-year-old couldn't take the ceaseless losses, couldn't relate to the players, had his fill of backtalk from the backcourt. New York Post

All of it is unadulterated delirium. Evidently, the authors have Harris confused with Vandeweghe, who players perceive behind his back as a pussycat and unqualified to coach, but that's another story for another day. New York Post

For now it's time to focus on the last and most unflattering accusation leveled at Harris. According to an erroneous Newark Star Ledger account, he made up his mind to bolt two days after double-agent Warren LeGarie -- Kiki's rep as well -- was told by Nets president Rod Thorn that Harris would not be considered for the job next season. The second part is true with one "petty" qualification: LeGarie approached Thorn about Harris' future; Warren never bothered to inform Del about the conversation. Not to this day! "Warren told me he was going to see where Rod stood on things when he showed up at a practice on a game day," Harris said. "At the game I asked if he talked to Rod and he said he had not been able to find him. I think he finally got to talk to him some the next morning, but I have not heard from him since. He has never directly nor indirectly conveyed to me the conversation he had with Rod, and I had never heard of anyone saying I would not be the next coach until I read it in that article. I didn't need to hear it in any event as it was obvious that we hadn't done the job." New York Post

OK, so what was LeGarie's scheme? Probably feel out Thorn regarding his feelings toward Harris, though not for next season, for now -- only their exchange got cut short. After all, that was the plan from the jump -- get Vandeweghe, who felt forced by Thorn to take the job, off the bench ASAP and back to the sanctuary of his GM's office and put Harris in charge of something he knows a little or two about, as his 14-year record (556-457) and mentoring of Avery Johnson (Dallas) and Vinny Del Negro (Chicago) attests. Problem No. 1: It wasn't Thorn's plan. He denied knowing anything about it yesterday. He was fuming that a side deal, if not an outright promise, was made behind his back. New York Post

You better believe Harris enthusiastically bought into the plan. At the end of last season he gave up a $700,000 Bulls salary to gain free agency in case an opportunity for a head-coaching job materialized. This was close -- maybe the closest he'll ever get again -- to that chance. "Kiki and Warren were adamant I not say anything about the plan so as not to undermine it; that it was totally understood between us, but it could not be written into any contract because Rod and the current ownership had a wait and see attitude about this," Harris said. New York Post

"Unfortunately, we did not get the team turned around quickly or adequately enough to warrant my being appointed head coach," Harris said. "No one told me this at the time, nor was it necessary. It would have taken 10 or more in that time frame to make any real impression on a new owner who did not know me at all. I wouldn't have hired myself, if I were the owner." Harris' final resignation statement was edited by Vandeweghe and LeGarie, who pressured him to delete two middle graphs that would have clarified his exit strategy and stamped out vicious rumors questioning his time-weathered honor. It was to be released after he was gone. It was clear and honest. Instead someone leaked it at halftime during that Tuesday night game and, since Vandeweghe and LeGarie were so insistent about the wording, Harris did not want to say too much to the media at that time. New York Post

Rehiring Thorn or attempting to recruit someone more internationally connected (Raptors president Bryan Colangelo, for instance) figures to be the top priority of incoming owner Mikhail Prokhorov when the NBA Board of Governors soon approves his purchasing control from Bruce Ratner. New York Post

Despite a recent hangup in the transfer of power from the family of late owner Abe Pollin to Ted Leonsis, rival executives believe a completed sale to Leonsis is a foregone conclusion. The Wizards have little hope of trading enough contracts to get under the luxury tax, but any savings derived from pre-deadline deals would produce double the benefit in tax payments – a scenario that would appease both the owner and the seller in that transaction. CBSSports.com

Labor problems, the potential for blockbuster trades, and yes, some basketball will be on the agenda at All-Star weekend in Dallas. Something else will command the attention of NBA team executives on Friday: The idea of a play-in tournament to determine the eighth playoff seed in each conference. The concept, devised by Nuggets general manager Mark Warkentien, is on the agenda for the league's competition committee, CBSSports.com has learned. The committee, which will meet Friday, has the option of voting on whether to recommend that the Board of Governors adopt the plan -- or some other version of it. CBSSports.com

I think they are following the standard owners' negotiating formula, whih they have been using for decades: Ask for the moon, the stars, the sun and the wind, and then settle for as much of that as they can get. The players are quite upset that the owners reached for so much (see my news story from yesterday in which union VP called the proposal "ludicrous&quot", and I believe the owners' heavy-handed initial approach is going to have the effect of grinding the process to a halt for at least a year. That's right: A year. Makes no sense for the players to make a counter to a bad proposal in such a bad economic environment when they can wait 12 months to see how the overall landscape has changed, both from a broad economic view and from an NBA view. ESPN.com

Among the topics: eliminating loopholes to create a hard salary cap and reducing the maximum length of player contracts from six to four seasons. Maxiell sounded an even tone Monday at the team practice facility. "It's because of the economics right now," Maxiell said. "We understand all that, and we understand the owners are trying to negotiate with the league, and hopefully we'll get an understanding. "It's tough everywhere for everybody, so it's understandable." Detroit Free Press

Despite speculation of a lockout if an agreement isn't reached before the 2011-12 season, Maxiell chooses to remain confident as the sides appear to be far apart. "That may be the way it is now, but toward the end, we'll be on the same page," he said. Detroit Free Press

NBA Commissioner David Stern didn't offer any revelations during an hour-long conversation at his office early Monday, but he continues to closely monitor arena developments in Sacramento. How closely? While watching the Super Bowl on Sunday (and pulling for New Orleans), he was interrupted by a phone call from John Moag, the arena consultant working with the Gerry Kamilos' downtown arena/land swap plan. Sacramento Bee

Weather permitting (another snowstorm was approaching), the Baltimore-based Moag planned to travel to Sacramento and address tonight's City Council meeting. "The development of the Kamilos proposal was a pleasant surprise to me," Stern said. "The idea that was brought to us by the mayor (Kevin Johnson), that we used to call Plan B, was so inclusive in what it was doing, I had my doubts that it could even come to fruition as an idea put to paper. But I'm cautiously optimistic it will be something that everyone will be able to rally around." Sacramento Bee

For years, the website of the National Basketball Players Association has been fairly basic: the text of the league's collective bargaining agreement, a few dated press releases on awesome and worthwile union activities, mention of the Association's leadership and -- the truly crazed will miss this; consider me guilty -- the embedded sound of a bouncing basketball when you first visit the site. Again, it was a basic, useful site. Hardly third-millenium stuff, though. With negotiations for the 2011 CBA heating up, the union apparently decided it needed a new website more pleasing to the eye. And ... success! The new site looks sharp. Well, almost. FanHouse

Yep, the union's web dude has misspelled the names of two members of the executive committee. That'd be Theo Ratliff and Etan Thomas, not Theo Ratlif and Eaton Thomas. What's worse is that these fellows aren't exactly new to the league. FanHouse

Mavericks president Terdema Ussery said Monday that ticket sales for Sunday's NBA All-Star Game have "officially passed 90,000 _ and we're close to 92 (thousand)." Ussery said the Mavericks, the NBA and the Cowboys are still talking to Arlington public safety officials about what Cowboys Stadium's capacity should be on Sunday. Either way, the game will break basketball's attendance record of 78,129, set by Kentucky and Michigan State at Ford Field in 2003. "At this point, it's a lot of art and a little bit of science," Ussery said. "I would say low to mid 90s is where we have a comfort level right now. Dallas Morning News

Through it all, the team's popularity has taken a hit, according a report in the Sports Business Journal Monday. Averaging 13,134 a game, the Nets are last in the league in home attendance. Their TV ratings on the YES Network are also falling, with only .32% of viewers in the New York area watching games, the lowest percentage since the network started coverage, according to the report, which also said the team's nearly 41% drop in TV ratings is the biggest in the league. New York Daily News

Thirsty basketball fans cheering on the Cleveland Cavaliers will have to wait at a concession stand the next time they want a sip of water. Citing concerns over swine flu, the team said Monday that all drinking water fountains have been removed from Quicken Loans Arena to reduce the spread of bacteria and communicable diseases. The fountains were removed in November, said team spokesman Tad Carper. Fans who want a drink of water can now get a 9- ounce cup for free at the concession stand or pay $4 for bottled water. "This was done in an effort to foster the most health-safe environment we felt we could provide for our fans," Carper said in an e- mailed statement. USA Today

Milwaukee Bucks rookie Brandon Jennings wrote on his Twitter account Sunday that Odom got the spot for one reason: because of his new wife, reality TV star Khloe Kardashian. "Brandon Jennings tweeted that I should thank Khloe because she got me that commercial," Odom said, pausing for effect, perhaps because he was angry. "And I was just thinking . . . she probably did. Maybe it's the company we keep," he said, smiling. Los Angeles Times

Odom was asked to be in the commercial a week before shooting it. He said it went without incident, with few retakes. Odom has also appeared in episodes of "Entourage" and "Arli$$." Los Angeles Times

The San Antonio Spurs are SOL in their attempt to have nude pics of one of their players removed from a website -- for now -- because the site's lawyer just said the pics of their player's basketballs are there to stay. The Spurs' lawyer fired off a letter to TheDirty.com last week, demanding the website "immediately and permanently" remove the photos showing guard George Hill's privates ... pics the genius snapped of himself using his cell phone. The Spurs want the pics down because they shine a negative light on the team's image. TMZ.com

But a lawyer for TheDirty sent a letter right back, saying the site has every right to post photos of "celebrities making fools of themselves" -- and taking them down won't change the fact that Hill is a moron. TheDirty's lawyer also says the Spurs' attempt to have the pics removed will only cause a "Streisand Effect" -- meaning the matter will become even more publicized due to their attempt to quash it ... like it just did. TMZ.com

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