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Friday, February 12

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According to multiple league sources, the Cavs have put their interest in forwards Troy Murphy and Antawn Jamison on the back burner for the moment and are getting serious about a higher-profile name, Phoenix Suns All-Star Amare Stoudemire. Cavs General Manager Danny Ferry and Suns General Manager Steve Kerr, former teammates and friends who have already collaborated on big deals, met this afternoon in Dallas. Suns owner Robert Sarver and Cavs owner Dan Gilbert are also in town and are on the labor relations committee that met. Sources indicate the Cavs, who first started talking to the Suns about their high-profile big man last month, are advancing talks to bring him to Cleveland. Cleveland Plain Dealer

Sources said the Cavs have advanced in discussions with the Pacers as well and could make a deal for Murphy if other deals fall thought. The Cavs still maintain an interest in Jamison and Yahoo! Sports is reporting they are competing with the Boston Celtics to trade for him. The Wizards, according to multiple reports, appear to be headed for their rebuilding as a deal to send forward Caron Butler to the Dallas Mavericks for guard Josh Howard may be getting close. But for now, it seems the Cavs have eyes for Stoudemire. It is a stunning situation considering Stoudemire didn't mesh with Shaquille O'Neal last season when both were with the Suns. He's averaging 21.2 points and 8.6 rebounds this season. He has one year at $17.6 million left on his contract but can opt out of it and become a free agent. Cleveland Plain Dealer

The Washington Wizards and Dallas Mavericks are closing in on a multi-player trade that will launch Washington's long-anticipated rebuilding project in earnest and send Wizards mainstays Caron Butler and Brendan Haywood to the Mavericks, according to sources close to the situation. Although the deal could take until Monday to be finalized, sources said that the teams have essentially agreed on the principal pieces: Butler, Haywood and DeShawn Stevenson to Dallas for Josh Howard and Drew Gooden. ESPN.com

Sources told ESPN.com that the teams' negotiations only grew more serious and, barring an unexpected late snag, will result in the trade that will serve as the first major domino to fall to loosen things up in advance of Thursday's annual trading deadline. ESPN.com

Several sources with direct knowledge of the teams' discussions said Friday that the teams were closing in on a final trade construction that will enable Washington to truly launch its rebuilding efforts, realize significant financial relief in the midst of a disastrous season and achieve all those aims without giving up forward Antawn Jamison, which is the Wizards' preference. ESPN.com

In a dramatic move that would resuscitate their fading championship hopes, the Boston Celtics are discussing a deal with the Washington Wizards for forwards Antawn Jamison and Caron Butler, league sources told Yahoo! Sports on Friday. The proposed deal would send the expiring contracts of Ray Allen, Brian Scalabrine and J.R. Giddens to the Wizards, a move that would signal the start of Washington’s rebuilding process. Yahoo! Sports

The trade isn’t imminent, but talks have progressed and Celtics GM Danny Ainge has positioned his organization to make one of the boldest trade deadline moves in years. For the Celtics, ownership would have to agree to take on an additional $24 million in salary next season between Jamison and Butler. Jamison makes more than $15 million in 2011-12, but most owners are discounting those salaries because of an assumption that there will be a labor lockout and some, if not all, of that money will never be paid to the players. Sources expected the two teams to talk further Friday and throughout the weekend in Dallas. Yahoo! Sports

Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge said Friday he has not discussed trades involving the Charlotte Bobcats or Washington Wizards. "There is no truth to either one of those," Ainge said. "I have had conversations with a lot of teams but those have never been discussed. There are a lot of things I would like to do but I don't feel a need to do something. I am always looking to upgrade the team, if possible." Boston Globe

Charlotte coach Larry Brown is interested in the Celtics' Rasheed Wallace, according to a report in the Charlotte Observer. But Ainge said Wallace will not be dealt. Ainge said he does not expect any deals to be concluded until closer to Thursday's trade deadline. "It will probably heat up next week," Ainge said. Boston Globe

However, the Cavs have intensified trade talks over the past several days and have been making progress, according to sources. Cleveland Plain Dealer

Several sources said the Cavs have included the Houston Rockets and Detroit Pistons in their conversations, possibly in an attempt to set up three-team deals. The Cavs' major targets are still believed to be forwards Antawn Jamison and Troy Murphy. But they also have had conversations about shooting guards and the talks with the Pistons could involve Richard Hamilton, who has been made available in recent weeks. Cleveland Plain Dealer

The Cavs remain interested in the Pacers’ Troy Murphy, but sources say they’re preoccupied with a couple of other deals they favor – one of which involves Jamison. The Wizards, as previously reported, aren’t seeking a straight salary dump; they’re looking for a legit rotation player with upside, such as J.J. Hickson. The Wizards are also looking to attach guard Mike James and his $6.6 million expiring contract to any deal to help them achieve luxury tax savings. CBSSports.com

Do the Cavs still need what's known as a "stretch 4," a power forward such as Antawn Jamison who can play inside and outside, another pricey piece to add to the puzzle in an effort to not only win a championship, but to convince LeBron James to stay in Cleveland past July 1? It's such a good question, we went ahead and asked it of James after the power forwards currently on Cleveland's roster, J.J. Hickson and Anderson Varejao, both had huge games in Thursday night's 115-106 victory over the Orlando Magic. "I never said we needed one," James said, immediately putting himself at odds with what is being whispered around the league -- that James has made it known that he wants the Cavs to find a way to acquire Jamison. "I think our team is built to win a championship, and with the group of guys we have here, if we continue to get better we're headed in the right direction." "So I haven't really thought about the trade deadline or what guys are on the board or whatever, so we'll continue to play the way we know how to play," James said. ESPN.com

But the question still remains: Do they have enough to get past Orlando -- or Boston or Atlanta, for that matter -- with what they have now? And if they get through the East, are they big enough, long enough and experienced enough to match up with the favorite to come out of the West, the Los Angeles Lakers? Again, LeBron, the floor is yours: "I love our team. I'm all about these 14-15 guys we've got in the locker room. We'll see what happens, but I'm very excited about our team, and I'm not the GM." If James was the GM, and he happened to be calling the Wizards to ask what it'd take to get Jamison, the name he'd hear being demanded by the other team would be Hickson. Sources say Washington is adamant that Hickson be a part of any Jamison trade, and thus far the Cavs haven't been willing to give him up. ESPN.com

Some of you have asked what's been discussed between the Pacers and the Milwaukee Bucks. Talks are in the very early stages. The two teams haven't even discussed what the Pacers would be getting in return for Murphy. I've been told that the Pacers are looking to acquire some young players that could possibly fit into their future plans or get expiring contracts in return for Murphy when talking to teams. The Bucks have a number of players in the final year of their contract. Indianapolis Star

The Milwaukee Bucks aren’t leaving any stone unturned. With the NBA deadline fast approaching, the Bucks are exploring a wide-range of possibilities with the clear intention of obtaining a player to enhance their playoff chances. It’s no secret the Bucks would like to obtain a veteran big man and a swingman. Troy Murphy of the Indiana Pacers would certainly fit the bill of the former. Murphy, 29, is being shopped by the Pacers and the Bucks, as the Cleveland Plain Dealer recently reported, are among several teams that have an interest in him. The Bucks have actually had their eyes on Murphy for a while. They appeared poised to acquire him several years ago when he played for the Golden State Warriors but backed off because of his hefty contract. But Murphy’s salary doesn’t figure to be an obstacle now. Murphy, who is earning $11 million this season, has only one more season left on his contract and that is for $11.9 million. Racine Journal-Times

The Bucks and Pacers have bandied about several players in exchange for the 6-foot-11 Murphy, who is averaging 14 points and 9.9 rebounds this season. One of those players is Ersan Ilyasova. The Pacers want Ilyasova, but the Bucks don’t want to give him up. Ilyasova is only 22, capable of playing both forward positions and has flashed signs of becoming a big-time scorer. While he is averaging a modest 10.5 points and 6.3 rebounds, Ilyasova has had five 20-plus games this season, including 25 against the New York and 24 against Portland and the Los Angeles Lakers. He also had 20-point outing against Orlando and San Antonio, two of the best teams in the NBA. The Pacers would also like veteran point guard Luke Ridnour, but apparently would still do the deal if he wasn’t included in the package. Racine Journal-Times

While the Bucks have had serious discussions with the Pacers, they have also been in talks with the Atlanta Hawks. The Hawks are in the market for another big man and have more than a passing interest in Bucks veteran Kurt Thomas. The Bucks have expressed interest in Hawks swingman Maurice Evans who isn’t much of an offensive threat -- 4.9 points in 15 minutes a game this season – but a stellar defender. Because Thomas makes $3.8 million and Evans makes $2.5 million, the Hawks would have to throw in another player to make the deal work. One possibility would be Randolph Morris, a 24-year-old forward who makes $855,000. Morris is averaging 2.3 points in 22 games. Racine Journal-Times

Knicks president Donnie Walsh said a misperception exists that his interest in the Rockets' Tracy McGrady is solely as a rental to inject life into a dying season. "There's reasons other than that," Walsh told The Post. Walsh declined to specify, but a source said the Knicks would like to see if McGrady is someone to consider re-signing in July. At least they'd have a fallback candidate if McGrady excels and they are unable to land one of the top free agents, LeBron James or Dwyane Wade. The other four top free-agent candidates are Joe Johnson, Chris Bosh, Carlos Boozer and Amar'e Stoudemire. McGrady once was considered in those players' class before microfracture surgery on his left knee last year. "I think he's a very good player," Walsh said. "The microfracture surgery is a concern for everybody. But he's a good player. . . . I've been realistic about these first two years and I'm not doing this for immediate satisfaction." New York Post

Washington, New York and Houston haven’t pulled the plug on a much-discussed three-way trade, but I was told Thursday the deal wouldn’t likely go down. It looks more and more like the Rockets and Tracy McGrady will agree on a buyout. Racine Journal-Times

Walsh, the Knicks' president, is actively looking to upgrade the club before Thursday's trade deadline and Houston's Tracy McGrady remains his primary target. The Knicks are also interested in Chicago forward Tyrus Thomas and just about any point guard out there. "There are no deals imminent," Walsh said Thursday. "We're seeing what's out there and if anything makes sense for us." New York Daily News

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Portland has joined San Antonio, Denver, Charlotte, and Sacramento in the pursuit of Tyrus Thomas, with one person familiar with the situation characterizing the Blazers as “close” to finding a workable scenario. Rival execs have contradicted that account, saying the Bulls are telling them they need to sweeten their offers. Chicago is seeking a quality draft pick in addition to cap relief. Denver and Charlotte have conditional 2010 second-round picks from previous trades, and Denver also could offer a second-round pick that can be swapped with the Clippers. CBSSports.com

As noted in this space last week, the Nuggets are more than willing to move guys like Malik Allen, Joey Graham, Johan Petro, and Anthony Carter. Some have speculated that Tyrus Thomas could be had by Denver, but sources close to the team caution that the chances of this happening aren't high at all. This is a very Nugget-centric kind of proposition. HoopsWorld

The Warriors continue to peddle Andris Biedrins (four years and $36 million left) to achieve cost-savings, while the Clippers are offering Al Thornton and Sebastian Telfair for the same reason, sources say. CBSSports.com

I asked agent Bill Duffy specifically about the mindsets of his two big Warriors players mentioned here and there in trade rumors–Anthony Randolph and Andris Biedrins. DUFFY: “Neither player has expressed an interesting in being moved. Obviously there’s nothing we can do at this point. But it’s not we’re reaching out and saying, ‘Let’s get these players outta there.’ “Mostly, the focus for both guys is to get themselves healthy–or fully healthy. San Jose Mercury News

“Andris, especially, is extremely loyal to the team that drafted him and he loves the fans. He wants to fight through this with the organization. “Anthony, being new to the league, is trying to establish himself, as all new players have to do. But the Warriors also drafted him, and he’s loves the fans, too. He also wants to see this thing through.” San Jose Mercury News

Duffy says he hasn’t heard anything specifically of late about the Warriors talking trade involving either player. But obviously at this point, the Warriors might do anything–as long as it cuts the payroll. San Jose Mercury News

Both Boston and Washington still have discussions with several teams in the works, including a potential Wizards-Mavericks deal that league sources insisted was discussed well into Thursday night in Dallas. Washington has offered Butler and DeShawn Stevenson for the Mavericks’ Josh Howard and a small expiring contract. There were strong signals on late Thursday that deal was getting close, but one source with knowledge of the talks said that Mavs owner Mark Cuban wasn’t prepared to commit to the move and wanted to keep shopping. Yahoo! Sports

There is no Mavs’ “declining’’ interest in Washington’s Caron Butler and there is no “dropping off the radar’’ of Butler. There are negotiations involving a trade of Josh Howard to the Wizards and the sticking point is now being confirmed as exactly what we reported it to be. DallasBasketball.com

A week ago, one national report said the Mavs’ interest in Caron Butler was “declining’’ because he’s have a subpar year in Washington. On Thursday, one local report said that Butler “is not believed to be on the Mavericks' radar anymore.’’ The reality? Media reports change. Things Mavs execs are saying to the media change. But we wrote it a week ago and we’re writing it again because Dallas’ evaluation of Butler does not change with the wind, does not change back and forth, does not change at all. “Declining’’ from Dallas’ “radar’’? As we said last week: That’s not even close to the way it is being expressed to me by a pair of Dallas sources who both acknowledge that Butler absolutely fits as a “second star,’’ or a “Robin’’ to Dirk Nowitzki’s “Batman.’’ The desire in Butler remains. For a fact. There is, however, a problem. Our colleague Gina Miller is reporting confirmation of we knew to be serious Dallas-Washington talks focusing on a swap of Josh Howard for Butler, and with reinforcement of the anticipated hangup. DallasBasketball.com

Gina Miller: sources tell me mavs were talking 2 wizards for a deal that would send josh howard 2 wash in xchange 4 caron butler. dallas balked b/c..#fb. Twitter.com

Gina Miller: wizards wanted deshawn stevenson to go in the deal as well. mavs didnt want him. going to be an interesting week b4 trade deadline! #fb Twitter.com

The trade deadline is six days away, and All-Star Weekend always is a hotbed of chatter about deals. But Mavericks owner Mark Cuban said no serious talk has come his way. "We know the parameters under which we'd make a deal," he said. "If somebody meets our parameters, we'll pull the trigger, but I don't see us just doing something to do something, because that will kill our flexibility in the summer." Dallas Morning News

Washington is still part of a lingering, but stalled three-team discussion with New York and Houston that would send Tracy McGrady to the Knicks, Al Harrington and Larry Hughes to the Wizards and Caron Butler and possibly Mike Miller to the Houston Rockets. Yahoo! Sports

One person I talked with this week said the player to watch at the deadline might not be Boozer but Ronnie Brewer, whose name came up in connection with Memphis last month. From what I gather, the Jazz are not averse to trading Brewer in the right circumstances. Brewer will be a free agent at season’s end and the Jazz would have to tender him a $3.8 million qualifying offer just to keep him a restricted free agent. They might have to match an offer sheet with an even bigger number from another team to hold onto Brewer. By trading Brewer, the Jazz potentially could acquire a first-round draft pick or another young player while gaining a measure of luxury-tax relief (Brewer is making $2.7 million this season) and easing their logjam of wing players. Keep in mind: It’s just something that’s in the rumor mill. Salt Lake Tribune

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news Nuggets Nation, but it appears very unlikely the team will make any major moves before the deadline after speaking with a number of people in the organization who would play an important role in making such a decision. "I don't know where that came from, and it's not happening" said one very well place Denver Nuggets' source when asked about the proposition of re-acquiring Marcus Camby from the Los Angeles Clippers. I continued by explaining that logistically it would be difficult for Denver to complete such a deal financially without giving up a rotational player even if the team had aspirations of doing so to which the same source replied: "We're not trading a rotational player. If someone wants to take on some of our (expiring contracts) than fine. But we're not giving up a rotational player." Multiple sources in the organization echoed such sentiment and said in not so many words that unless a team like Toronto gets crazy and wants to part with Chris Bosh, don't expect the Nuggets to make any major moves. HoopsWorld

Don’t expect Chris Bosh to reveal his free-agent plans during his All-Star homecoming in Big D. The Dallas native continues to insist that he doesn’t yet “have an answer” no matter how many people ask him to declare his intentions now. He also notes that “things you like and dislike change daily,” which Bosh says makes it “impossible almost to not only predict the future but predict your feelings” when free agency is still more than four months away. ESPN.com

First Bosh scoffed at folks who think he’s already made his decision to leave the league’s only Canadian franchise. “He’s gone, it’s over, it’s done,” Bosh said in a mocking tone. Then Bosh revealed that he’s not necessarily interested in playing anywhere that he’s not the clear-cut franchise player. “That’s a good question,” Bosh said when asked by ESPN The Magazine’s Ric Bucher if he’s bothered by the widespread perception that he’s determined to follow either LeBron James or Dwyane Wade by signing on with one of the teams they choose starting July 1. “It’s funny you say that, because I was thinking about it. I was just looking at what people say and it’s like, ‘Chris is going to go here and play with him or this, this and that.’ I’m like, ‘Wait a minute.’ I feel like I should be built around. And maybe that’s just my ego talking, but I feel that I’m a very good player in this league and I’m only going to get better. So … maybe we should be getting somebody [in Toronto].” ESPN.com

"That's a good question," Bosh says when asked how everyone else can be so sure of what his move will be this summer. "If that were really the case, wouldn't it be kind of evident from myself even?" What Bosh is saying, and what he has been saying for the better part of two years, is he hasn't made that decision -- so how can anyone else know? "It has not been easy," he admits when asked about all the speculation. "I guess this is wishful thinking from other forms of media. Welcome to my world." Toronto Sun

Yet Bosh did acknowledge that he will consult his Team USA colleagues James and Wade, for advice if nothing else, before re-signing with the Raptors or orchestrating a sign-and-trade move elsewhere. “There’s nothing wrong with picking each guys' brain to see where they’re at and how they feel,” Bosh said. “I think talking to other people [is something] that'll help you make your decision a little bit more.” Said Wade when asked during his own taping Thursday about behind-the-scenes lobbying: “It goes on at every All-Star Weekend. It’s been going on for the last couple [All-Star] weekends. It’s always fun to recruit. Everybody’s recruiting.” ESPN.com

While Raptors general manager Bryan Colangelo could very well pull off a deal of some sort, this much can be said for certain: Bosh, on the eve of free agency, is not going to be dealt before the deadline in the name of the Raptors ensuring they get some sort of return for the forward. "There haven't been many inquiries [about Bosh] recently because we're adamant about our position," Colangelo said before he and a group of Raptors employees and players, including Bosh, took off for Dallas for the All-Star Game yesterday. National Post

And what Bosh sees right now is not a perfect club, but one finding itself and gaining a bit of swagger. Besides, there is not an obvious candidate to deal. Jose Calderon? Jarrett Jack has been good as a starter, but both point guards benefit with a more limited role. To excel, they need each other. Also, let's face it: Calderon's contract is not an attractive one. Antoine Wright? That suggestion is so December. He has developed into the crunch-time defender and capable shooter that the Raptors expected. Marcus Banks? In order to get something of value, you have to give up something of value. And Banks' contract kills his value. As of yesterday, Colangelo said there were no deals of any nature percolating. A minor trade could get done before next Thursday. To expect anything more than that, however, would be baseless. National Post

Kevin Pritchard: "What I want – and this is the biggest thing around here, I talked to Nate this morning about it – what I want us to do is go out, continue to play with a lot of passion, play the right way, improve as the season goes on and then let the chips fall where they may. What I don’t want to do is have us ‘Oh my gosh we’ve got to get into the playoffs’ and then we turn into a nervous team. No. What I want us to do is go out there, compete every night and have a ton of fun, like we’re doing right now." Is that the message you send to your staff, that you don’t want anyone to panic at this point? KP: "We always say ‘calm waters.’ I’m a big believer in that. Sometimes after games I’ll watch the replay and I’ll say ‘Gosh, I want to make a move right now to help this team,’ but patience has served us well. We’ll do a deal if it makes sense and if it makes us better for the long term." Blazers.com

Does that keep you from looking at other options? How does that incomplete picture factor into your decision-making process? KP: "It makes me somewhat cautious because we don’t know how the talents blend together yet. If I knew that then it would be easy, but that’s what this year was all about: seeing how everything blends together and then making the appropriate changes." Blazers.com

KP: "Oh, there’s no doubt that people are looking to 2010. There’s the perception of 2010 and then there’s a reality. Some teams are looking for the perception, for whatever reason. ‘We want to show that we’re going to be active in the summer and maybe that generates a little more buzz around the team.’ Or there are the reality teams that are saying ‘We want 2010 and we’re going to prove it with our dollars.’ "I think there are two things going on, and I’m not sure which ones are which. Only they know. It’s going to be an exciting summer. What I’ll tell you is there’s going to be a huge degree of variability. If A goes here and B goes here, where does C go? We’ve modeled all that, we’ve looked at all that. The one thing I’ll tell you is this: It’s going to be unique to any other summer we’ve ever had." Blazers.com

KP: "Now, I’m a risk taker by nature. I always have been, I always will be. The key is to know when to take that risk. That’s the key in this business, at least for us. "Sometimes you sit, you let things cook and you like what’s happening, so you don’t make the moves, and those could be the best. The best moves are sometimes the ones where we sit on our hands. I tell you what, my management staff and Mr. Allen, sometimes they tell me to sit on my hands because we just don’t know." Blazers.com

Dirk Nowitzki has made it clear that he plans to finish his NBA career in Dallas. The question is how much longer the best player in franchise history will play. "Maybe he plays another three, four, five more years," said Holger Geschwindner, Dirk's personal coach and mentor since childhood. "Nobody knows." The determining factor, according to Geschwindner, could be whether Nowitzki has fun. That could be concerning to Mavs fans, considering that Nowitzki has openly discussed how frustrated he is this season. However, as I chatted with Geschwindner while seated in the second row about an hour before a recent game, Nowitzki wore a wide smile while working with an assistant coach on the court. "You have to love the game," Geschwindner said. "You have to love to walk out onto the court. There are already too many guys that just go to work. That is not much fun for the player and the spectators. I think as soon as he gets the feeling, or any player gets that feeling, he should not continue to play." ESPN.com

Q: This summer’s free-agent market will be one of the biggest ever. Do you see that as a good thing, or are you concerned about some star players potentially leaving their teams? Stern: It’s certainly something that’s getting a lot of attention and about which a lot is going to be written. I guess at a certain level that’s a good thing. Everybody is speculating and writing, ‘So-and-so is going, isn’t going. So-and-so is signing, isn’t signing.’ That’s kind of good if you want people to follow you and pay attention. We’ve always had superstars change addresses because we’ve always had a lot of superstars. But on balance, sometimes they do and sometimes they don’t. You tell me. Michael Jordan changed addresses. Shaquille O’Neal(notes) changed addresses. Charles Barkley changed addresses. We’ve had a lot of [stars], 15 or 20, that I can think of off the top. Not every player plays for one team his entire career. It happens. Yahoo! Sports

The public will get commissioner David Stern’s typically rosy state of the league address Saturday night, but the executives contemplating taking on tens of millions through pending trades don’t want the sanitized version. They want to know where they stand, and how the decisions they make between now and the Feb. 18 trade deadline will position their franchises for some rocky times ahead. “I think the uncertainty has slowed everybody’s roll until they get the state of the union at the league meetings,” one Western Conference executive said. “The one thing that makes this interesting is that there’s always buyers and sellers. The sellers are far more plentiful than the buyers, so buyers are going to be really deliberate when it comes to taking on future money.” CBSSports.com

Miami Heat president Pat Riley has been aggressive in his pursuit of Stoudemire, but sources say the Heat are one of the teams carefully weighing such a transaction against the uncertain backdrop of collective bargaining. At this stage, the Heat are the undisputed leaders of the impending 2010 free agent sweepstakes because they have one marquee potential free agent, Dwyane Wade, on the roster and enough cap space to sign another max player without making any further trades. CBSSports.com

As far as the Davis for Charlotte guard D.J. Augustin rumor, Ainge said in a radio interview Wednesday: “I haven’t had any discussions with Charlotte. There was some speculation that they were looking for a four [power forward], and we were looking for a backup point guard. People try to put things together. We have had no discussions. I like the player in the trade [Augustin], but we like Glen Davis a lot too." Providence Journal

CB Murcia announced the signing until the end of the season of Shammond Williams. The American guard with Georgian passport returns to ACB after the short term deal signed with Unicaja Malaga in the first part of the season. Sportando

Former NBA player Marc Jackson, who decided to leave Obradoiro last week, announced his retirement. Before the last game played against Caja Laboral, his teammates wrote a banner for the player: "Thank you for everything. You will never walk alone". Marc Jackson will fly back to US to become cowboy. Sportando

Denver Nuggets coach George Karl has informed league officials that he plans to start Dirk Nowitzki for the West in place of the injured Kobe Bryant in Sunday's All-Star Game, sources told ESPN.com. Sources close to the situation confirmed that Karl -- who is not scheduled to arrive in Dallas until Friday with the Nuggets playing host Thursday night to the Spurs -- will move Nowitzki from the hometown Mavericks into the starting lineup even though he's obviously not a guard. ESPN.com

Allen Iverson will not play in his 11th straight NBA All-Star Game on Sunday in Dallas. Family matters come first. A source familiar with the 76ers and Iverson’s situation indicated that Iverson’s 3-year-old daughter, who has been ill, has developed additional problems. Iverson, who had intended to be in Dallas by Friday, made the decision today to remain with his family in Atlanta. Philadelphia Daily News

The 59th annual NBA All-Star Game is scheduled to take place at the new Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas. More than 80,000 fans are expected, which would break the NBA's attendance record. Consider that Iverson received more than a million votes to be an all-star starter - knowing that his statistics did not warrant the accolade - and his willingness to skip the festivities should speak volumes about his state of mind. "I didn't know a damn thing about his decision to skip this weekend until this morning," one of Iverson's closest confidants said. "I'm stunned. Even with things the way they are, I could've sworn he'd be in Dallas by now. This doesn't feel good." That person did not want to speak publicly because of the situation. Messiah Iverson, the all-star guard's 3-year-old daughter, is ill. Iverson is worried sick. His wife, Tawanna, is feeling worse. "The worst part of it all is that they're still trying to figure out specifically what's wrong with her," Iverson's confidant said of Messiah's medical treatment. A source said last night that her condition was worsening. Philadelphia Inquirer

Kidd, who planned on spending the break at his Arizona home, wasn't so excited initially when Cuban called to ask him to return to Dallas. "I’m golfing. It’s 70 degrees," Kidd told Cuban. "What do you want me to come back for?" Cuban's reply: "No. 10." Upon hearing that, Kidd immediately agreed to get back to Dallas, although not necessarily as soon as possible. "Can I leave tomorrow morning?" he asked Cuban. "I need to get another round of golf in." ESPN.com

The Cavs were hoping Shaquille O'Neal would have been given the spot, just as they'd hoped Mo Williams would have been voted in by the coaches as a reserve. Instead, LeBron James flew to Dallas early today as the team's only representative and he did it with a 43-11 record, the best in the NBA. "Absolutely I wanted [O'Neal] to make it," James said. "I haven't been saying anything about the All-Star thing because it was kind of bothering me. I think Shaq definitely was an All-Star. Not one of our 3-point shooters making the Three-Point Shootout kind of bothers me, too." Cleveland Plain Dealer

Howard Beck: Sunday will be first All-Star Game with no Shaq or Kobe since 1997. Twitter.com

Robinson's agent, Aaron Goodwin, confirmed his client will defend his Slam Dunk title this weekend. Robinson considered pulling out with a groin injury. New York Daily News

Mbenga's high-flying teammate Brown has been hush-hush about his slam dunk plans for Saturday night other than revealing that Bryant will be involved as a passer on one of his attempts, but Mbenga said on Wednesday that he'll be on the court for another one of Brown's throwdowns. "It's going to be a lot of jumping around," Brown said. It had better be if he hopes to clear the 7-foot Mbenga. The rest of the Lakers are following Jackson's lead for the most part. ESPNLosAngeles.com

"He's got big hands. Extremely big hands," marvels former Charlotte Bobcats teammate Raymond Felton, who played against Brown in the 2005 Final Four. "He's blessed with great hands," praises Bobcats assistant coach Jim Capel, who grew close with Brown during the guard's half-season with Charlotte. "I wish I had those hands," says Nuggets guard J.R. Smith, former dunk contestant (and sick athlete in his own right) who's known Brown since their AAU days. "If you get a set of mitts like that, it's hard to stop." "They're pretty big," admits Brown with a chuckle as he sits on a medicine ball after Lakers practice in El Segundo. ESPNLosAngeles.com

Phil Jackson gives those sentiments a firm seconding. "I wouldn't have called him a guard a year ago at this time. I would've called him a small forward in a guard's body." Still, "the relentless worker" as Capel described Shannon, was pleasing the Charlotte brass, which made his eventual inclusion in a trade sending Adam Morrison to the Lakers in exchange for Vladimir Radmanovic hardly the "throw-in" Shannon labeled it during his exit interview. "We didn't want to lose him," says Bobcats Head Coach Larry Brown. "He was just part of the deal." ESPNLosAngeles.com

Whether Rose is able to play in Sunday's NBA All-Star Game -- or participate in the Skills Challenge on Saturday -- remains uncertain, but a source close to the situation was optimistic. ''It sounds like he'll be OK,'' the source said. ''He is getting treatment and feeling better.'' Chicago Sun-Times

Rose's only official responsibility today is the interview session at the players' hotel, so he'll have plenty of opportunity to get treatment. The first time he'll step on the court is for the East practice at the Jam Session on Saturday. ''It's gonna be exciting,'' Rose said. ''Usually the crowd is there for the practice. Just to be on the court with those guys will mean a lot. I'll probably be in awe when I first get on the court, but I know it's gonna be a fun experience.'' Chicago Sun-Times

Shaq on on Dwight Howard: "Superman my ass." And a whole lot more coming, the big man unleashed. Twitter.com

Though he has held his tongue for most of this season, O'Neal made some vague references to Howard after practice Wednesday. As to whether he gets up for these kind of individual matchups, O'Neal mumbled something about 15 year olds or 18 year olds. But Thursday night, his comments came through loud and clear -- especially after the Magic used two defenders against O'Neal most of the night while he played Howard, the defensive player of the year last season, straight up. O'Neal finished with 10 points and six rebounds. Howard had 19 points and 11 rebounds. "I don't consider it manning up until you play me straight up," O'Neal said. "Don't let them double-team me and make it a him vs. me thing. Eighteen years straight -- Hakeem, Ewing, Rik Smits, [Tim] Duncan, [David] Robinson, the best of the best, straight up. I never doubled nobody. Nor have I ever asked for double-team. If you want to bang and push, let's bang and push." Cleveland Plain Dealer

Shaq on getting doubled but not doubling Howard: "When I was coming up and there was Ewing and Hakeem, I never doubled anybody." Twitter.com

More: "You tell me who the real Superman is. Don't compare me to anybody. I'd rather not be mentioned. I'm offended" Twitter.com

Haslem said both players have sacrificed and there is no power struggle at power forward, despite what fans might perceive as a polarizing issue. ``He's playing 30-some-odd minutes a game, starters minutes, and I'm playing 27,'' Haslem said. ``What do they want, him to play 48 and me to play none? I think we've got something good going. I take pride in seeing him do well.'' There has been evidence of rapid progress for Beasley, even though he has been at the center of trade speculation. Beasley has scored at least 20 points in 17 games this season, one more than his rookie season total. His nine double-doubles through 53 games are one more than last season. ``There are going to be some things that I don't get and some mistakes,'' Beasley said. ``But it's getting better. The goal is to make it to the Sunday [All-Star] Game now.'' Miami Herald

Chris Douglas-Roberts: "Reports say CD-R's attitude is HORRIBLE". This is getting utterly ridiculous. Based on WHAT? Yet, ANOTHER act of defamation of character. Twitter.com

The United States will face Spain in an exhibition game, their first meeting since the Americans won the gold medal at the 2008 Bejing Olympics. The exhibition game in August was announced Friday by USA Basketball and the Spanish Basketball Federation. The game will take place in Spain on a date to be determined before both teams travel to Turkey for the world championships. The Americans beat Spain 118-107 to win Olympic gold, pulling away after leading by four with less than 2½ minutes to play. AP

Multiple sources have indicated that George Karl and the Denver Nuggets have agreed to a contract extension. The deal is believed to be for one-year and will pay the coach around $4.5 million. ESPN's Ric Bucher is also reporting that a deal is done. Karl's camp had indicated recently that they would break off negotiations until this summer if a deal could not be reached prior to the All-Star break. While Karl would have preferred to have a contract that would span beyond any potential lockout in the summer of 2011, the $4.5 million he'll make next season is substantially more than Denver was willing to pay him annually over the three-year deal Karl was seeking. HoopsWorld

Denver Nuggets coach George Karl has agreed to a one-year, $4.5 million contract extension, according to a league source. ESPN.com

Nets president Rod Thorn was never hiring Pitino, sources say, and Pitino isn’t who’s foremost on organizational minds as Nets officials trek to Dallas for a telltale meeting with Prokhorov this weekend. Here’s the possible scenario that has some within the Nets franchise uneasy about their futures: After the Toronto Raptors ownership exercised the 2010-11 option on general manager Bryan Colangelo’s contract this week, there’s a growing belief that Prokhorov could be turning his gaze toward Colangelo’s father, Jerry, to hire as New Jersey’s president. Yahoo! Sports

The reasoning would be simple. This way, Prokhorov could have the executive capable of delivering him the biggest, shiniest coach available to the Nets: Duke’s Hall of Fame coach Mike Krzyzewski. The plan, sources say, would be to make him GM and coach. Yahoo! Sports

In other words, there's plenty of time for Pitino to submit his services should Thorn preserve his image at the line of scrimmage. What's so alluring about the Nets' job, anyway? And it's not as if Pitino will be devoid of NBA and college options should Thorn's replacement have someone else in mind if (or should I say when) he leaves Louisville. For the record, I'm hearing Jerry Colangelo (over son, Bryan) is the Russian's first choice to run the Nets. New York Post

So if not to Pitino, where will the Nets look? There are clearly two front-runners: Duke's Mike Krzyzewski, who led the 2008 U.S. Olympic team to the gold medal, and former Knicks and Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy. Krzyzewski is the perfect "big splash" name Prokhorov would favor. Krzyzewski's appointment certainly would be a lure to free agents and sources within the organization rate him as the top choice, though the Nets would have to give him a virtual blank check and promises of control. Krzyzewski has turned down the Lakers in the past. Van Gundy is the kind of proven NBA type Thorn would favor. Thorn in the past has been a supporter of giving the hot assistant type a head-coaching shot, but this will not be one of those times. "Coach K would be an awesome pro coach," Pitino said "There are few guys in college basketball who have the demeanor to be an outstanding pro coach. He's one." New York Post

Last night at the Garden, Pitino said jokingly of the Krzyzewski report: "It would be a great choice, a great choice. As a matter of fact I'm going to call his recruits tonight." New York Daily News

While sources say that Thorn had no direct contact with Pitino regarding the Nets job, people close to the Louisville coach told The News that he had intermediaries make it known he was interested. Dismissing the report in yesterday's News, the former Knicks and Celtics coach questioned a theory that he is "worn down" from dealing with the fallout of his sex scandal from last summer and wants to get away from Louisville. In the process, he kicked the NBA's worst team while it is down. "So what do you do when you're tired and worn out? You don't go to the Caribbean, you don't go to the Bahamas, you take the New Jersey Nets job where they've won four games," Pitino said sarcastically on the Big East coaches' media teleconference. "Just think of the rationale behind the whole thing," he added. "If you're going to get rejuvenated you don't take over the Nets." New York Daily News

"I have no representatives who I know that even know the owner [Prokhorov]. And Rod Thorn is a good friend. I root for him all the time," Pitino told The Post before Louisville was routed, 74-55, by St. John's at the Garden last night. "There is not an ounce of truth to anything that has been written about the situation." The sources said Pitino supporters sought to reach Prokhorov through members of the billionaire's inner circle. "I have no idea about that and I have no comment," Thorn said. New York Post

"If I had interest in the Nets, I would call Rod," Pitino said. "If I had interest in any job, I would call Rod. If it was Program X out in the Midwest, I would call Rod. He would be the first person I would call for advice if I had any interest at all in going back [to the NBA]." Pitino was equally emphatic after Louisville's loss last night, explaining that the rumors are having an effect on his recruiting. "I've worked my ass off in the last two weeks traveling to obscure places every single night after practice, 18 hours in recruiting," Pitino said. "Now I gotta call every single recruit up and say its nonsense." New York Post

It’s been reported Charlotte coach Larry Brown wouldn’t mind coaching the 76ers next season. I’m hearing Brown wouldn’t be opposed to coaching the Los Angeles Clippers, either. Racine Journal-Times

The coach remained impressively consistent with his attitude and approach as unfounded rumors of his imminent dismissal surfaced in December. Look for that same unflappability and upbeat demeanor to be evident as the second season in his three-year guaranteed contract winds down. Del Negro has confided to confidantes the likelihood he won't be retained. And all signs continue to point to his departure whenever the season concludes. Chicago Tribune

Don Nelson grew up on his grandfather's Illinois farm where his first "court" was a chicken yard with a spokeless bicycle wheel nailed to a shed for a basket. It wasn't until the family lost the place, and Nelson moved as a middle-schooler to Rock Island, Ill., that he fell in love with basketball. It took him to the University of Iowa and, from there, a 14-year NBA playing career that included five titles with Boston and a 31-year coaching career. "I know how far I've come from being a hog farmer," Nelson said. "I've come a long, long way from being some country kid. I got in the fast lane, and I've stayed there a long time. I've done pretty well. So yeah, it's something to look back on. I just don't like to talk about it much." That includes Wilkens' record of 1,332 coaching victories. "He never brings it up," center Ronny Turiaf said. "Zero. None. Nada. Ever. Not even one time have I heard him mention it." San Jose Mercury News

But Dallas owner Mark Cuban — Nelson's ex-boss and frequent antagonist — said no one should be fooled. "That's just his shtick, saying 'Other people deserve it more than I do,' " Cuban said. "But deep down I know it means a lot to Nellie. He just won't tell you." Cuban added that while he continues to have his differences with Nelson, "I hope he gets the record because he's truly changed the game of basketball. He deserves it." It also could be said that Nelson, with three NBA Coach of the Year awards, deserves to be in the Hall of Fame. That distinction also is in waiting. "I've never won a title, and I think that means quite a lot to a selection committee," Nelson said. "Either way, I'm at peace with it." San Jose Mercury News

How is your relationship with Phil Jackson? Pau Gasol: A good one, very good one. But I sometimes disagree about his way of using the media to motivate you. A lot of times he does it well, but sometimes he says some things that maybe I would say only in the locker room. Anyway, his coaching works. Nobody likes to be criticized like that, with the ironic tone he has, but I get along great with him. I respect him a lot, you listen carefully when he speaks, can read the game very well. I'm mature enough to be able to look beyond, to assimilate what he says. Marca

"That will be my personal time," Jackson said. "I'll tell you this, Jeanie [Buss] has to go to Dallas so I'll probably be doing laundry, feeding the dog, things like that. I'll be domestic. "I'll try to get some R & R during this period of time, some rest. I'm going to get a massage, a facial, have my fingernails and toenails done, stuff like that. I'll get a haircut probably too." While Jackson is receiving a makeover on the level of when Dorothy and the gang arrived at the Emerald City, much of Jackson's gang will be headed to Dallas, the All-Star host city. ESPNLosAngeles.com

While Barkley enjoys his job, he's also restless. He dreams of being a general manager for an NBA team. "That's next for me," Barkley said. "I've been doing this for 10 years. I'm going to need another challenge soon. "I think some teams know that. I've got to make sure it's a good situation for me. I mean, I'm not going to jump on the Titanic. I've got a great gig and I work with great people, but I'm going to need a bigger challenge." Smith, who won NBA championships with the Houston Rockets in 1994 and 1995, also would like to be a GM. He is fascinated by the idea that someday he and Barkley could be on the phone discussing a trade. "I know I'd get the best out of the deal, so I'd call him every week," Smith said with a smile. Canadian Press

TNT/NBA.com sage David Aldridge alluded to this when he mentioned recently that the league would like Cohan to sell to Larry Ellison–or anybody who could take proper advantage of this incredible basketball market. I’ve heard the same thing. Repeatedly. Loudly. Cohan’s soul-sucking of the Warriors is a sore spot for the NBA. Why would Stern do Cohan’s paranoid franchise any favors by putting Ellis into the All-Star spotlight, especially with Ellis’ poor team stats? Ellis probably deserved this nod (probably didn’t deserve any of the previous spots), but he’s folded in with Cohan, Rowell, Nelson & the whine campaign. That’s how it works with bankrupt franchises. San Jose Mercury News

Still, NBA commissioner David Stern said he doesn't believe there will be a negative tone when negotiating committees set up by the owners and the players' union get together in Dallas. "This meeting is going to be not contentious at all,'' Stern said Thursday. "We have a great community of interest together.'' Stern also made another prediction about the labor talks. "This is not going to be a short process,'' he said. FanHouse

Q: With the CBA negotiations set to start, what do you think the chances are of a lockout? Are you feeling optimistic or concerned? David Stern: Our job is to make sure that we have a successor agreement and we have plenty of time to do that. The rest is just idle speculation and that doesn’t get me any place. I don’t feel good or bad. This is business as usual. We have a deal to make and we have to work on it. It’s not going to happen if we don’t meet. Yahoo! Sports

A source close to the negotiations, though, did say 25 to 27 of the 30 NBA teams will lose money this season, and owners are willing to play hardball in negotiations because they would lose more money under the current CBA by playing a season rather than not playing. The source called the teams making money the Los Angeles Lakers, New York Knicks and Chicago Bulls. The source said the Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Clippers could also end up making money. FanHouse

Q: Is there any danger of the NBA contracting some teams? Stern: We don’t have any plans for contraction. I would say we’re not going to be challenged from a revenue standpoint. But we are challenged from an expense perspective. Our expenses are too high and we have to find a way to moderate them. Yahoo! Sports

The proposal the NBA sent to the players' association for a new collective bargaining agreement seeks cuts from the biggest superstars down to guys not even in the league yet. A person who has seen the document told The Associated Press on Thursday that first-round picks would have their salaries cut by about one-third and the minimum salary would be reduced by as much as 20 percent. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to comment publicly about the negotiations. AP

The total value of a maximum contract for a veteran also would drop below $60 million, as previously reported by ESPN.com. That's less than half of what LeBron James can sign for this summer if he opts out of his contract and re-signs with Cleveland. The person said owners "have made it clear they intend to rein in player costs across the board from every segment of the player population." AP

Speaking of guarantees, those would change, too. The person said contracts in the new proposal would be guaranteed for only half of their value, and in some instances players would receive less than 50 percent. The person also confirmed previous reports that the proposal effectively seeks a "hard" salary cap, eliminating tools such as the Bird and midlevel exceptions that allow teams over the cap to sign free agents. The differences between management and the players have created fears of what would be the first work stoppage since the lockout that reduced the 1999 season to 50 games. AP

While Gasol will be lounging with his brother, Fisher will be making tough decisions. "I would assume by Sunday the commissioner will make his normal kind of state of the union, not the state of the union I guess, the state of the league," Fisher said. "We'll have the state of the union." Farmar said he is glad he has Fisher to lean on for "inside info" regarding the negotiations process, but he won't be sticking around to hear what David Stern has to say. Farmar has Valentine's Day plans with his fiancée in Los Angeles on Sunday. ESPNLosAngeles.com

Arn Tellem: Given the NBA's hard-line stance, the players must decide whether they have the skills and the resolve to defend their basket. Will young marquee players like LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, Chris Paul and Kevin Durant form a united front? If they don't, the owners will score at will. Which begs the question: Has the union jumped the shark? If so, why even have one? Major league baseball players have a long history of successful collective action, basketball players, a strong sense of individualism. The awful truth: NBA players would be in a stronger position without a union. Current salary restrictions would be illegal, and free-agents could shop around for teams in a genuinely unrestricted market. Huffington Post

Arn Tellem: The countervailing argument is that marginal players would fare worse under such a system. But take note that recent rule changes that were supposed to help mid and lower-paid players clearly have not. In fact, there has been an opposite effect. More and more players are playing for the minimum salary. Under the proposed hard cap, those on the bottom would be even worse off. The harder the cap, the more money that top players will siphon off their less-talented teammates. Given that reality, it's hard to argue against a free market with true free agency. I propose that labor talks should be suspended indefinitely to allow for a thorough discussion among the players and their union. The union should seek outside expert advice of labor lawyers, antitrust attorneys, and agents, and then openly discuss any recommendations. We must stop the further erosion of players' rights once and for all. Huffington Post

In his first public comment since the story of the missing water fountains was reported on Monday by Plain Dealer reporter Gabriel Baird, Gilbert said: "We did it in the fall when the swine flu scare was really an issue. We thought it was a public health issue." But no government agency suggested the fountains be removed. "That's true," Gilbert said. "But we also aren't required to have everyone go through metal detectors, but we do. I think it's right and makes things safer." Cleveland Plain Dealer

For now, Thorn is going to All-Star weekend with several Nets executives for a meeting with the incoming owner. The NBA’s board of governors will approve Prokhorov’s ownership bid in March, and sources say that only then will he begin to make his imprint on this floundering franchise. Until then, they only know this about Mikhail Prokhorov in the halls of the NBA’s Olympic Tower and the Nets’ practice facility: The man is planning to go big-game hunting, and Rick Pitino never had a shot with him. Prokhorov is thinking big, as big as the sport’s ever seen, and as one high-ranking NBA official says: “I don’t think anyone really realizes what it’s going to mean to have him in this league.” Yahoo! Sports

Herb Simon, owner of the NBA's Indiana Pacers, announced Wednesday that he has acquired Kirkus Reviews from Nielsen Co. Nielsen Business Media, a unit of Nielsen Co., had previously announced plans to close the iconic biweekly trade magazine, which publishes reviews of soon-to-be-released books. btobonline.com

According to a review by the Sports Business Journal, the Cavaliers have the highest local television ratings among NBA teams. They average an 8.53 local rating on Fox Sports Ohio, which translates to 130,000 households per game. The Lakers average a 3.84 local rating, which is fourth-best, but it has the most people watching because of the market size -- about 197,000 households per game. To show how market size matters, both the Magic and the Thunder have good local ratings, but the Magic average 21,000 viewers per game and the Thunder average just 12,000. Cleveland Plain Dealer

Two-time NBA MVP Karl Malone, six-time champion Scottie Pippen, and two of the great U.S. Olympic champions are finalists for the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame. The 1992 Dream Team, which Malone and Pippen played on along with superstars such as Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson and Larry Bird, is a finalist in the team category. Also up for induction is the 1960 gold medalists, a team led by Hall of Famers Jerry West and Oscar Robertson that won its games in Rome by 42.4 points per game. AP

Aaron Goodwin: DeMar and KD at the NBA live party twitpic.com/12pptj Twitter.com

Al Horford: tweetphoto.com/11102762 Nate Robinson warming up before magic and zos pool challange starts. Twitter.com

According to a DallasBasketball.com tipster, Jordan has rented out the penthouse of the Joule. Except “rented’’ isn’t quite the right word. The way this usually works under the supervision of the boss, Tim Headington. Tim is a billionaire developer (he also oversees the Dallas club AMPM Lounge and others), a charity powerhouse and a movie producer. He’s involved in the new film “The Young Victoria.’’ His co-producers? Martin Scorsese. And Sarah Ferguson (better known as The Duchess of York). So yes, this is the high-rent district. But the way this works is, Tim probably won’t charge Jordan the $5,000-a-night fee that generally goes with living in that penthouse. It’s how the rich stay rich, you see; $5,000-a-night rooms at no charge! DallasBasketball.com

Nazr Mohammed: I know everyone thinks All-Star weekend is in Dallas but it's unofficially going on in the Bahamas too lol. Everywhere I look another player. Twitter.com

O'Neal said he's talked to several high-profile athletes about taking them on but nothing has been confirmed yet. Last year, he swam against Michael Phelps, boxed Oscar De La Hoya and played football against Ben Roethlisberger. "I've got a couple guys I'm talking to but we haven't signed," O'Neal said. "I want to try soccer, I want to try race-car driving and I want to do boxing again." Cleveland Plain Dealer

Grammy Award-winning rapper Lil Wayne got a call from Nuggets guard J.R. Smith late Monday night as the artist began to thank fans via Ustream on what was supposed to be his last night of freedom before serving a one-year prison sentence. Wayne’s sentence – stemming from gun possession charges – has been delayed to start on March 2, so the rapper can take care of a dental issue in Miami. Smith’s call came six minutes into the web broadcast, which lasted nearly an hour. Wayne shouted out to Smith on camera and told the high-flying Nugget to “keep dunking” on opponents in the NBA. The entire conversation lasted less than a minute. Denver Post

When Dennis Rodman walked into Elmira/Corning Regional Airport on Thursday night, his bigger-than-life personality was in full display. He spent some time with the children in attendance and joked and laughed with everyone as he held a press conference in advance of his professional coaching debut with the Elmira Bulldogs for games on Friday and Saturday night. While Rodman was having fun and joking on Friday, he said he intends to show everyone this weekend that there is a serious side to him. "I want to show people that I am different than the character they see on TV. Everyone always sees me on TV, they see me doing crazy stuff," Rodman said. "They see me on shows like rehab. I'm the sanest guy on that show." Daily Review

Rodman hopes that the players just go out this weekend and do what they always do. "I want to try and do what Phil Jackson always did," Rodman said. "I don't want to try and overshadow anyone. I want them to go out and just play their game. Patience is a virtue. My good friend Chuck Daly, may he rest in peace, always said good things come to people who wait." Daily Review

While Rodman will enjoy coaching the two games this weekend, it's not something he plans to do again in the future. "It's too much stress, way to much stress," Rodman said. "I just want to have some fun. When you are a parent, you have to deal with egos with your kids. How do you deal with those egos with your kids and then go and coach 12 guys with egos from Hell? How do you do that? "This right here is fun. Two days, once in a while, is great. But a lifetime of this - hell no." Daily Review

Rodman believes that teams like the Bulldogs are full of good athletes, who haven't been given a chance by the NBA. "David Stern does a great job, but where he goes wrong is I don't think they give American athletes a real opportunity. They are always looking for European players. I think Americans should have a chance to get to the NBA." Daily Review

Thanks go out this morning to the folks at ESPN Communications and congratulations go out to Vlade Divac and filmmaker Michael Tolajian, whose documentary film “Jednom braca” (“Once Brothers”) has been confirmed as part of ESPN’s high-profile “30 for 30” documentary film series. The addition of Tolajian’s film to the series had been reported by Serbia media earlier this week. The “30 for 30” series features medium-length films on a sports subject; among the notable names contributing directorial skills to the series are Barry Levinson, Steve Nash, Ice Cube and Morgan Freeman. Ball in Europe

Fred Schaus, a former Los Angeles Lakers coach and general manager who mentored Jerry West and Hot Rod Hundley at West Virginia, has died. He was 84. The former West Virginia University coach and athletic director died Wednesday night in Morgantown, said Dan Hastings, a funeral director at Hastings Funeral Home in Morgantown. Schaus had been living in a nursing home. The cause of death wasn't immediately released. AP

"Fred's passing brings finality to a relationship that began in 1955, when he first came to our house to introduce himself as the coach of West Virginia University," West said in a statement released by the school. A Cabin Creek native, West recalled Schaus telling him WVU would be the place for him to attend school and have an opportunity to play basketball. "At that point in my life, he was the first coach to show interest in me," West said. "I was thrilled beyond words and to this day, I remember much about our meeting. Little did I know what a long-lasting relationship we would have." AP

Former Lakers and WVU coach Fred Schaus has passed away. In his honor I’m excerpting a part of my new book, Jerry West, The Life And Legend Of A Basketball Icon, from ESPN Books: One clue to Jerry West leapt out at me from a 50-year-old photograph, both comical and telling in its intensity. The photo is from signing day, 1956. Local high school star Jerry West is signing to play college basketball with West Virginia University. There have been literally thousands of photographs taken of West over the decades, yet this is the one, found in the long-ago pages of a small Mountain State newspaper, that says so much about who he is and the family chemistry that wrapped him so tightly and made him, to use his own words, “so crazy.” He’s standing there with his parents, Howard and Cecile West, and WVU’s handsome young coach, Fred Schaus. Of the four, there are two sets of eyes that emit the same quiet fury. Their energy and indignation are absolutely radioactive. Mother and son, eyes burning like Blake’s tiger, obviously share something unspeakable, something far away and deeply troubling. Laker Noise

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