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Wednesday, February 24

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Last update: 5:14 pm ET

West didn’t say he was uninterested. He didn’t say he was done forever with the NBA. Not at all. In fact, a source with broad ownership ties confirmed that West and No. 1 Warriors pursuer Larry Ellison have had conversations over the years. It probably would be safe to presume that Ellison holds West in high esteem, because Ellison is no dummy, either. San Jose Mercury News

But the same source–who was the first person to tell me outright that Ellison and Cohan held purchase talks in July–said that West might have more serious involvement with another, unnamed group interested in buying the team and eventually moving it to San Francisco. “West’s name is coming up,” the source said. “I think he’s in play on this.” The source didn’t know if West was possibly just advising groups looking at the Warriors or if West could come aboard as a part- owner, basketball kingpin if a sale goes through. San Jose Mercury News

So I did the most direct thing. I called him up and asked: Jerry, is it possible that you’d come on board to help run the Warriors in some capacity if they’re sold? “I don’t know about any of that,” West said from his Bel-Air home last week. “It’s not important. If anybody calls me and wants to talk to me about anything like that, they can call me. “People do call me and ask me about players and teams, which is flattering. I do watch the games and I talk to people. And I have certain thoughts and opinions… “But it’s just not important right now. I’m feeling good doing what I’m doing and that’s what’s important. I think I’m probably too old for anybody to be talking to me about something like that, anyway.” San Jose Mercury News

West, 71, confirmed that he and Ellison met several years ago to discuss a large opportunity that West would not discuss specifically–almost certainly to see if Ellison could purchase the Lakers from Jerry Buss. That deal never happened; West says he and Ellison have not stayed in touch since then. West says he found Ellison to be a “fascinating, driven” man and executive, but says he has no inkling about Ellison’s recent pursuit of the Warriors. Then West added: “You know, there might be another group interested in the Warriors.” San Jose Mercury News

Michael Lee: Wiz "moving closer" to buyout agreement with Z, according to source. An announcement could come Thurs. Expected to be between $1-1.5 mil. Twitter.com

Michael Lee: After Wiz cut ties with Z, ATL, DEN, DAL & ...UTA are expected to go after him. CLE also remains an option, according to source. Twitter.com

The Mavericks are also holding out hope, faint as it is, that they will have a shot to sign former All-Star center Zydrunas Ilgauskas after Ilgauskas completes his forthcoming buyout from the Washington Wizards, which is expected as early as Wednesday. Although the overwhelming expectation around the league is that Ilgauskas will return to Cleveland following a mandatory 30-day wait, Dallas is still on the list of Ilgauskas suitors -- albeit pessimistic suitors -- along with Atlanta and Denver. ESPN.com

"We still haven't been told 'no' yet," said one Mavericks source. ESPN.com

Yet one source close to the situation told ESPN.com on Tuesday night that the Hawks -- who have a thin bench and could use a long-term backup to All-Star center Al Horford -- have the best shot of the teams holding out hope that Ilgauskas' return to the team that drafted him in 1997 and kept faith in him in the face of numerous foot injuries isn't a done deal. ESPN.com

As expected, Von Wafer signed a 10-day contract with the Mavs this morning. Wafer, a five-year NBA veteran who averaged 9.7 points for the Houston Rockets last season, will be available for tonight's game agaisnt the Los Angeles Lakers. However, don't expect for him to get into the game unless it's garbage time. The Mavs signed Wafer primarily because they need practice players. They had only nine available for Tuesday's practice. ESPN.com

The Mavericks have decided to pass on D-League center Dwayne Jones after bringing him in for a job audition Tuesday. Dallas has a need for an extra big man to fill the sudden vacancy created by Erick Dampier's finger injury but abandoned the idea of signing Jones to a 10-day deal after flying him in from Austin for an afternoon workout. ESPN.com

Wizards President Ernie Grunfeld announced today that the team has signed forward Mike Harris to a ten-day contract. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not announced. Harris (6-6, 235 lbs.) averaged 26.3 points and 9.8 rebounds per game in 28 games (25 starts) for the NBA D-League’s Rio Grande Valley Vipers prior to becoming the 15th GATORADE call-up this season. This is Harris’ second call-up of 2009-10, as he previously averaged 2.5 points and 1.5 rebounds in two games played with the Houston Rockets. Harris has averaged 3.5 points and 3.0 rebounds per game in 19 career NBA games (all with Houston). CSN Washington

Bostjan Nachbar wants to leave Efes Pilsen for problems with the coach Ergin Ataman. Those are the words that former NBA player released at Siol.net: "The coach doesn't see me in a leading role. I am looking for solutions where to continue my career. I'm waiting if there will be any openings but current time is not on my side because the season is going to the second half already. There is also a possibility of me going back to NBA. If not now, maybe next year. Physically I am in great shape and I keep myself in shape. All in all, I look at this current situation also in somekind of good way, as I will be rested to play for our National Team. At my age a little bit of rest won't harm me but I would definitely perfer to play and help my team." Sportando

One season as Kobe Bryant's teammate helped make Caron Butler an All-Star. Butler didn't become an All-Star until a couple of seasons after he left LA, but he firmly believes that the lessons he learned from Kobe played a major role in his development. "That was the best thing that ever could have happened for me personally for my career," said Butler, who will match up against Kobe tonight. "To play alongside a guy like that, see his preparation and what it takes to get to that level, that’s why I was able to be so good in Washington. I took everything I learned from him, being under his wing, and took that to Washington and it made me very successful." ESPN.com

Butler, known for being a tough dude, also witnessed Kobe's killer instinct on a regular basis. And Butler knows he'll see it again tonight, when their friendship will be put aside for a couple of hours at the AAC. "He’s going to bring it," Butler said. "And then he’ll hug me afterwards. That’s how he is." ESPN.com

Eric Smith: Mike Rice (Blazers analyst) confirms on the FAN that Marcus Camby is indeed OUT tonight for the Blazers. Twitter.com

He will go to Las Vegas, though, with the experience of winning a bronze medal at the 2004 Olympics, an advantage when Colangelo has been clear in wanting to reward players with a history in the program. Plus, heading into what will be an extended schedule when the exhibition tour is factored in, followed by the tournament itself that United States has not won since 1994, Odom owns the other meaningful experience of having played in countless big games. The pressure of the international stage will not faze him. Odom is scoring 10.1 points, pulling down 10 rebounds, handing out 3.5 assists and is shooting 44.6 percent in 31.2 minutes while starting in 25 of his 57 appearances for the Lakers. That's just a run-up to what might happen this summer. "It's a perfect opportunity," Odom said. "For the way I play basketball, it's a really big compliment. Especially for a guy who has never made an All-Star team ..." NBA.com

Several folks have inquired on the blog if Trey Thompkins will consider entering this year’s NBA draft. The answer appears to be: Maybe, but not yet. “I haven’t really thought about it,” Thompkins, UGA’s sophomore forward, said today, “just because I want to take care of this season before I let anything else come to mind.” Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Jeremy Tyler wrote on his Twitter page that he is packing and going home ("PACKING!!!!!!! HERE I COME CALI") but later, Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress, on the same social network page denied the news after speaking with one of his agent ("Tyler 'had a little incident this weekend, but he isn't going anywhere"). Sportando

Now on the official Twitter page of the Israeli team was written "Jeremy Tyler will not dress to play this week & possibly the season. Former NBA Center Mamadou N'Diaye will replace him in the lineup". Sportando

Bill Walton limped in to get breakfast at the buffet, his wife, Lori, who quickly sought out Haywood for a hug. As his long arms and giant hands engulfed her petite frame, Haywood looked down and told her, "You know, they are honoring me tonight." "Good for you," Lori said. "It's about time." SI.com

Haywood could not have mouthed the words more perfectly or more precisely himself. More than anything, the 60-year-old feels both scorned and unappreciated. He is a vital part of the league's history, having led an unprecedented cultural revolution by countering the NBA's requirement that a player must complete four years of college eligibility before turning pro. Forty years after the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in his favor - a decision that forever changed the landscape of the league and its stars - Haywood can only look back on decades of obscurity, while fellow icons like Bill Russell sat courtside at every major NBA event and has been feted by an endless procession of adulators. Haywood wants to be remembered in the same light as Jackie Robinson. But he finds himself closer to Mark McGwire."I was raised with the idea that you are supposed to make things better for the generation that comes after you," Haywood said. SI.com

Haywood's life is well chronicled. He grew up extraordinarily poor -- so poor, he jokes, that when he moved to Detroit and saw somebody giving a $2 tip, he thought the person was rich. Haywood played at Trinidad State Junior College in Colorado from 1967-68, before transferring to the University of Detroit a year later, where he averaged an NCAA-high 25.1 rebounds and 32.1 points a game. He left college early to to go pro, but the NBA forbid him from entering the league because of its rule that players had to be at least four years removed from high school. So he joined the ABA's Denver Rockets. SI.com

Some nights he had to sit on the bus while his team played. Some nights, he wasn't even allowed in the building and he had to wait outside, across the street, until the game was over and he could rejoin his teammates. At the time, Wilkens and fellow SuperSonic Rod Thorn told Haywood the fight -- as difficult and arduous as it was in the moment, with self-doubt and regret a constant companion -- was a historic development; the hurled insults and the unapologetic spitting were only small weapons in a war that had much larger implications, the results of which would be felt for decades to come. "Every day there was something else with the courts," Thorn said. "He was a nice young man who was rushed into an unusual position because nobody had ever been in that position before." SI.com

Eventually the case was settled and Haywood won, paving the way for generations to come. Of the 27 All-Stars in Dallas earlier this month, 24 had entered the league through early entry, making them direct descendants of Haywood's successful ruling. In a way, it is hypocrisy at its finest. The NBA props up, celebrates and earns billions off the players for whom Haywood took a stand. Yet, until now, the league publicly disregarded the man who allowed the process to move ahead. Being renounced by the NCAA is understandable. Haywood said he was at an event recently and several well-known coaches, whom he declined to identify, commented that their game had been unnecessarily diminished because of Haywood. "They were joking," Haywood said, "but they weren't joking, if you know what I mean." SI.com

Haywood said Kobe Bryant is the most demonstrative, the one current player who always acknowledges him and his impact on the league. "It changed everything," Bryant said of Haywood's lawsuit. "He comes around pretty much every All-Star Game and everybody goes up and says hello to him. I definitely have an appreciation for him." SI.com

He even won a championship with the Los Angeles Lakers in 1980, though it is that memory more than any other that detracts from his reputation: When someone mentions that 1970s drug-crazed NBA, the names that come to mind are David Thompson, Michael Ray Richardson and Spencer Haywood. Haywood was suspended by the Lakers in the middle of their NBA Finals series with Philadelphia after he admitted he had a cocaine problem. "That story is true," Haywood said. "But they didn't suspend me because I did anything wrong. Yes, I did the stuff. But with three games left in the Finals, I went to them and told them I need help and the minute after we win the Finals I am going into rehab. But right away they said, 'You are admitting to this? Then we are suspending you.' "As far as the Hall of Fame, how do you take everything that I accomplished, scrap everything and say, 'He used drugs.' There are a lot of guys in the Hall of Fame who used drugs. Let's be real, man." SI.com

On Friday, Artest will play host to the “1st Annual Rhyme n’ Reason Concert Event” at the Conga Room L.A. Live, in an effort to raise funds and awareness for the growing needs of communities in Southern California area by assisting Homeboy Industries, and earthquake-devastated Haiti through Partners in Health. “My new L.A. Lakers fans have been unbelievably supportive and I wanted to do something to help give back to this community, which has so warmly embraced me,” Artest said in a statement. “There are so many youth in Southern California who need help, guidance and direction, and Homeboy Industries is doing so much to help disadvantaged youth stay on the right path and away from gang life. “Haiti is obviously in desperate need of funds, and will be for quite some time. I wanted to try to put something together where people could have fun and raise money for two great causes at the same time.” Orange County Register

Dennis Rodman guided the Elmira Bulldogs to their second straight win, but the persona of the former NBA star failed to attract many fans to First Arena again. The Bulldogs won a close contest against the New York Wizards, 105-103, on Saturday night. The win avenged the Bulldogs' only loss of the season, which came against the Wizards last weekend. The teams are tied for first place with 7-1 records in the Northern Division of the Eastern Basketball Alliance. Rodman was paid $40,000 to coach Elmira on Friday and Saturday, filling in for regular Bulldogs coach James Schutz. The games drew only about 600 fans, said Charles Berch, the Bulldogs' director of operations. Estimated attendance Saturday was about 350. Star-Gazette

Last update: 8:51 am ET

Real Madrid wants to sign Rudy Fernandez for next season. The Spanish player is not comfortable in Portland and would be amenable to a return. Real Madrid would welcome him with open arms. Marca.com

The player's camp has let it be known that he's willing to return. Florentino Perez (Real Madrid's president) knows about this and is interested. Marca.com

Do you rule out a return to Spain? Rudy Fernandez: Right now, in this situation, I don't rule out anything. Why? Rudy Fernandez: Because I just want to play. I don't mind where. Eurosport

Rudy Fernandez: Last year we had a different team and at least I had Sergio (Rodriguez), who understood my game. I have noticed a change this year. I don't get the ball as much and the system is different. Eurosport

Rudy Fernadez: I try to play the way (Nate McMillan) wants. But I don't feel the trust that he had in me the first year. Eurosport

Boozer was asked how aggressive he thought the Jazz would be in re-signing him this summer as a free agent given the $32 million commitment the team made in matching Portland’s offer sheet to Paul Millsap last summer. “I hope very aggressive,” Boozer said. “This is a team that I’m proud to be a part of and I hope it’s an option for me to come back and stay. “I’ve made that very clear and I’m really happy that we have a great team, we’re a very deep team and we have a chance to stay good and hopefully get better as well. But this is a place I’d like to be and I hope the option is there for me this summer.” Salt Lake Tribune

Boozer was asked about what would go into his free-agent decision and said: “Just look at what’s in front of me. The biggest thing being I’m trying to win a championship and being in position to do so. I’ll see what’s in front of me at the table and make a good decision.” Salt Lake Tribune

The Kings waived guard Larry Hughes. He was acquired from the New York Knicks as part of the last week's three-team trade that also involved Houston. Hughes has a broken finger and never came to Sacramento following the trade. Sacramento Bee

The team is "making progress" toward buying out Zydrunas Ilgauskas's contract, according to a person with knowledge of the negotiations. An agreement is not expected until Wednesday at the earliest. Washington Post

While everyone expects the Washington Wizards to complete a buyout of center Zydrunas Ilgauskas in the next 48 hours, allowing him to re-sign with the Cleveland Cavaliers in time to be eligible for their postseason roster, Ilgauskas will likely have to leave more on the table in exchange for his freedom than he had hoped. A league source indicated Tuesday that the Wizards want savings far in excess of the approximately $590,000 "trade kicker" Ilgauskas is due after being traded last week from Cleveland to Washington as part of a three-team deal that sent Antawn Jamison to the Cavaliers. While no specific dollar amounts have been disclosed, the source indicated Washington was going to be firm in holding out for the most money possible -- likely $1 million or more -- from Ilgauskas. NBA.com

Ilgauskas's agent, Herb Rudoy, said via text Tuesday that the two sides were "still working" on the buyout. "Z has not made a decision, but I expect him to do so by the weekend," Rudoy said in the text. Asked if he would speak with other teams besides Cleveland if the Wizards and/or the league gave him permission, Rudoy texted, "Yes I can and I will." NBA.com

A handful of contending teams, including Dallas, Denver and Atlanta, have interest in the 34-year-old Ilgauskas, and each would be willing to pay him the pro-rated amount on the $1.306 million minimum for a veteran with 10 or more years' experience. (With approximately one-fourth of the regular season remaining, that would work out to roughly $326,500 for the rest of the regular season.) A league source says the Mavericks have made inquiries about Ilgauskas' availability. But most around the NBA expect that Ilgauskas will return to the team that drafted him in the first round in 1997 and has stuck by him through a series of injuries to, and surgeries on, his feet. NBA.com

Moore's agent, Mark Bartelstein, told FanHouse on Tuesday that Moore, who had surgery Dec. 18 to repair a right heel spur, should be fully healthy by mid-March and ready to return to the NBA. "He's a veteran guy who's got valuable playoff experience, and he can help a team,'' Bartelstein said. FanHouse

Moore's $1.3 million salary was guaranteed for the season. He can sign with any NBA team until the end of the regular season, and be eligible for the playoffs. If they don't get a big man who gets bought out, the Denver Nuggets are expected to show interest in Moore. The Nuggets, who are looking for addition size for a possible playoff battle with the Lakers, came close to getting Moore after he was bought out last February by Sacramento, but he eventually opted to sign with Boston. FanHouse

Bartelstein wouldn't discuss specific teams. But he said four to five teams already have called about Moore, and he expects more will after any players bought out are signed, leaving Moore as perhaps the top remaining free-agent big man. "He should be doing great,'' Bartelstein said about how Moore should be feeling around the middle of next month. "It was really just an irritating thing, and they removed (the bone spur).'' FanHouse

Guard Von Wafer will sign a 10-day contract today, but the Mavericks decided not to tender 6-11 Dwayne Jones a contract after he worked out for them Tuesday, a league source said. Dallas Morning News

Jones has been playing in the NBDL at Austin and the Mavericks apparently will look elsewhere for help in the middle. Jake Voskuhl, who was with the team in training camp, is a possibility. Dallas Morning News

On Tuesday night Ray Allen returned to the TD Garden for the first time since the trade deadline. He didn’t expect to be anywhere else. “I had my whole West Coast bag packed already, so it was going on the plane to Sacramento on that Monday morning (for the Celtics four-game road trip). So I wasn’t thinking about anything anyways,“ he said prior to the Celtics-Knicks game. “I think there was more made up than honestly I knew because people were tweeting me, hoping I stayed here. But it wasn’t a question for me whether or not I thought I was going anywhere.” WEEI.com

When Robinson said goodbyes at the practice facility last week, he never spoke to the Knicks coach. "I did everything coach asked and I guess it wasn't good enough,'' Robinson said. "I was always going to keep trying, even if we don't see eye to eye. I'm a firm believer everything happens for a reason. Everything won't be perfect. There have probably been times your mom and dad didn't see eye to eye but you're still going to love and respect them. I still respect Coach and love Coach.'' New York Post

In his final game as a Knick before the break, Robinson and D'Antoni engaged in a shouting match during which Robinson uttered the F-bomb. "I landed in Boston, this is definitely a plus,'' Robinson said. "I'm happy. There's a big smile on my face.'' New York Post

Nate Robinson: Thanks for the love Boston fans y'all make n me feel right at home. Twitter.com

Boozer also was asked about how the Ronnie Brewer trade was received among the Jazz players. “We know that management is trying to do the best thing for the team,” he said, “but at the time, it felt like, ‘We’re rolling and why make a move?’” Salt Lake Tribune

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While the Bobcats don't have a true low post scoring option, they have great size and versatility. While the team runs into scoring droughts from time to time with their inconsistent outside shooting, Charlotte has a very real chance to make the playoffs for the first time in franchise history. Thomas is happy to be with his new team. "It's going good. The teammates are good. The coaching staff is good," said Tyrus. "I haven't seen the city yet but everything is good." HoopsWorld

It's been a whirlwind for Tyrus but he's excited to get fully integrated with his new franchise. "I love it. I love it here already. The coaches here are so hands on. It's great to have coaches who are just as enthusiastic as the players," he said. "Another practice or so - two practices maybe - when I run them a couple, three, four times and get the names with the play - we'll be fine." HoopsWorld

Alexander stayed in Milwaukee all summer after his truncated rookie season and felt he was making progress. The staff seemed happy. He then tore his hamstring and missed training camp again. He came back briefly, but then did it again and was out for three months. He went to the D-league for a time, hardly lighting it up but with a 23-point effort in his penultimate game. It was option deadline time for the Bucks and given their economic difficulties they took a pass and decided to let go Alexander. “I wasn’t expecting it at all,” Alexander admitted. “When they drafted me they told me I was known as a project. Not a huge project, but with big upside and a lot of potential. Despite not having a productive first year, since I improved so much in the offseason and was better in summer league I thought they’d take that into account and recognize I was on my way to fulfilling that upside they saw. So I was kind of blindsided by it. “It was disturbing because I knew I deserved to have an extension because from a skill standpoint I knew I was able to play in the league,” Alexander said. “It was frustrating to work so hard in the summer and to be expecting a lot that second season and the injury takes that away.” NBA.com

NBA officials can’t catch teams. Truth be told, they don’t want to catch teams. This is a league full of side deals. Do you think teams clearing cap space aren’t working on potential deals with players? You’re kidding yourself. The phone calls come and go every day. “No emails,” one agent said. “Never put anything in an email.” Yahoo! Sports

There’s the NBA general manager who called an agent every week a season ago, trying to convince the rep to push his unhappy star to force a trade to his team. Discussions between executives and agents about the free-agent class of 2010 – even 2011 – are well under discussion. Yes, it’s called tampering, and it’s called about as often as the carry. Yahoo! Sports

No one gets caught and no one gets punished. The NBA is the ultimate “don’t-ask-don’t-tell” league. It’s always investigating something, and always giving everyone a pass. To get caught, it takes a complete idiot. There are dozens, if not hundreds, of improper discussions and, ultimately, deals that take place every month, every year. No one gets busted because the league is mostly interested that everyone just stays discreet. “The only way you’re going to screw this up,” one NBA GM said, “is if you get cute and have to tell everyone how smart you are.” Yahoo! Sports

Spencer Hawes isn't injured. But when he showed up Tuesday evening at Arco Arena, his No. 31 jersey wasn't hanging in his locker. Hawes, the Kings' third-year and sometimes-starting center was inactive for Tuesday's game against the Detroit Pistons. "I saw where he's having a hard time understanding his role," said Kings coach Paul Westphal. "He should understand it (after) tonight." Sacramento Bee

In a story that ran in Tuesday's editions of The Bee, Hawes said this of Westphal's substitution patterns: All year we've kind of been dealing with that," he said. "When you think you have kind of gotten over that hump, it comes back up again. That's the philosophy, so you've just got to deal with it. "Everyone up and down the roster has had a taste of that, so everyone can relate. I think it's kind of tough, the not-knowing part on a game-to-game basis, to get in that rhythm. But that's the way it's going and there's not a whole lot you can do about it." Sacramento Bee

Hawes' relationship with Westphal and the coaching staff first became an issue last summer when Hawes was expected to be a part of the Kings' Summer League team. The Kings started Sean May at center to begin the season. May also was quoted in Tuesday's story, and voiced concern over the player rotation. "I didn't mean anything by it," said May, who spoke with his coach about it. "Coach has an open-door policy, and everybody knows that." Sacramento Bee

Warriors coach Don Nelson sent one message by benching Andris Biedrins for good at the 7:23 mark of the second quarter. Nelson sent an even louder message after the team's 110-102 loss to Philadelphia on Tuesday night at Oracle Arena. "I didn't see any life there," Nelson said. "I'm tired of not seeing any life. I'm very disappointed. "This isn't the first time we haven't seen a light on." San Francisco Chronicle

Kobe Bryant made a point of finding every teammate after the game and embracing them, even thanking them. He was indisputably back, making another mark on another 48 minutes of Lakers basketball. He hadn't played a game in 18 days, but there he was Tuesday, the ball in his hands and the game clock almost drained to zeros. So he did it again, drilling a three-pointer with 4.3 seconds left that ultimately dropped the Memphis Grizzlies, 99-98, at FedEx Forum. It was met with sarcasm. "He's lucky," Lakers Coach Phil Jackson said dryly. "Very, very lucky." Los Angeles Times

It was greeted with wonderment. "He really stepped up at the end of the game," Pau Gasol said, "like he was never out." And it was surrounded by questions. "I lost it a little bit," he said, leading to a few confused looks from media members. Los Angeles Times

Kamenetzky Brothers: John Ireland said at half the LAL coaching staff told Pau to relax a bit. He admitted games in MEM are emotional. Twitter.com

After the Suns blew a 15-point lead, Phoenix held Oklahoma City without a field goal for the game's final five minutes to set up a last-second Richardson game winner that gave the Suns a 104-102 victory at Ford Center. "It's our best win of the year, by far," Suns coach Alvin Gentry said. Arizona Republic

Douglas-Roberts was a DNP the other night against Memphis, for what GM/interim coach Kiki Vandeweghe described only as an "internal matter,'' and we don’t mean vital organs. It was a disciplinary issue, but try to get a straight answer and you'll hit X-Files levels of intrigue. One team executive said there was an "unexcused absence," while another said Douglas-Roberts was late to practice Saturday. The player has both insisted he has no idea why he was benched, but tried to stay above the fray. New York Post

"(It was) an internal matter. But he’s in the rotation. As I said, last game was just an internal matter: We’ll leave it at that,'' said Vandeweghe, who insisted the matter was settled and shouldn’t threaten Douglas-Roberts' minutes going forward. "Oh, no, no, it’s over now. It’s a one-game thing. It’s over.'' New York Post

Douglas-Roberts has been one of the more outspoken Nets, ubiquitous on Twitter and gregarious in person and on his radio show. He's taken heat for Tweets, and caught flak for showing his frustrations at times, which have almost always stemmed from losing. When asked if he thinks that's gotten him in trouble, he admitted it was a possibility. "Maybe. I’ve been thinking about a lot of stuff. I’ve been saying this: the only problem I have is I take losing bad and speak up on things. I don’t know if it’s a good thing or a bad thing. I thought it was a good thing by being passionate about losing,'' said Douglas -Roberts, who got a call from Jerry Stackhouse. "(He said) basically keep on doing what you’re doing. Your personality is a good thing and it will be a good thing: It will keep you around.'' New York Post

Most of the Mavs will go to the Jay-Z concert at American Airlines Center this evening. I'm told that DeShawn Stevenson won't be joining his teammates. You see, Stevenson and Jay-Z had a bit of a beef during the Wizards-Cavaliers series a couple of years ago. It all started when Stevenson referred to LeBron as "overrated." LeBron answered that responding to Stevenson would be like "would be like Jay-Z saying something bad about Soulja Boy." Jay-Z, who is tight with LeBron, made a "diss record" about Stevenson that was played in a D.C. club days later. ESPN.com

Haddadi's first three minutes against the Lakers were as effective as the Grizzlies have seen this season in that role. His performance was also a continuance of the six-rebound, solid defensive effort Haddadi gave Sunday in a win at New Jersey. "I want to give Hamed a shot. He's done well in practice. And then he goes in the game and does a little bit better than I expected," Hollins said. "I want to see if he can continue to do that. Everybody has to earn playing time. We're at that stage of the season where we've given a lot of guys an opportunity. We need to give other guys opportunities." Memphis Commercial Appeal

Asked about Thabeet's demotion and what it says about the No. 2-overall draft pick, Hollins responded with: "It says nothing. He's just going to be sitting on the bench. I'm not going to criticize Hasheem." Hollins said he's simply rewarding Haddadi for his work ethic. "He's a guy who can get some offensive rebounds and guard the basket," Hollins said. "We'll see if he can do it on a high level." Memphis Commercial Appeal

Howard was hurt with 4 minutes 23 seconds left to play in the first quarter of Monday's 101-95 victory over visiting Chicago. To that point, Howard had scored a team-high seven points and appeared headed for another quality performance since joining the Wizards from Dallas in a multi-player trade over the all-star break. The announcement is the latest setback for a franchise that this season has weathered its share of injury misfortune as well as mishaps off the court, most infamously the suspension of Gilbert Arenas after he brought firearms to the Verizon Center locker room. Washington Post

"You know what, I'm numb to everything at this point," Saunders said after the Wizards' morning practice, "and I think our guys are that way. What we're going to do is we're going to put five guys on the floor, and those five guys are going to go out there and compete and play hard, and if we do that, we're going to give ourselves chances." Washington Post

Pleased that an MRI examination of his left hip Monday revealed only a mild muscle strain, Spurs starting point guard Tony Parker reported to Tuesday's practice session determined to show coach Gregg Popovich he would be ready to suit up for tonight's game against the Oklahoma City Thunder at the AT&T Center. Parker scored 28 points against Indiana a week ago but was slowed by the hip injury in a loss at Philadelphia last Friday. He sat out the final game of the Spurs' rodeo road trip, an overtime loss at Detroit on Sunday. “I never like to say when I'm hurt because you feel like a baby, saying an excuse, but sometimes you just have to say it,” Parker said Tuesday. “I tried to play through it in Philadelphia. Obviously, it didn't work out too well. San Antonio Express-News

Team doctors told Parker his availability the rest of the season will be determined mostly by his tolerance of pain. “I felt OK today,” he said before the Spurs' afternoon practice session. “I'll practice and see how it feels. If I feel OK tomorrow, I will go.” San Antonio Express-News

Suns guard Steve Nash is expected to play tonight at home against Philadelphia after he received treatment for his abdominal strain and back pain Tuesday from Mike Clark, president of the National Academy of Sports Medicine. "We didn't want anything to flare up because he was flying on a plane for five hours," Suns coach Alvin Gentry said of keeping Nash in Phoenix. Arizona Republic

Suns guard Leandro Barbosa began dribbling, passing and short-shooting work Monday and traveled with the team to Oklahoma City. He will see his specialist Monday regarding his right wrist, on which he had surgery Jan. 26, and might be able to join the team's practices after that. Suns head athletic trainer Aaron Nelson said he is increasing Barbosa's time dribbling, the length of his shots (starting at 3 to 4 feet) and repetitions of passes. "It's better than before and hopefully it gets better and better," Barbosa said. Arizona Republic

Rockets guard Trevor Ariza will be out for the remainder of the week, missing games against the Magic, Spurs and Jazz, with a severe left hip pointer. He underwent an MRI on Monday and will be re-evaluated next week. Guard Kevin Martin will move into the starting lineup, coach Rick Adelman said. Houston Chronicle

Favors doesn't dwell on his rankings or NBA projections. While Kentucky's John Wall donned the cover of Sports Illustrated, Favors was turning the channel. "I never paid attention to it," said Favors, whose mother always told him to ignore the hype and play for himself and his team. "It's not important to me." Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Although clearly projecting as more of a terrific all-around role-player than a star at the NBA level, Vesely’s performances at the highest level of European competition has to be opening up some eyes as of late. There are still some question marks about whether or not he’ll be able to come over to the NBA right away, due to the fact that he has a prohibitive buyout clause in his contract for this summer, which fluctuates depending on where he gets picked. The statements Vesely himself made to us (“the NBA is my goal,” “my dream,” etc) when we talked to him are fairly encouraging, though, and it appears that his camp will clearly try to get him to the States as soon as next season. DraftExpress.com

Considered by some NBA scouts to be the most underrated prospect in Europe, this season has clearly been a coming out party for Serbian center Miroslav Raduljica, now draft-eligible as a 1988 born international. We got to watch him play on four separate occasions over the course of our trip, and each time came away impressed by a different facet of his game. DraftExpress.com

Through phone calls placed to informed NBA sources, Prokhorov also learned that Thorn’s boss, Bruce Ratner, was an absolute joke as an owner. Ratner’s decision not to pay Kenyon Martin way back when was the beginning of the end of the Nets as legitimate contenders. “We never replaced Kenyon,” Thorn has said. “He was our heart and our toughness, and we’ve basically been a softer team without that edge ever since.” Bergen Record

After becoming part-owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers, Jianhua 'Kenny' Huang's next goal is to transform pro basketball in his homeland of China. As an investor in China's National Basketball League, Huang says he'll introduce cutting-edge management practices adopted from England's Premier League and the NFL. "This is the first time private enterprise has been given the chance to reform a Chinese league," Huang told The Associated Press Tuesday by telephone from Cleveland. NBA.com

Andrew Bogut: Whatever happend to MTV. Shows like 16 and Pregnant, YO MOMMA and Other Utter Crap makes me want to get the channel deleted for good! Twitter.com

Tuesday, a decade removed from his standing as a star rebounder with the New Jersey Nets, a very different Jayson Williams began a new chapter of his life as a prison inmate. Williams — contrite, emotional and nearly penniless — was sentenced to five years behind bars for the 2002 shooting death of limousine driver Costas "Gus" Christofi at the former player’s mansion in Alexandria Township. Newark Star-Ledger

Williams, 42, must serve at least 18 months before he is eligible for parole. He was taken into custody immediately after the sentencing in Somerville. The hearing marked the first public exchange between Williams and Christofi’s sister, Andrea Adams. "I sincerely apologize for my actions that caused this death," he said, turning to face Adams. "I pray that today brings you some comfort." Newark Star-Ledger

Detroit Pistons coach John Kuester’s mind probably will wander some during the four-game, six-night trip that begins tonight against the Kings. He will be remembering his father, John, who died Saturday at the age of 89. “A huge influence,” Kuester said of his father at today’s shootaround at Arco Arena. “It wasn’t so much from a basketball perspective, it was from a competitive standpoint. I’ll miss him dearly. He was very influential in my life.” Detroit Free Press

Kuester didn’t want to go into details about his father’s death, but he did say: “He had an illness at the end. It was sad to see him go.” Kuester will leave the team after the trip Sunday and return to Richmond, Va., for Monday’s memorial service. He'll miss practice that day but will return in time for the home game against the Celtics next Tuesday. Detroit Free Press

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