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Thursday, February 25

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Last update: 5:19 pm ET

According to multiple sources close to the situation, the Memphis Grizzlies will assign second overall draft pick Hasheem Thabeet to the D-League's Dakota Wizards, along with rookie guard Lester Hudson, on Friday. Ridiculous Upside

The Grizzlies, according to NBA front-office sources, offered Thabeet and second-year guard O.J. Mayo to the Golden State Warriors for Warriors guard Monta Ellis before the Feb. 18 trade deadline but were turned down. ESPN.com

Adrian Wojnarowski: One NBA assistant who does much scouting/prep work texted: "He needs to work on two things to get back to NBA...His offense and defense." Twitter.com

The details for now go like this: Presti can begin negotiating a contract extension with Durant (and Green) on July 1 and keep talking until Oct. 31. If there's no agreement, Durant would be restricted in 2011, with the Thunder able to match any offer sheet while talking again about the long-term. If that goes nowhere, the blossoming superstar would play one more season in Oklahoma City on a $7.9 million qualifying offer before achieving total freedom. A year later, it'll be the same process with Russell Westbrook. NBA.com

I told Durant that I covered another talented Kevin, Garnett, during his stay in Minnesota. Garnett was pestered constantly -- at least whenever he was in the final season or two of a contract -- with questions about his future whereabouts. But he brushed them aside ("I'm 'Sota" was a familiar refrain), re-signed twice and stuck with the Timberwolves for 12 years. The guys who openly wonder about playing here, there and everywhere are the ones who find those questions multiplying. "All I've ever said is, I like to be here," Durant said. "I like being here with these guys and I don't picture myself being anywhere else. That's how I field those questions: I don't picture myself playing anywhere else." NBA.com

"I know people kind of roll their eyes at this, but we really do focus on the things that we can control," Presti said Wednesday, after he landed on a college scouting trip. "There's so much in this business that you can't. I understand that the things you ask about will be out there, but we try to limit ourselves to what we can control. "What we're trying to do is build a team that continues to grow together and evolves. We've set ourselves up to keep our core players together. Obviously, as a business, you don't always know what's coming at you. You have to be adaptable. But that's how we're designed." NBA.com

Sam Amico: Ilgauskas bought out today after he paid Wizards $1.5 million. Agent says Z will decide on future by end of weekend. Twitter.com

Washington Wizards President Ernie Grunfeld announced today that the team has waived center Zydrunas Ilgauskas after coming to a mutual agreement on a contract buyout. “We agreed to terms with Zydrunas on a contract buyout, giving us further financial flexibility and allowing our young big men to continue to develop over the remainder of the season,” said Grunfeld. CSN Washington

Bought out by the Washington Wizards on Thursday, center Zydrunas Ilgauskas will consider the Dallas Mavericks as a possible destination, his agent said. "He definitely has some options to think about and one will definitely be the Mavs," Ilgauskas' agent, Herb Rudoy, said. ESPN.com

Denver and Atlanta reportedly also have interest in signing Ilgauskas and both can potentially offer a bigger role because the Mavs will eventually get Dampier back. "It's a long shot," Mavs president of basketball operations Donnie Nelson said. "He's going to take his time." ESPN.com

Dallas, Atlanta, Denver and Utah are among the teams that are expected to pursue Ilgauskas once he clears waivers. But the Cavaliers are a heavy favorite to retain his services after Ilgauskas has spent his entire career with the franchise, which drafted him in 1996. In order to return to Cleveland, Ilgauskas would have to wait until March 21. He would have to sign with another team before March 1 in order to make a postseason playoff roster. Washington Post

Ross Siler: Agent Herb Rudoy says Jazz are one of the teams that have called to express interest in Zydrunas Ilgauskas after today's buyout. Twitter.com

Ross Siler: Rudoy described Ilgauskas as having a "huge investment emotionally" in the Cavaliers, which is "part of what's factoring into this thing." Twitter.com

Why did you decide to come back to the D-League after playing a couple years overseas? Mike Harris: This year, honestly, only because of the simple fact that it's closer [to the NBA]. Overseas is kind of 'out of sight, out of mind.' This year, I may have had a couple opportunities over there, [but] then, you have the buy-out clause and things like that. Actually, I talked to the guys with the Rockets before I was going to make the decision [to return to the D-League]. They were like 'you're playing well, and this is your best chance to be called up.' Then, I got called up by them [in 2008], and after that, I had a couple more offers to go overseas, but I said that I would stay here. If I ended up staying the whole season [without being called up] and didn't win a championship, I would probably go back [overseas]. Ridiculous Upside

Whether there is anything positive that he can take out of not getting traded at the deadline: Amare Stoudemire: “Yeah absolutely. I think the positive thing is a lot of teams were definitely inquiring about me. They think I can help their franchise get over the hump so with that being said, that is definitely a positive that I took out of it. I appreciate all the teams that were inquiring about me.” Sports Radio Interviews

Amare Stoudemire: Whether he talked to LeBron James about playing with him in Cleveland: “I talked to him pretty briefly about it. It was a short conversation.” How the conversation went with LeBron: “It went great. I didn’t really know what was going to happen. I don’t think we knew what was going to happen so we just kind of made a few jokes and that was about it.” Sports Radio Interviews

The latest Twitter-related dust-up: The Orange County Register notes notes that in a recent tweet, Smith took on Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant on his feed, writing, "Dont get me wrong kobe is great but not when he play me." That's the definition of bulletin-board material -- and Bryant is the type of player who gets even when he gets mad. So this may turn out to be a very bad strategy... not that Smith is backing down. Shortly after the tweet above, he wrote: "lol here comes the hate! Yes! thank you ill take all the haters" And that was followed by this: "Dang media still on my page lol yall need to get a life!" Denver Westword

Manu Ginobili didn't believe he would actually stuff Kevin Durant when the NBA's leading scorer elevated for a runaway dunk on a crucial fast break in the final minutes. "I was more expecting to be dunked on, to tell you the truth," Ginobili said. ESPN.com

Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade, who has missed three games due to the strained left calf he sustained last week at New Jersey, went through part of Thursday's practice, but didn't sound as though he'd be ready to play Saturday against the Milwaukee Bucks. Point guard Rafer Alston, however, who has missed the last three games due to a sprained right hand, practiced Thursday and is expected to return against the Bucks. As for Wade, he's taking his time. "It's getting better every day," he said. "I'm not ready yet. I'm starting to rehab and add something every day. I'm still not ready yet." South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Jonathan Givony: NBA prospects considering attending Uof Miami should inquire about their policy regarding receiving publicity discussing their NBA potential. Twitter.com

Jonathan Givony: Uof Miami's response to credential request: "We do not allow coverage of our student-athletes w/draft publications while they are in season" Twitter.com

Of course, he has always been a bit different, from his holistic approach to the game, to the philosophical bridges he tries to build with his players, illustrated in the books he hand picks for his players each season. "Well, I came from nowhere," said Jackson. "I was coaching in the minor leagues in Puerto Rico, and [former Bulls GM] Jerry Krause and [coach] Doug Collins hired me on the [Bulls] staff and I didn't have any connection. ... So there was no lineage. "There were groups that were connected, and they fed on each other from summer camps and the like. Mike Fratello and Hubie Brown -- those guys were in the Five-Star camp. Then there were the North Carolina guys. And there were the Philadelphia guys, and that was Jack Ramsey and Jack McCloskey and a few more. So there was a knowledge of systems and how they play them and their philosophies in basketball, whereas my philosophy came from a college coach, Tex Winter. And a lot of people said his offense wasn't geared to generate in professional basketball." SI.com

"I think a lot of general managers think that what we run won't be a good for the personnel that they have and they think that's all the basketball we know," said Jim Cleamons, whose 15-plus-year tenure as a Jackson assistant yielded a single two-year stint as the Mavs' head coach. "You have to look at upper management. They have to be open-minded to see what we run can produce and does produce winning basketball. But it takes time to learn if your personnel is amenable, and by amenable I mean they have somewhat of a basketball IQ." SI.com

Larry Bird is going to be draped in blue and gold for a while. Despite a bit of fan disgust over Bird’s failure to upgrade the Indiana Pacers’ roster before the NBA's Feb. 18 trade deadline, team brass said Bird has a secure future with the franchise. Pacers Sports and Entertainment President Jim Morris gave Bird, Pacers president of basketball operations, a hearty vote of confidence yesterday. Bird’s contract expires in 2011, and some have speculated that team owner Herb Simon is becoming impatient with Bird. Morris said that’s not the case. “Larry Bird has everyone’s confidence here,” Morris told IBJ. “He’s working as hard as humanly possible. And we know he will do what it takes to get us a championship caliber team.” Indianapolis Business Journal

Morris especially praised Hansbrough, and said the rookie out of North Carolina would be even more popular with fans if it wasn’t for his struggles with an inner ear infection that has limited his playing time. Morris said he and Simon are confident Bird will improve the roster during the upcoming off-season. While he said an off-season trade is possible, he didn’t indicate that it’s mandatory. “Larry Bird will tell you this is going to be one of the best college drafts in a long time,” Morris said. “We are flat out committed to getting back to where we were in 2003 and 2004, competing for an NBA Championship.” Indianapolis Business Journal

Washington Capitals owner Ted Leonsis pledged last night that despite an apparent negotiating rift between him and the estate of Abe Pollin, he would eventually succeed in his attempt to buy the Washington Wizards. Speaking at an event to promote his new book, The Business of Happiness, Leonsis was asked by an audience member to comment on the potential sale. Leonsis said definitively that his company, Lincoln Holdings, would eventually own the Wizards, though he did end up softening the statement by repeatedly stressing his respect for the Pollin family. "It's my intention and expectation that everything is going to work out fine and that it will be done the right way and that we'll own the Caps and the Wizards and the building," said Leonsis. DCist

Nobody likes a surprise stop-and-chat with the boss, and if Davis could have called a 20-second time out and retreated back to the Clippers' locker room he would have. Instead, he had to listen up after Sterling cornered him. "It's coming together," Davis told Sterling, when asked how the team was doing. "Baron, I need you to make sure it comes together," Sterling told him, in no uncertain terms. "Yes sir. And I believe it will," Davis reiterated. Los Angeles Daily News

"Look, I'm a man who makes things happen, and I need you to make this happen," Sterling said. "Yes sir," Davis said, politely. "I'm going to make you smile; I'm going to make the fans smile." "You know what would make me smile?" Sterling said. "You scoring 20 points tonight. That would make me smile." "Then I'll make you smile," Davis promised. Los Angeles Daily News

"The thing is, I don't need you taking 60 shots to do it," Sterling warned. "I won't need that many shots," Davis said. "So you don't have to worry about that." Los Angeles Daily News

This went on for a few more minutes, with Sterling telling Davis he has big-shot friends all over town who come to Clippers games just to watch Davis play, and how important it is for him to maximize his talents, realize his skills and pull the Clippers up with him. Finally the conversation ended, and Davis could breathe easy again. It was a surreal moment, to be sure, but this being one of the stranger seasons ever for a Clippers franchise known more for the bizarre than any sort of success, it pretty much was par for the course. Los Angeles Daily News

There are a lot of younger fans in the league who know Jerry West as a general manager or as "the Logo" but they don't know him as a player. What should they know? What defined him as an elite player? Roland Lazenby: His athleticism. You know a lot of people think of Jerry West as this guy who could really shoot, and he was a fine shooter, but Jerry West had this blinding quickness. He was a very, very strong person... (Boston Celtic legend) Tommy Heinsohn said (teammate) K.C. Jones just used to sort of tackle West. K.C. was sort of like this dog that would get a hold of your pants leg and wouldn't let go (as a defender), and he and West had these battles. When I asked KC about him, he said, "You just can't imagine how strong West was." This strength, this quickness, he had this tremendous leaping ability, he had 38-inch arms length.... ProBasketball Talk

Lazenby: I was talking with Tex about this and he said all the great ones are unbelievable perfectionists. They are all very complex people. It's part of the whole "alpha male" thing... this male who is so competitive, so driven, such a perfectionist. Tex said guys like Jerry West, Oscar Robertson, Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan -- he named those four -- they are such perfectionists they are very demanding of their teammates in different ways. ProBasketball Talk

Last update: 9:47 am ET

One solution to that problem could be signing combo guard Larry Hughes, who was waived late Tuesday by the Sacramento Kings after Hughes negotiated a buyout of his contract. A source familiar with the situation said Hughes would like to sign with the Bobcats. Hughes played in Philadelphia for Bobcats coach Larry Brown and worked with Bobcats general manager Rod Higgins when Higgins was in management roles in Washington and Golden State. Charlotte Observer

In an interview with Comcast SportsNet, Wizards chief executive Robert Pollin says the Gilbert Arenas gun incident "was devastating to myself and my family" and takes a "wait-and-see" approach to the possibility of Arenas returning to the team. Washington Post

Before Wednesday night's game against Detroit, coach Kim Hughes was hopeful his Los Angeles Clippers would not buy out the contract of forward Drew Gooden by Monday's deadline. But he said there wasn't certainty. There is now. "We're going to keep him,'' Clippers general manager Mike Dunleavy said in phone interview shortly thereafter with FanHouse from Lexington, Ky., where he will scout Thursday's game between Kentucky and South Carolina. "There's no 'probably.''' FanHouse.com

Told after the game about Dunleavy saying no buyout would be considered, Gooden said, "I'm happy. I'm wanted here. I'm going to make the best of this situation.'' Asked before the game about the possibly of having his contract bought out, Gooden played it coy, saying, "I'm here right now so we'll see what happens.'' He added, "There's been a lot of teams asking about me.'' FanHouse.com

While Gooden didn't name any teams, Dallas and Denver are among those believed to have had hope Gooden would be bought out. Gooden began the season with the Mavericks before being shipped Feb. 13 to Washington and later dealt Feb.17 to the Clippers in a three-team trade. FanHouse.com

The team has reached a buyout agreement with Zydrunas Ilgauskas and is waiting for his signature, according to a person with knowledge of the negotiations. The 7-3 center is expected to pay back between $1 million and $1.5 million of his $11.5 million contract, the person said. A formal announcement probably will come on Thursday. Ilgauskas came to Washington from Cleveland in a three-team trade that sent Jamison to the Cavaliers on Feb. 17. Ilgauskas received a trade kicker worth approximately $600,000 for being part of the deal. Washington Post

The Nuggets are making a strong push to acquire coveted big man Zydrunas Ilgauskas, who likely will soon be bought out by the Washington Wizards. "There hasn't been a day go by that I haven't heard from Mark (Warkentien, the Nuggets' vice president of basketball operations)," Herb Rudoy, Ilgauskas' agent, said Wednesday. "He had a great relationship with 'Z' (back in Cleveland). Mark has been very aggressive to convince me to convince 'Z.' " Denver Post

The Hawks are among the teams hoping Ilgauskas can be convinced to join them instead. Other teams reported to be interested include Dallas, Denver and Utah. The feeling in the Hawks locker room is that Ilgauskas would be a good addition. “We need a guy like that,” said Hawks center Al Horford. “I hope our people can make that happen because he would be a big key for us.” Atlanta Journal-Constitution

"Z has not made up his mind where he will play,'' Rudoy wrote. "He is giving it a lot of thought.'' FanHouse.com

Two names that likely will be on the Jazz's short list of players under consideration are center Mikki Moore and forward Rob Kurz . Mark Bartelstein , the agent for both players, said Wednesday that he'd spoken to the Jazz about Moore and Kurz. Salt Lake Tribune

After Wednesday night's Warriors loss to Philadelphia, Don Nelson said he "didn't see any life" from Andris Biedrins, who played nine minutes, missed both of his shots and committed two turnovers. At today's practice, Nelson was more critical of his struggling center. On whether his comments lit a fire under Biedrins: "I hope so. He needs to light his own fire. We play every other day. You can't light the fire for him every game. So that's up to him. Give us something. I mean, rebounding is one part of the game. You need more than that. Good defensive presence. The running skills. Good pick-setting. Good passing. We need a lot of things from our 5s other than rebounding." San Francisco Chronicle

On the biggest difference between Biedrins' double-double days and now: "A lack of aggressiveness. Running out of his scoring areas without being aggressive to catch and score." San Francisco Chronicle

On getting a shot doctor to work with his free-throw touch: "I've worked with him. I've had everybody work with him. He's locked in to . . . he doesn't want to go underhanded, and his over-handed shot is basically broken. He's never going to be a very good free-throw shooter because of his technique. It's unfixable. You can't fix the problems that he has. To me, I would go underhand. We brought (ex-Warrior center) George Johnson in here (to teach the under-handed shot), and (Biedrins) decided not to do that. I tried the one- handed free throw with him, but that doesn't work because his technique is, he doesn't keep his hand on a platter (with his open palm parallel to the ground before shots), which all great shooters do. He tilts it, so if I have him shoot one-handed, the ball's going to slip off, so there are major problems with his technique, and he's not willing to change." San Francisco Chronicle

On why there are fewer pick-and-roles involving Biedrins: "He doesn't really have an inside game that you could go to. When I've tried to go to it to get his confidence up, he hasn't delivered. His shot's not there. There's a way to be involved in a screen and role, and there's a way to hide and not be involved. I think he chooses to hide at this point. We're trying to demand that he get the ball and do things with it and be aggressive." San Francisco Chronicle

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Gregg Popovich had a chat with Richard Jefferson before the Spurs played the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday night at the AT&T Center. What Popovich said was music to Jefferson's ears: For the time being, at least, his playing time would come strictly at the small forward position. Jefferson's response was just what Popovich wanted: More aggression, especially going after missed shots. Jefferson grabbed nine rebounds, two shy of his season high. “I thought he was very aggressive in just about everything he did,” Popovich said. “That's what we want him to do all the time, because when you're aggressive like that, and when he goes to the boards, it makes us a better team.” San Antonio Express-News

“Pop and I had a quick conversation,” Jefferson said. “He said he wanted to play me more back at the three. It's a little difficult out there at times learning the three and running the four a lot, which I have done quite a bit. “I think I'm a little more comfortable at the three spot, and tonight I wanted to be aggressive out there. It's a little bit easier to see the seams and where the drives are going to come from.” San Antonio Express-News

Fernandez refuted a Spanish newspaper account that he is unhappy in Portland and looking to sign with Real Madrid. "Right now, my heart is in Portland. It doesn't matter if the newspapers talk about me, my contract is in Portland, and I'm happy in Portland." Oregonian

Miller had 18 points, 10 assists, seven rebounds, three steals and no turnovers to trump Turkoglu's near-perfect night when he scored 24 points on 8-of-9 shooting. "Even though Andre may not have been the first choice, it has come down to him being the right choice," Blazers star Brandon Roy said. "The way he has been playing for us, he has been our most important guy because of how consistent he has been." Said Miller: "I guess it has worked out for everybody." Oregonian

One thing worth noting: the guy Cleveland's roster that completely annoys Perkins is Anderson Varejao. "He's a pain in the neck. Always active, offensive rebounding, doing the little things. And he plays good defense, pick and roll and on the box." No capes necessary. Boston Globe

And now here's the bad news for opponents of the Magic and Howard: This is no fluke or just a good stretch of basketball for the 6- foot-11, 270-pound beast of a center. He's just that good now, Magic coach Stan Van Gundy said after Howard made all 11 of his shots and put up his usual double-double in Orlando's 110-92 demolition of the Houston Rockets. ``I don't think this is just a stretch. I think his game has matured,'' Van Gundy stressed. ``He's had stretches where he's played well, but he's changed the way he plays now. He's not forcing his way to the basket. If you take away his move across the middle, he'll counter. If you take that away, he'll come back again. He's not going to force through double teams. ``I'm not saying he's going get 30 (points) and 16 (rebounds) every night or go 11-for-11, but he'll play great. And he'll play consistently well and he'll play at a high level most of the time.'' NBA.com

Boozer's teammates certainly aren't surprised by his fine play of late. "(Boozer) is an incredible player," said Jazz rookie Wesley Matthews. "I can't believe that he wasn't an All-Star. He's playing like it. He's really putting us on his back right now, and he's having great games for us. That's what we need right now." Williams put it this way: "When (Boozer) is playing so well, it opens up a lot more things for us." Deseret News

Ross Siler: Larry Brown tonight paid Deron Williams the highest compliment I've heard Williams receive in my time on the Jazz beat. “I don’t think there’s a better player in the league than Deron Williams," Brown said. "You don’t hear him talked about like the others..." Twitter.com

McGrady remains an adept playmaker; he recorded eight assists against Boston, while his willingness to be unselfish and make the extra pass has been a huge plus. However, several NBA scouts feel that McGrady is still lacking the explosiveness and quickness that made him a top perimeter player for nearly a decade. There is no guarantee that he'll get that back. New York Daily News

Asked when he expects to feel like his old self as opposed to just feeling old, McGrady said. "Late March," before adding, "I'm not going to be 100% this year. Not at all." New York Daily News

At least one Lakers player felt those numbers could be attributed to the officials. "It's hard to win," Andrew Bynum said afterward, "when it's five against eight." Dallas, led by 31 points from Dirk Nowitzki and 30 from Jason Terry, won the game, 101-96. Odom had 21, and Bryant finished with 20. ESPN.com

Bryant couldn't get free from Stevenson in the first half and it forced him to work harder for shots. After missing his first five from the field, all jumpers, Bryant ended the first half three for 11. When asked about Stevenson's aggression, Bryant smiled and said, "He did a good job." Butler, a former Laker, is a physical player who likes to give guards and small forward fits by driving to the lane to draw fouls. Jackson and Bryant said they were looking forward to seeing him. ESPN.com

"They are trying to get better," said Ron Artest, who scored 13 points in 41 minutes. "I don't know about the moves they made. It's just going to be up to us doing what we got to do and not worry about what they do or what they're doing." ESPN.com

A DallasBasketball.com investigation (seriously) reveals that the NBA is committed to curing basketball of oral fixations. … and therefore Caron Butler – who suddenly is unavailable to go tonight against the Lakers due to a negative reaction to a medication – is going to have to perform without his weird addiction of chewing plastic straws. Yes, I’m serious! DallasBasketball.com

The immediate issue, of course, is Caron’s absence for tonight. Without him, the Mavs will have to scramble to find matchup advantages against the West-leading Lakers. But the far-reaching issue is the plastic-straw controversy. “They say it’s against the rules,’’ Mavs owner Mark Cuban told DB.com just moments ago. “That’s all I know.’’ DallasBasketball.com

The fact that Phoenix Suns shooting guard Jason Richardson shot and made a game-winner isn't news upon itself, outside of the fact every game-winner is news. Richardson is a very good player and has a long track of success, as evidences by his career scoring average of 18.3 points a game to go with 5.3 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 1.2 steals while shooting 37% from three-point range. But the reason his head coach put him in position to end the nine-game winning streak of the Oklahoma City Thunder last night – that is news. "You just go back and look at the numbers," Suns' head coach Alvin Gentry said. "When he plays great, we very seldom ever lose." HoopsWorld.com

One day after Spencer Hawes was benched for making "detrimental" comments about Paul Westphal's inconsistent lineups and rotation, it was unclear if the Kings center was out of the coach's doghouse. "I think I have a good relationship with Spencer, but we've talked about those kinds of things before, and I think that what he said was detrimental to the team, and we're not going to have those kinds of comments," said Westphal, who spoke before a larger-than-normal media gathering at the team's practice facility. Sacramento Bee

Magic PF Ryan Anderson can't complain. His playing time has been erratic, but things could be worse. He could be still playing in New Jersey with the Nets, stuck on the league's worst team. "It's hard to complain. I'm on a winning team," Anderson said. "You lose all the time, it's depressing." Orlando Sentinel

Boston Celtics coach Doc Rivers says forward Paul Pierce is likely to miss the game Thursday against Cleveland and LeBron James at TD Garden because of a sprained right thumb. Rivers would not definitively rule Pierce out, but the Celtics captain did not practice Wednesday because Rivers did not want to risk the thumb taking a hit. "I'm not going to say definitely but most likely not [Thursday]," Rivers said. "We'll just evaluate it day to day. We didn't want to take the chance of him getting hit on his thumb in practice, so that if he feels good [Thursday], he can go. If not, we'll wait. We've got [games] Thursday and then Saturday, then a two-day break, so we'll just go a game at a time." ESPN.com

While it's probably unlikely that he will ultimately challenge John Wall for the #1 spot, there could be some debate that emerges as Turner is the more complete and better "player" right now. He lacks Wall's upside and superstar athleticism, but has even more versatility, having 2-3 inches on Wall and currently being better at creating offense for others. Most scouts feel Turner has all but locked up the #2 pick in the draft barring an injury or a late season meltdown. NBADraft.net

So why isn't Cousins projected as a top 3 pick? One scout when asked about Cousins chances of going top 5 texted me this (over a week ago): "No way...mental issues...he is on bigtime meds i hear...not athletic enough for me talent wise also...but he has been great last month..." NBADraft.net

That same scout has since stated that he thinks Cousins will probably go "very high" in the draft, but says he wouldn't touch him in the top five for fear of off court issues. Coach Calipari has been outspoken about the fact that Cousins is still very immature emotionally. His body language is often extremely immature, showing frustration with teammates when they fail to get him the ball or make mistakes. He also shows an unwillingness to be coached. He has been seen tuning out Coach Cal when he gives him advice during games. Cousins' cell phone number got out before the Mississippi State game and students bombarded him with calls and texts. At one point during the Mississippi State game Cousins made light of the situation. After converting on a dunk, he raised his hand to his ear as if talking on the phone. Cousins got the last laugh as Kentucky won the game in overtime, and just as important, he didn't get baited into any damaging conduct in response to the rowdy fans. NBADraft.net

Cousins has had three separate incidents this year involving throwing elbows (amazingly none of which drew an ejection or suspension for a game). The first was against Louisville (Jan 2nd) as he threw an elbow at Louisville's Jared Swopshire while scrambling on the floor for a loose ball. After Kentucky's loss to South Carolina (Jan 26th), it was reported that Cousins threw "uppercuts" at a South Carolina student as the fans rushed the court. The third was (Jan 30th) against Festus Ezeli as Cousins threw a stiff forearm shiver to the chin of Ezeli. Cousins was also kicked off his Erwin high school team as a sophomore for punching an assistant coach. Labeled a "thug" by some, Cousins' apparent mean streak is both a positive and a negative. If he can channel it, he can draw from it and use it on the floor. But it could easily derail him if he allows his temper to get the best of him in an on or off court altercation. NBADraft.net

Jonathan Givony: Not sure whether Chris Singleton should come out, but he's a guy that could really shake things up if he does. Some NBA people think he will. Twitter.com

The stagnant NBA would be a lot more fun if teams took chances on guys like Devan Downey. But three NBA scouts interviewed about Downey sounded as if speaking with one voice: Plenty of heart, not enough height. The scouts, all of whom have seen Downey play in person this season, insisted on anonymity. Scout A: “The size thing is really going to hurt him. He’s really put up some big numbers and against some good teams. But the question with him is, will he be able to come out and be a true point guard where he doesn’t have to score? Remember, he’s been a scorer his whole life.” Scout B: “I don’t know if he’s really 5-9, either. Maybe 5-8.” Scout C: “Is he 5-9? No more than 5-10. That tall? He is very, very fast. But that isn’t as much a factor in the NBA because it’s so much more of a halfcourt game.” Times & Democrat

Yet the fact that Westphal's wife, Cindy, is ailing in Southern California and undergoing medical tests, prompting him to shuttle between locations these past few days, certainly begs the question: Would he have punished the precocious Hawes so severely, been so intolerant about a few public comments if he had been sleeping well and not distracted by his wife's health issues? He says yes, but one has to wonder. Was keeping Hawes in street clothes for Tuesday's game against Detroit a prudent move? Was it really necessary? Sacramento Bee

Asked to elaborate on his decision to spare Evans and May while taking the rod to Hawes, Westphal on Wednesday provided a somewhat tortured distinction, explaining that May subsequently apologized and Evans spoke only in generalities. Hawes, by contrast, made no attempt to make amends. "You don't build a team by taking shortcuts," Westphal said after practice. "I feel very confident that even though it seems like there might be a lot more to it, it's as simple as, 'We need to lay the foundation correctly with this team.' … If a player feels they don't know their role, they can talk to me because I've told them their role. It's been that way from Day One." Sacramento Bee

Within NBA circles, the Westphals have long been known as one of the league's tightest and most enduring couples. Before she became ill, Cindy Westphal attended home games and lingered in the press room afterward. Unassuming and dressed casually in her usual attire of jeans, boots, sweater and jacket, she would engage media members in casual conversation while waiting for her husband. Westphal, who is as forthright and accommodating as any Kings coach in recent history, reiterated that he is coping with the situation and says there are no excuses. He still wields the clout, makes the decisions, accepts responsibility for the team's progress and, agree or disagree, is sticking to his principles. For Hawes and the other young Kings, even in the toughest of times, the lessons continue. Sacramento Bee

The nine-month saga that is the sale of the Charlotte Bobcats could be resolved in the next three days, possibly today. Sources close to the situation anticipate a quick resolution, as to whether Bobcats managing partner Michael Jordan or ex-Houston Rockets president George Postolos will close a deal with majority owner Bob Johnson. Charlotte Observer

Jordan's window of first-refusal to buy the team is close to expiration, sources say, and he was still recruiting partners this week to invest $260 million or more to complete a purchase of Charlotte's NBA franchise. Jordan has repeatedly declined interview requests on his effort to buy the team. Postolos, who now leads a Houston-based consulting firm, declined comment when reached Wednesday. Charlotte Observer

The NBA and the gay community have somewhat of a sensitive past. While the other sports have been allowed to ignore sexual-preference issues by way of convenient silence (though they've had their own battles with special interest groups, to be sure), the NBA was not afforded such willful ignorance. John Amaechi made certain of that. But the NBA has kept itself on the forefront of culture in comparison to the other leagues as well. Technology, game-innovation, and social issues. So it shouldn't be totally surprising that the Golden State Warriors are working with a San Francisco gay basketball association to sponsor LGBT night at the Oracle. All proceeds will be donated to a center supporting those afflicted with AIDS/HIV. FanHouse.com

Who’s the fairest Celtic of all? That would be Brian Scalabrine, who received a live, in-studio spray tan at 98.5 the Sports Hub yesterday morning. Scal promised radio guys Toucher & Rich that if he received 250,000 online votes for the NBA All-Star Game, he would get the tan. The spray came courtesy of the Tan Man Sun Spa of South Boston. Boston Globe

That Cleveland Cavaliers superstar LeBron James and his posse had a pre-game reservation last night at Woodward at the Ames Hotel and postgame plans to hit the 6one7 Productions’ hoopla at RumoR. Boston Herald

That two former Celtics have some cash waiting for them on state Treasurer Tim Cahill’s Abandoned Property List. Ex-Green Team great and current Golden State Warriors prez Don Nelson has a $778.00 check from the state of Colorado and $118 from the state of Utah. NBA Hall of Famer Wayne Embry is looking at a $316.30 kiss in the mail from Countrywide insurance. The full list will run in the Herald March 7. Boston Herald

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