HoopsHype.com Rumors

Tuesday, March 16

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Last update: 10:00 pm ET

Tom Penn, the right-hand man of general manager Kevin Pritchrd, has been fired by the Trail Blazers, The Oregonian has learned. Tuesday's decision comes nearly 10 months after Penn was promoted to vice president of Basketball Operations. Oregonian

It is unknown why Penn was fired, but it is believed to have come from owner Paul Allen and not Pritchard. Penn came to the Blazers from the Memphis Grizzlies in May of 2007 and served as the team’s assistant general manager until he was promoted on May 18 to vice president. Oregonian

When reached Tuesday evening, Penn declined comment until later. Penn’s duties with the Blazers included negotiating player contracts, structuring player trades, evaluating talent and managing day-to-day basketball operations. His expertise with league rules and the salary cap allowed the Blazers to gain a trade exception in the 2007 NBA draft, which allowed them to make a trade with Phoenix for the rights to Rudy Fernandez. Oregonian

If LeBron James decides to move to Los Angeles, there’s no way he would choose the Clippers as his new team this off-season. He wouldn’t go there to be part of a side act, says a basketball source who has known James well and worked with him since childhood. “And the Clippers are definitely a side act. “He loves being a part of the show,” says the source. “And in L.A., that’s the Lakers. They’re the main show.” Laker Noise

James absolutely loves the California lifestyle, and if he were to make a move away from the Cleveland Cavaliers, California is the place he’d most likely want to go, the source said. He wouldn’t have to be a savior for the Lakers, wouldn’t have to inhabit the fishbowl lifestyle that he does elsewhere. He certainly would face less pressure in L.A. than in New York or even Cleveland. Still, James will likely remain a Cav for next season, simply because the odds seem to grow daily making the Cavaliers the favorite to win an NBA title this June. Laker Noise

James would have no problem deferring to Bryant, said the source. “LeBron has no problem deferring if the player he’s deferring to is worthy.” The best proof of that lies in their Olympic play together. One issue might be getting James to fit his game into the triangle offense run by Lakers coach Phil Jackson, even though James and Jackson are said to have high regard for each other. Laker Noise

Darnell Mayberry: The #OKCTHUNDER has signed Mustafa Shakur to a 10-day contract. To make room for him, the team has released Antonio Anderson. Twitter.com

The Miami HEAT have announced that they have signed guard Kenny Hasbrouck to a 10-day contract, making him the 25th Gatorade NBA Development League call-up this season. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed. NBA.com

But that assumes the NBA will actually get to the summer of ’12 in one piece. After all, the league’s collective bargaining agreement runs up after the 2010-11 season, and while the public bluster from both sides has been typical of such an early stage of negotiations, what’s troubling about the talks this time around is that, behind the scenes, both sides are already hunkering down for a lockout. One prominent agent told Sporting News that he has been settling lines of credit and advising his clients to do the same. “You have to convince these guys that it’d be best if players went into next year with as little debt as possible,” the agent said. Sporting News

And Williams, one of those stars in the free-agent Class of ’12, said that he is expecting a work stoppage and is watching the situation closely, because whatever CBA is agreed upon will determine exactly what kind of contract he can sign. “I have to follow it,” Williams told SN. “I wish I didn’t, I wish it were not an issue. But there is going to be a lockout, so of course it worries me. We know it is probably coming, so we had better be prepared for it.” Sporting News

Roy has averaged 27 points on 57 percent shooting in the four games since the Blazers fell to Denver. The Blazers won all four games. He has no plans to dial back his aggressiveness. “Every day, I got to prepare and it’s not just a switch,” Roy said. “Kobe was saying that. We were about to play in the All-Star game, and he said, ‘Let’s go hard.’ I said, ‘Why do you want to play so hard in the All-Star game?’ He said, ‘It’s not a switch. You have to do it every day.’ I’m learning that now. It’s not a switch. “I’ve gone so long in my life not being that way. Now, I got to turn more aggressive, more mean. I’ve never been one to be a [expletive]. But sometimes on the court, you have to be a [expletive].” Yahoo! Sports

"LB (head coach Larry Brown) got on us because right before the Lakers game because we had a little slump and he told us that we weren't getting up for the games that we thought we were supposed to win and then we'd come out and play hard against the Clevelands and the Lakers," says Tyrus Thomas. "We kind of did better, then, against Golden State and made a little run and then we came out aggressive against the Clippers, like we want to be in the playoffs, like we belong in the playoffs. If we can continue to play like that, with that chip on our shoulders, then we can do anything." HoopsWorld

"We've been having let downs, but not lately," says Stephen Jackson, who also pointed out that the Pacers beat the Bobcats last time out, saying the Bobcats are eager to avenge that loss. "The last couple of lesser teams we've played, we took care of business. Hopefully we can come with the same focus when we take on Indiana on Tuesday and find a way to win that game." HoopsWorld

Lisa Dillman: Clippers celebrate Blake Griffin's birthday. Blindfolded him after practice and had him take swings at a pinata - Dora the Explorer pinata! Twitter.com

Jason Maxiell still hangs onto advice passed along to him by former Piston Antonio McDyess, who now plays for the San Antonio Spurs. He told Maxiell he needed to expand his game beyond dunks. He has. Maxiell is playing the best basketball of his career although he is looking to be more consistent. He had another big night Friday with 12 points and 10 rebound during the Pistons 101-87 victory over the Washington Wizards. Detroit News

In his last nine games Maxiell has averaged 9.1 points and 9.0 rebounds and shot 57.8 percent from the field. "It is all about how I work in the summer," Maxiell said. "I am trying to expand my game. "McDyess said it is not just about dunks that makes a career. I took what he said to heart and I tried to do that." Detroit News

Josh Howard had his left knee surgery in New York. He is expected to need 6-8 months of rehab. Howard tore his ACL vs. CHI on Feb. 22. Twitter.com

Sam Amick: After 5 years on Kings beat and 10 at this fine newspaper , I'm saying goodbye to The Bee and hello to Fanhouse. Twitter.com

Winston Bennett played in the NBA during the late 1980s and early 90s, and while he may have been known for his on-court ability, he harbored an off-court passion that nearly consumed him. In an interview with ESPN's "Outside the Lines," Bennett details his sex addiction, explaining that he slept with 90 women per month before he got married -- and approximately half that total after his wedding. Huffington Post

Bennett's basketball career afforded him an "unbelievable" dating life. "One was never enough," he said. "Three or four in a day was very typical for me." Just one day after getting married, Bennett says he slept with another woman, and he later gave his wife two sexually transmitted diseases. Scroll down to view the segment. Huffington Post

Jerry Zgoda: Al Jefferson's blood alcohol content was .12 when arrested for driving while impaired Feb. 28. State legal limit is .08. Twitter.com

Last update: 9:36 am ET

Bosh is a four-time All-Star and member of the gold medal-winning 2008 U.S. Olympic team. Bosh and the Blazers don't sound optimistic that Portland could be a potential destination for him. "I think they're already set. Especially with the acquisition of (Marcus) Camby, and they have LaMarcus (Aldridge)," Bosh said. "They're pretty much locked up at the four position." Oregonian

If the Raptors don't think they can re-sign Bosh, they might purse a sign-and-trade deal, rather than lose him as a free agent without getting a player in return. That scenario is the most likely method for the Blazers to acquire Bosh. But Portland likely would have to be willing to break up its young nucleus of Brandon Roy, Greg Oden and Aldridge. Oregonian

But note Bosh's answer when he was asked on Monday if yet another failed season would be a reflection on him. "No. What else do you want me to do?" he said. "Do you want me to score 30, 40 points a game? Twenty blocks a game? That's not my game. That's not what I do. I try to get these guys going, and that's pretty much it. I'm not weak-minded by any means. I know that we're going to be good this year. I think we have time to turn it around. That's the plain fact." Toronto Star

But sometime before their starting power forward becomes an unrestricted free agent this offseason, the Jazz do plan on talking with the Carlos Boozer camp about the possibility of his remaining in Utah, general manager Kevin O'Connor said Monday night. "We've had conversations with everyone's agents throughout the year," O'Connor said, "and I don't think we ever said we'd rule out anything." He didn't say precisely when, but O'Connor did say "sure' when asked if he'll talk with Boozer's agent again before July. "Will we have conversations? Absolutely," he said. Deseret News

The Jazz may even present a formal contract proposal to keep Boozer in Utah beyond this season, though it's likely the two-time United States Olympian will test free-agent waters anyway. Deseret News

But for a clue as to how Granger views the big picture, take note of his responses in a recent HoopsHype interview. Asked whether he thought LeBron James would re-sign with Cleveland this summer or leave, Granger said, "If I was LeBron, I'd go to New York." And why? "New York is the media mecca as far as endorsements and being able to expand your personal net worth," Granger said. "The exposure you can get there isn't only nationally but globally. New York does all that for you." CBSSports.com

Did another potential superstar just join the 2010 orbit with that statement? Only if the Pacers pursued the unlikely approach of trading their best player as part of yet another attempt at rebuilding. But remember that Walsh drafted Granger, remember how much he loves tall, long shooters and recognize how unpredictable free-agent movement is going to be come July 1. CBSSports.com

If the Knicks struck out on LeBron and had to settle for Joe Johnson, would Walsh then shift gears, find a way to massage David Lee's $11 million cap hold into the equation by retaining his Bird rights, and pursue a trade for someone of Granger's stature -- perhaps even dangling Lee as the bait? Exploring contingency plans has always been one of Walsh's strengths. While there have been no conversations to date about Granger, a person familiar with both teams' situations wouldn't dismiss it as a possibility. Given his comments about the benefits of playing in New York, Granger clearly wouldn't dismiss it, either. "Everybody is up for being moved, especially the way this situation has gone," Granger said. CBSSports.com

Talk that Hawks guard Joe Johnson will bolt Atlanta for the Knicks has simmered over the past week, but Johnson is sticking to the approach he has had toward free agency all season — ignore it and assume he will be a Hawk for as long as he can. “I can’t do anything but let all of that play out,” Johnson told Sporting News. “I don’t know what is going to happen in the future, but I love my teammates and I love my team and hopefully it all works out where I am in Atlanta for a long time.” Sporting News

Mustafa Shakur is expected to be called-up later today to the Oklahoma City Thunder, according to sources close to the situation. Shakur, a 6-foot-3 guard, is averaging 20.7 points, 7.2 assists, 4.6 rebounds and 2.3 steals while shooting 50% from the field and 40% from beyond the arc while playing for the Oklahoma City-owned Tulsa 66ers. Ridiculous Upside

Sources close to the situation have confirmed that Sioux Falls Skyforce forward Alexander Johnson and former Portland Trail Blazers bigman Shavlik Randolph competed in a tryout Monday with the Milwaukee Bucks for a potential roster spot. Ridiculous Upside

It sounds like Johnson (I recently did a complete report here) had the better tryout, beating Randolph in three of the four "one-on- one type games," though without actually being there, I can't confirm this information. Johnson was apparently hitting his jumper, the one part of his game that's been hit and miss this season in the D-League. Both players reportedly ended the workout sloppily due to it being fairly long. This surprised me a bit because Johnson is in pretty good shape, but after having played in a game the night before (playing 41 minutes while putting up 25 points and 18 boards) and then flying into Milwaukee on what must have been the last flight afterward, it's understandable. Ridiculous Upside

Kenny Hasbrouck could be on the verge of becoming the first Siena men's basketball player to appear in an NBA game. Hasbrouck, who helped the Saints to their previous two NCAA Tournament appearances, is expected to sign a 10-day contract with the Miami Heat today and be in uniform as soon as tonight against the San Antonio Spurs. Albany Times Union

Hasbrouck declined to comment until the deal becomes official, but his former teammates and coach were abuzz about the news as they prepare for their NCAA Tournament game Friday against Purdue. "I have to tell you, that's as proud as I've ever been," Siena coach Fran McCaffery said. "It's unbelievable," forward Ryan Rossiter added. "I'm just really happy for him. He's completely deserving of it, having worked so hard on and off the court." Albany Times Union

Despite playing with only eight players again Monday night against the Los Angeles Clippers, New Orleans Hornets Coach/General Manager Jeff Bower said they have not explored the possibility of signing a player from the NBA Development League or offering a 10-day contract to a veteran free agent. New Orleans Times-Picayune

Their shortened rotation has caused several players to see extended playing time, particularly rookie point guard Darren Collison, who logged at least 40 minutes in 15 consecutive games before the streak ended last week against Oklahoma City. “It’s a short-term situation that we’re in, ’’ Bower said. ”Quite frankly, the eight players that we have are better than anyone we could bring in. This gives them an opportunity to play extended minutes. It’s something we’re going to continue with for now.’’ New Orleans Times-Picayune

The Hornets are just under the luxury tax threshold, but a team source said they would remain under the threshold even if they offered another 10-day contract. On Feb. 5, the Hornets extended a 10-day contract to point guard Jason Hart but did not re-signed him to another when it ran out. New Orleans Times-Picayune

Wally Szczerbiak said his wife, Shannon, was "shocked" when he announced he was interested in doing television work in his first winter as a retired player. She might have been the only person who felt that way. For years, it was assumed her husband would be a natural, given his looks and polish. Sure enough, Steve Herbst, executive vice president for CBS College Sports, said it took him seconds to figure out Szczerbiak would fit right in. Boston Herald

So here he is, easing into post-player life with a limited schedule as he focuses on his young family — three children under 8 — while living in Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., near where he starred in high school. Not a bad transition to post-player life. "I’m a family man, and the NBA travel wore on me quite a bit," he said by phone Friday. "It rewarded me financially very, very well. But now is my time to enjoy my life, my kids, and kind of decompress." Boston Herald

Initially, he had hoped to return for an 11th NBA season, but a doctor recommended against that after knee surgery. The fact that it was involuntary made it "an easy way to say goodbye," he said. Szczerbiak, 33, said his sole regret was never winning an NBA championship. But the guy who led Miami (Ohio) to the NCAA Sweet 16 in 1999, was an NBA All-Star in 2002, appeared in the playoffs seven times and averaged 14.1 points in 10 seasons has no complaints. "Honestly, for a guy from Cold Spring Harbor who went to the MAC, it turned out pretty good," he said. "Unfortunately I ran into some hiccups with injuries that didn’t allow me to continue on the All-Star path I had, but looking back, I could not ask for more, quite honestly, with the relationships I made, the people I met, being able to go to every city in the country." Boston Herald

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Magic C Dwight Howard hopes the league rescinds the technical foul — his 14th of the season — he received on Sunday in a loss to the Charlotte Bobcats. Howard rolled the ball after being called for his fourth foul with eight minutes, 27 seconds left in the game, and Orlando trailing 80- 73. "Hopefully, it'll be rescinded," he said. "I just threw the ball like it was a bowling ball. That's it. I rolled it pretty fast." Orlando Sentinel

Taj Gibson has been dealing with his own case of plantar fasciitis throughout most of the season and it's becoming a common scene to see him soaking his feet in a big vat of ice after the game. At this point, the Bulls simply can't afford to lose anyone else; especially Gibson, who has provided the team with consistent defense and rebounding throughout most of the season. "On to the next one, that's what I'm feeling," he told me after the loss to the Magic last Thursday night. "We got to steal one. We got to get one coming up. Once we get that one, that will get guys going. Get guys motivation up. Get guys spirits up. In this league it's tough. When you go down the road and you've had a couple losses it's kind of tough to get that one win. We just need to [come] together and get that one win." ESPN.com

Speaking of anger and frustration, veteran center Brad Miller was as candid as he's been all season while discussing the questionable flagrant call that was levied against him late in Friday's game against the Heat. The same one that sparked Hinrich blowup/suspension. "I'd say questionable doesn't describe [how I feel about the call]," Miller said. Obviously, I led the league in flagrant fouls with Ron Artest back in the day. I know what their definition of one [is]. Apparently, from the playoffs last year they vary [from] person to person and situation. I was up against the odds in that scenario for sure. ESPN.com

Just one night later, Gibson was as angry after a game as I've seen him all year. Obviously, he was upset at how badly the team is struggling, but he was especially perturbed because of a play Dwyane Wade and the Heat made against him during the third quarter. He felt he was hit long after the whistle. “It was a dirty play," the rookie said. "Dwyane and a couple other guys undercut me. I was just pissed because the referee saw it and he just asked me, Are you OK? I was like, Am I OK? I was just [angry]. I just learned how to control my anger because I’m a rookie. Im not going to explode on anybody at that time. I felt like exploding at them because that was a dangerous play. The play was over for at least a minute, minute and a half. He just ran up on me." ESPN.com

In his first three seasons with the Rockets and his first 62 games this season, Shane Battier started all but three of the games in which he played. With the Rockets back at full strength (excluding Yao Ming), he was switched to coming off the bench, an experiment he told coach Rick Adelman he was willing to try. “Shane, No. 1, has no problem with it,” Adelman said. “He's told me forever he'll come off the bench, and I told him I'll try it, but I don't know if that's the best thing for our team. What that means is it changes Trevor (Ariza's) role somewhat because now he's got to guard the toughest guy out there who starts the game. The other thing with Shane is he gives me a lot of flexibility. It's something we're going to keep looking at.” Houston Chronicle

The Charlotte Bobcats guard isn't making excuses for his actions. What he wishes, though, is that Pacers fans would have focused on his basketball skills. Say whatever you want about Jackson, but know this: He wins. "I think people are not looking at the fact that I'm human and I make mistakes," Jackson said after the Bobcats' practice Monday. "I made two mistakes, but I haven't been in any trouble since. "They need to realize I can play this game and I've been effective ever since I've been in this league. I help teams win and people should let the negative stuff go and look at the positive things." Indianapolis Star

"I love guys that care about winning and care about their teammates and love to play," Bobcats coach Larry Brown said. "He's a terrific player. I think he's underrated in every area. He's got a very high IQ." Indianapolis Star

A year later, Villanueva, now a member of the Pistons, is still surprised by the impact. “It’s funny, because Twitter wasn’t really that big of a deal, like nobody really knew too much about it,“ he told WEEI.com following the Pistons-Celtics game. “I didn’t know it was going to get that much attention. I just did it, fun for the fans and whatnot, and the next day it just blew up. The media just took it and ran with it. Obviously I didn’t mean for it to get that much attention, but hey, it put my name out there even more (laughs).” WEEI.com

“It was crazy because I had just started, too,” he said. “I probably had like 2,000 followers at first. It was probably a couple months old, two or three months old, my account. After that, it rose to like 13,000 in two or three days. It was ridiculous. Ever since, it’s just been picking up.” WEEI.com

Sometime over the last few weeks, he made up his mind that he’s going to get everyone’s attention by following three easy steps: Straighten up, fly right, and bend the rim every chance you get. This didn’t require a very lengthy talk with himself, Terrence Williams explained. The Nets’ introspective rookie merely looked back at the first four months of his season and immediately recognized what was missing. “I learned you have to keep your mouth shut,” he said. “Honestly, that’s it. Because you get further with silence than you do speaking out or acting out. The lesson taught to me was to pay attention to other guys, and learn from them. I really wasn’t ready for that.” Newark Star-Ledger

After a timeout, Curry — who at the time was 10-for-18 from the field, 5-for-8 from 3-point range — got an open look at a 3-pointer from the right wing. But he missed it. "I wouldn't change a thing about that shot," said Curry, who also had nine assists, five rebounds and zero turnovers. Ellis got the rebound and had Curry open on his left and guard Anthony Morrow open on his right. Ellis said all he saw was the clock, which had three seconds left. So he raced to the top of the circle, turned and hoisted his attempt at tying the game, momentarily taking away the breath of the entire arena. Contra Costa Times

Marc J. Spears: kobe bryant said steph curry asked him after the close lakers win if he was worried. kobe just laughed at the rookie verbal mistake. Twitter.com

Marc J. Spears: curry laughed about story but said he actually asked kobe that in the 4th. Twitter.com

Marcus Thompson: "I'm new to the league ..." Curry said. "I can't read you yet." Kobe, smiling per Curry, simply shook his head and said one word. "No." Twitter.com

The Portland Trail Blazers have been sitting in eighth place for a while and could be the Lakers' first-round playoff matchup. "We have a lot of admiration for what Portland has gone through this year," Jackson said. "They've gone through a number of injuries … they stayed stable. Looks like they're going to come into that eighth spot." Los Angeles Times

Marquis Daniels must have had his ear pressed to the locker room door while coach Doc Rivers held his briefing with the media in the Garden hallway before last night’s 119-93 win against the Detroit Pistons. If he did, the Celtics reserve would have heard Rivers deliver some pointed criticism of the player’s lack of production recently. “He has to play better, point blank,” Rivers said. “He has to play harder and he has to play better.” Boston Herald

Chris Douglas-Roberts: I'm putting the euro-step in my game this summer.Extending range on 3 & adding 10 more pounds.Those are my off-season goals. Twitter.com

It looks like the Hawks’ good fortune with injuries finally has ended. Joe Johnson (sore Achilles’) is not on the Hawks’ team flight. He’s been ruled out for New Jersey tomorrow and probably is out for Thursday Wednesday at Toronto, too. Mike Bibby (back) made the flight but is questionable for New Jersey. J.J. will miss his first game of the season and just his fourth since 2007-08. He wasn’t available for comment because he was getting treatment (and napping, as is his custom). Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Shaquille O’Neal returned to the Cavaliers practice facility today. O’Neal, who has been out since injuring his right thumb at Boston on Feb. 25, did not speak with reporters, but according to general manager Danny Ferry, O’Neal met with doctors and will be starting the early phase of his rehabilitation. Since his surgery in Baltimore on March 1, O’Neal has been at his home in Florida. His exercise was restricted, as doctors took a conservative approach to his recovery. It is unlikely he will be traveling with the team because he needs a specific type of hand physical therapist here. Coach Mike Brown said he was happy to see O’Neal and is fine with his treatment plan. "Danny and Shaq worked out whatever his rehab was going to be, and I’m completely on board with whatever they worked out," Brown said. Cleveland Plain Dealer

Brewer kept running anyway and went on to throw down a dunk. He turned and flashed a toothy grin in a moment that underscored Brewer's fine recovery and demonstrated why he intends to return to action tonight when the Griz host the Chicago Bulls in FedExForum. "After I got the steal, coach said 'hold on.' But that's part of the confidence thing with me -- to be able to do the things I was doing before I got injured," Brewer said. "I want to be able to play defense, get steals and finish at the basket. Slowly but surely, I'm getting where I need to be." Memphis Commercial Appeal

"My legs are getting back under me," said Brewer, who was injured Feb. 19 after playing just 12 minutes in his Griz debut. "I feel more refreshed and ready to get back on the court. Coach Hollins said 'Talk to me and just let me know how you feel.' But I feel like once I put my jersey on, it's on him to put me out there. When my name is called, I'll be ready to play." Memphis Commercial Appeal

John Kuester indicated in pregame comments before tonight’s game against the Celtics that Rodney Stuckey could return to practice Thursday. Detroit Free Press

It appears Jason Terry will be available Wednesday against Chicago. With a custom-fitted plastic mask to protect his facial-bone fracture, Terry went through practice Monday with no problems. "Jet has a track record of missing very few games," coach Rick Carlisle said. "He's always come back earlier than expected. The injury was serious, but the fracture was such that it was a lower timetable than it could have been. It could have been several weeks." Instead, Terry could be playing Wednesday, or Saturday against Boston at the latest. Dallas Morning News

Rookie guard Ty Lawson (shoulder) declined to put a timeline on when he might return, but he said he was able to do more on the court Monday. "It's all right," Lawson said. "It's getting there. It's day to day. I thought I could do something today, but when I pull up I can shoot with my right hand, but when I bring it up with my left, it still catches. "I'm dribbling, moving it. I'm making progress." Denver Post

The agent for Michael Washington said Arkansas’ 6-9 forward needs rest to heal his injuries before beginning training for the NBA predraft camp and other workouts. Charles Briscoe of BP Sports Management of Atlanta, whose agency announced the signing of Washington on Monday, said Washington played through pain more than he let on during the 2009-2010 season. NWAOnline.com

Jonathan Givony: In case you haven't heard, the NBA Combine will be held in Chicago from May 19th-23rd. Will be like last year, no 5 on 5. Twitter.com

Cousins is thankful that the folks in Lexington were willing to let him establish his own identity instead of judging him by the labels that have always defined him. “I’m a thug,” Cousins said. “I’m a bad guy, a criminal. I know that’s what people say about me, people that don’t know me. “Nothing could be further from the truth.” Yahoo! Sports

NBA scouts know that Cousins has all the tools to be a dominant force at the next level and help turn a dormant program into a winner. But some of them also wonder whether Cousins has anger management issues that could cause him to implode. “Ask all 30 teams about DeMarcus Cousins’ temper and you’ll get 30 different answers,” an NBA executive said last weekend. “I think that whole issue is overblown. Yahoo! Sports

Brown says lingering concerns from Bogut's 2009 back injury and the demands of his longest NBA campaign yet could still prevent the 213cm centre from playing at the world championships in Turkey from August 28. "He (Bogut) has been fantastic in regards to communicating with me, he's been very candid about his situation at the moment being up in the air, we're not sure how his back is going to hold up," Brown said on Tuesday. "Basketball Australia are trying to do everything we can to help him with resources with our strength and conditioning coaches that he's comfortable with. Courier Mail

"Anything that we can do to get him with the team is our main focus. "He is the crown and jewel of our Boomer program and we really hope we can have him with us." Courier Mail

So start looking. Mike Budenholzer is Gregg Popovich's top assistant in San Antonio and was a finalist for the Phoenix job a couple of years ago. If you don't know him, ask. Go talk to him, see what he's about. Mario Elie, who had a very brief NBA playing start with the Sixers, is a Sacramento assistant and viewed as a solid, sometimes outspoken candidate for some team. Can it hurt to meet with him? Philadelphia Daily News

I know a lot of people view NBA TV analyst Eric Snow as arrogant and as a guy who has never lost a debate, but he was also a terrific intermediary between the incredibly strong personalities of Larry Brown and Allen Iverson, and was the only player who had any level of control of Iverson. At least hear him out. Philadelphia Daily News

Nuggets coach George Karl remained in Denver during the Nuggets' four-game road trip that concluded Monday at Toyota Center to undergo treatments for throat cancer. Assistant coach Adrian Dantley coached the team. “It's a tough situation, obviously,” Rick Adelman said. “It's really tough. It's the second time he's had it. We wish him the best. It's got to be really hard on their team and on him, being away from them. Hopefully, what's happening right now is going to be what's best for him in the long run.” Houston Chronicle

Sam Amick: Kings coach Paul Westphal was not at today's practice due to "a pressing family matter," according to the team. Twitter.com

Auburn hasn’t made contact yet with Sam Mitchell regarding its vacant basketball coaching position, although the former NBA coach said he would be amenable to moving to the college game. Mitchell, a Columbus native who starred at Mercer in Macon, and lives in Peachtree City, wants to get back into coaching 15 months after being fired by the Toronto Raptors. And he isn’t limiting himself to NBA opportunities. “I’m a coach, and I want to coach,” he said. “I haven’t closed my mind off to having an opportunity to coach in college.” Ledger-Enquirer

Auburn athletics director Jay Jacobs has been mum about potential candidates to replace the fired Jeff Lebo, although Mitchell’s name has hit the rumor mill already. The 46-year-old Mitchell said he hasn’t had any contact with the school, but he thinks Auburn’s situation — with the new $92.5 million Auburn Arena set to open next season — will be a good opportunity for someone. “I think Auburn would be a great job,” Mitchell said. “I think you have a lot of potential, a lot of possibilities. I just think the most important thing for Auburn, and they would say the same thing, is getting the right person who is going to push the program and build a program to a national power, like it used to be in the early ’80s. Ledger-Enquirer

When you take away his tailor and his voice and his impressive ability to spin, what you are left with is a basketball team in tatters, a collection that seems to lack toughness and heart and on-court leadership: The emperor wears nice clothes, his team the outward opposite of his well-manicured reputation. “If you want to blame somebody for the way we’re playing, blame me,” Colangelo said late Monday afternoon. Toronto Sun

It was late Monday after back-to-back games on the west coast, a red-eye flight home, a practice called on what was thought to be a day off. “I’m the guy ultimately responsible,” he said, and then essentially put the onus on his players, not his coach, to find a way out of this dark NBA hole the Raptors find themselves in. Toronto Sun

“It’s not about talent,” said Colangelo. “It’s about up here. We have to find a way to sustain the effort, the energy and the focus ... Any time I’m involved in putting a team together that’s not performing to the best of their ability, yeah, it’s frustrating. I’ve spoken with players. I’ve talked to Jay. Jay has talked to the players. Players talk amongst themselves ... We don’t need another meeting.” Toronto Sun

"It's perplexing," said Bryan Colangelo, the man who concocted this mix and has continually acknowledged he's to blame if it bombs. "There's no doubt that we've regressed back to the level we started the season with." Toronto Star

I know that you’re a black belt in judo. Tell me about it. Mbenga: I’m not using it right now, but sometimes I’ll use it while playing to knock people down. I’ve been practicing a long, long time. When I got my black belt, it was 2001. I was 18 years old and I was in Belgium. MT: So this was in a dojo in Belgium, but you started with the judo in Congo, right? Mbenga: Yes, I started when I was 13 years old. And judo takes time. It depends what kind of sensei you have, how far you get. MT: How do you incorporate it into basketball? Mbenga: Well, that’s why I look like this (Editor’s Note 2: Mbenga simply pointed to his absurdly sculpted frame). I’m not really a weight-lifting guy. That might not be good for me. Judo has always helped me with that. NBA.com

What’s your favorite language to speak out of the seven in which you’re fluent? Mbenga: I love to speak Lingala because it’s the most fun. When I was growing up, we weren’t allowed to speak it in the house because my mom didn’t like it. MT: Why didn’t she like it? Mbenga: It’s more disrespectful. Lingala used to be spoken by the army; it was like a code. But then everyone started speaking it in Congo. So parents would want their kids to speak properly, and Lingala was not proper. My parents spoke French and Tshiluba (Editor’s Note 4: Tshiluba is a national language of the Democratic Republic of Congo with Bantu origins). MT: With whom do you get to speak Lingala? Your countryman Dikembe Mutombo? Mbenga: Yes, Dikembe. Also my little brother, my older brother, and others. When I played against Dikembe, we would speak Lingala, but we would also speak in Tshiluba because we’re from the same city (Kinshasa). NBA.com

Dorell Wright: I want to sincerely apologize to the entire Heat organization, my teammates and the fans for any distraction my I am truly sorry. Since this is a pending legal matter in the court system, I will have no further comment. Wanna also thank all my Twitter Fam for all the LOVE,Prayers and Support!! Means a lot. Twitter.com

Boris Diaw's former financial adviser was sentenced to 12 months in jail for embezzling money. It's a suspended sentence and the man has to pay 10,000 euros ($14,000) to Diaw. BasketUSA.com

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: I will always think of Peter G when I repeat the lines "We have clearance, Clarence". I send my condolences to his family & friends. KAJ33. Twitter.com

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