HoopsHype.com Rumors

Henry Thomas, the agent for Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade, told the Sun Sentinel that he plans to appeal Wade's one-game NBA suspension for Wade's kick to the groin of Charlotte Bobcats guard Ramon Sessions. While Wade was forced to sit out Friday's loss to the Detroit Pistons, with that part of the sanction not subject to appeal, Thomas told the Sun Sentinel that Wade would appeal the lost wages, which are in excess of $150,000 for the missed game. "We are doing it on the basis that I don't think the suspension was warranted," Thomas said. South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Charlotte Bobcats, Miami Heat, Dwyane Wade, Henry Thomas, Ramon Sessions, Referees, Agents 

Bosh’s agent, Henry Thomas, said in a phone interview with FOX Sports Florida he did not know which Nike representative Colangelo was referring to and said he would be surprised if Bosh himself would have said he was definitely in for the Olympics. FOXSports Florida

Chris Bosh, Jerry Colangelo, USA Basketball, Henry Thomas, Injuries, Team USA, Olympics 

Agent Henry Thomas on Chris Bosh dropping out of Olympics: “He was really looking forward to playing. He enjoyed the experience back in 2008. It was a great experience… We just thought the smartest thing to do going forward was to rest it and rehab it.’’ Sulia

Miami Heat, Chris Bosh, USA Basketball, Henry Thomas, Injuries, Team USA, Olympics 

Chris Tomasson: Dwyane Wade’s agent, Henry Thomas, on his client’s surgery: “It’s a relatively simple process He’ll be on crutches maybe just a day.’’ Twitter

Miami Heat, Dwyane Wade, Henry Thomas, Injuries 

Chris Tomasson: Dwyane Wade’s agent, Henry Thomas,said Wade could have elected not to have the surgery. “He just felt that going forward, if he didn’t have it done, he would again experience the periodic pain that he had this past season,’’ Thomas said. “He wanted to do it for the future, to make sure he’d be at 100 percent… It’s in the lining of the knee, and that’s what causes the excess fluid to build up.’’ Sulia

Miami Heat, Dwyane Wade, Henry Thomas, Injuries 

Hunter, though, has rival factions within his own house to contend with. He acknowledged in a Tuesday night interview with NBA TV that a fast-moving decertification push driven by agents and frustrated players -- most notably Boston Celtics star Paul Pierce -- has "close to" 200 players in the process of signing a petition that would call for a decertification vote. The movement, sources said, has grown to include more than the original seven agents (Mark Bartelstein, Bill Duffy, Dan Fegan, Leon Rose, Jeff Schwartz, Arn Tellem and Henry Thomas) who have been advocating decertification for months. "I think you'd be surprised how big it's gotten," said one source, who added that "the wheels are in motion" and that signatures are already "coming in pretty quickly." ESPN.com

Boston Celtics, Paul Pierce, CBA, Leon Rose, Dan Fegan, Mark Bartelstein, Henry Thomas, David Stern, Lockout, Billy Hunter, NBPA, Arn Tellem, Jeff Schwartz, Agents, Bill Duffy 

Sources within seven of the most prominent agencies – including the agents and players themselves – said they have overwhelming support to march toward dissolving the union. The agents are selling decertification to the players as a leverage tool to get a deal done to salvage the season, as much as a long-term threat to take the owners to federal court with an antitrust lawsuit. Agents working on the decertification include Mark Bartelstein, Arn Tellem, Jeff Schwartz, Bill Duffy, Leon Rose, Henry Thomas and Dan Fegan. Yahoo! Sports

CBA, Leon Rose, Dan Fegan, Mark Bartelstein, Henry Thomas, David Stern, Lockout, Billy Hunter, NBPA, Arn Tellem, Jeff Schwartz, Agents, Bill Duffy 

If a new labor deal was not completed within that 45-day span and a second vote is sanctioned by the NLRB, decertification would then require a simple majority vote of the league's 450-odd players to pass. At that point, players would have the freedom to sue the NBA under antitrust law and attempt to bring an end to the lockout via court system. Yet there are widespread fears around the league that, if decertification gets that far, any hope of playing even a reduced schedule in 2011-12 would be lost. The so-called "Big Seven" agents who pushed for decertification throughout the summer -- Mark Bartelstein, Bill Duffy, Dan Fegan, Leon Rose, Jeff Schwartz, Arn Tellem and Henry Thomas -- have long believed that the league's desire to keep this labor battle out of courts via the decertification process would force Stern and the union's owners to bargain more fairly during the 45-day "grace" period. ESPN.com

Los Angeles Lakers, Derek Fisher, CBA, Leon Rose, Dan Fegan, Mark Bartelstein, Henry Thomas, Lockout, Billy Hunter, NBPA, Arn Tellem, Jeff Schwartz, Agents, Bill Duffy 

The seven agents who sent NBA players a "warning letter" on Monday held a conference call Wednesday afternoon to discuss their next move in the league's lockout, according to sources with knowledge of the situation. Those agents -- Arn Tellum, Bill Duffy, Dan Fegan, Jeff Schwartz, Leon Rose, Henry Thomas and Mark Bartelstein -- had been strong behind-the-scenes advocates of decertification for the Players Association but, according to the source, now believe that the time to do so has passed. The letter, which was first reported by ESPN's Ric Bucher, has been widely viewed by players and others around the league as anti-union. ESPN.com

CBA, Leon Rose, Dan Fegan, Mark Bartelstein, Henry Thomas, Lockout, NBPA, Jeff Schwartz, Agents, Bill Duffy 

The seven agents who sent NBA players a "warning letter" on Monday are holding a conference call Wednesday afternoon to discuss their next move in the league's player lockout, according to sources with knowledge of the situation. Those agents -- Arn Tellem, Bill Duffy, Dan Fegan, Jeff Schwartz, Leon Rose, Henry Thomas and Mark Bartelstein -- have been strong behind-the-scenes advocates of decertification for the NBA Players Association. The meeting was expected to begin at 2 p.m. ET. ESPN.com

Leon Rose, Dan Fegan, Mark Bartelstein, Henry Thomas, Lockout, Arn Tellem, Jeff Schwartz, Agents, Bill Duffy 

The letter, which was first reported by ESPN The Magazine's Ric Bucher, has been widely viewed by players and others around the league as critical of the union's leadership. But one of the agents said Wednesday that the call will center on how the agents can best help union executive director Billy Hunter get a fair deal for the players, rather than on pushing for decertification against the union's wishes. ESPN.com

Leon Rose, Dan Fegan, Mark Bartelstein, Henry Thomas, Lockout, Arn Tellem, Jeff Schwartz, Agents, Bill Duffy 

Sam Amick: He was, the agent says, a key power player in relationship between William Wesley and Rose that has led to much of CAA's recent growth. Twitter

William Wesley, Leon Rose, Dan Fegan, Mark Bartelstein, Henry Thomas, Lockout, Arn Tellem, Jeff Schwartz, Agents, Bill Duffy 

Sources say the letter, a copy of which was obtained from a player who received it, was jointly composed by Arn Tellem of Wasserman Media Group; Bill Duffy of BDA Sports; Dan Fegan of Lagardere Unlimited; Jeff Schwartz of Excel Sports Management; Leon Rose and Henry Thomas of Creative Artists Agency; and Mark Bartelstein of Priority Sports and Entertainment. ESPN.com

CBA, Leon Rose, Dan Fegan, Mark Bartelstein, Henry Thomas, David Stern, Lockout, Billy Hunter, NBPA, Arn Tellem, Jeff Schwartz, Agents, Bill Duffy 

If Miami Heat players head overseas during the lockout, the plans apparently will come on delayed and short notice. Agent Henry Thomas, whose agency represents the Heat's Dwyane Wade, LeBron James and Chris Bosh, Tuesday told the Sun Sentinel none of those three clients have received overseas offers and that none are actively seeking such opportunities. "If there are opportunities presented to my guys," Thomas said, "it's my responsibility then to look at those opportunities and see what they are." South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Miami Heat, LeBron James, Chris Bosh, Dwyane Wade, Henry Thomas, Lockout 

Of weighing such risks, Thomas said, "One of the elements that you look at when you're evaluating the opportunities that come to you is the risk, and that's going to be a significant piece that will have to be evaluated." Wade had been linked last week to an offer for $2 million a month from a team in China. "I'm certainly open to looking at any opportunities that are presented," Thomas said. "I can't, in a vacuum, say how I would advise them." South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Miami Heat, LeBron James, Chris Bosh, Dwyane Wade, Henry Thomas, Lockout 

Not only does Wade play for a Miami Heat team that has grown into the Chicago Bulls' No. 1 rival, but he also rejected the Bulls' advances during the free-agent period last summer. Suddenly, Wade transformed from a beloved local product who starred at Richards High School and continued to give generous amounts of time and money to the community throughout his NBA career, to Public Enemy No. 1 -- or at least 1-A. "It doesn't bother him," said Wade's Chicago-based agent, Henry Thomas. "He totally understands it. "He understood after free agency last summer that the reception was different than the one he would receive in the past. He gets it. In some sense, it's a sign of respect. He understands the kind of reception he gets now. He's in another uniform." ESPN.com

Chicago Bulls, Miami Heat, Dwyane Wade, Henry Thomas 

The Celtics brought Michael Finley in late last season for his shooting ability and his championship experience. Whether they'll bring him back is another matter. “He’s keeping his options open," said Finley's agent Henry Thomas. "Boston is definitely one of them.” Boston Globe

Free agent swingman Ronnie Brewer is interested in playing for the Chicago Bulls, according to his agent Henry Thomas. The interest from Brewer's camp comes as no surprise considering the tenuous nature of the offer sheet J.J. Redick signed with the Bulls last week. The Orlando Magic have until Friday to match the Bulls' three-year, nearly $20 million offer sheet for Redick. ESPN.com

Chicago Bulls, Free Agency, Ronnie Brewer, Henry Thomas 

Ross Siler: Text from agent Henry Thomas this morning that Raja Bell signing takes Jazz out of running to bring back Ronnie Brewer. Twitter

Utah Jazz, Raja Bell, Ronnie Brewer, Henry Thomas 

The Charlotte Bobcats have addressed their hole at point guard by coming to terms with free agent Shaun Livingston. Agent Henry Thomas on Wednesday confirmed his client was headed to Charlotte but didn't provide financial figures. Yahoo! Sports reported it was a two-year deal worth $7 million. Bobcats coach Larry Brown calls it a "good get." ESPN.com

Charlotte Bobcats, Free Agency, Larry Brown, Henry Thomas, Shaun Livingston