HoopsHype.com Rumors

Andres Pando: Kobe Bryant will spend the weekend in Brazil. Guillermo Marin still working to bring him to Argentina. Twitter @andresp

Los Angeles Lakers, Kobe Bryant, Injuries 

Rick Bonnell: Alex Len's agent -- @mike_sig -- says appointment with Dr. Anderson went great. Len (ankle stress fracture) cleared to stop using crutches. Twitter @rick_bonnell

Draft, Injuries, Alex Len 

Davide Chinellato: #Nuggets Danilo Gallinari to #Gazzetta: "Rehab is going very well. I have treatments twice a day. Everything is going as planned" #NBA Twitter @dchinellato

Denver Nuggets, Injuries, Danilo Gallinari 

Unable to play basketball this offseason, Russell Westbrook has taken up Vine as a mini-hobby. Last week, he made some six-second clips on the social media video service, covering a pair of Taylor Swift songs. And now, via Vine, he has announced a fairly large stepping stone in his rehab process from knee surgery. Westbrook is off crutches, proclaiming ‘I’m back’. Oklahoman

Oklahoma City Thunder, Injuries, Russell Westbrook, Vine 

Topping the list of negatives is the fact Noel underwent surgery on his left knee in mid-March and is not expected to play until around Christmas, at the earliest. “The key is he hurt the same knee in high school,” said Ryan Blake, the NBA’s senior director of scouting. “You don’t know what’s going to happen with him. He’s not going to be in the summer league, he’s not going to be in the preseason and he may not be there in the season.” Medina County Gazette

Draft, Injuries, Nerlens Noel 

Exactly when he will come back, however, is uncertain. Noel will reportedly be in town to meet with the Cavs on Thursday, at which time the team’s medical staff will likely attempt to learn as much as possible about his knee. “I’m 100 percent confident in not just gaining what I had, but being stronger and coming back better,” Noel said at the combine. “I’ll be working on a lot of things I needed to polish. I think it’s going to help me in the long run. “With modern medicine, I’ll definitely come back stronger. Just being who I am and working as hard as I do, I definitely feel I’ll be the player I’m expected to be, if not better.” Medina County Gazette

Draft, Injuries, Nerlens Noel 

Rick Bonnell: While in Charlotte Tues., Alex Len has a follow up with Dr. Anderson, foot specialist who operated on his ankle in April. Twitter @rick_bonnell

Charlotte Bobcats, Draft, Injuries, Alex Len 

Tim Bontemps: According to @Jonathan Givony former St. John's and Iona commit Norvel Pelle has pulled out of the 2013 NBA Draft because of a foot injury. Twitter @TimBontemps

Draft, Injuries, Norvell Pelle 

Net Daily: Pelle could play in D-League this season AND be eligible for the NBA Draft next year. D-League draft is in November. He could be taken high. Twitter @NetsDaily

Draft, D-League, Injuries, Norvell Pelle 

Rick Bonnell: Interesting: Alex Len's surgery in April to stabilize partial stress fracture in left ankle was done in Charlotte (Dr. Andrews) Twitter @rick_bonnell

Charlotte Bobcats, Draft, Injuries, Alex Len 

Kobe Bryant hopes fans can do something his teammates couldn’t in the NBA playoffs. With the Lakers’ star still sidelined from a torn left Achilles’ tendon, Bryant has partnered with the International Olympics Committee (IOC) to promote Olympic Day on June 23 and asked fans in the video above to fill his absence. “I can’t run, I can’t jump and I can’t swim yet,” Bryant said. “So I need you guys to pick up the slack for me and be doubly active.” Los Angeles Daily News

Los Angeles Lakers, Kobe Bryant, Injuries 

Josh Newman: C.J. Leslie sat out today with what he said was a hip issue. I asked if he has more workouts lined up, he grinned & said, 'We shut it down' Twitter

Draft, Injuries, CJ Leslie, Workouts 

Derrick Rose didn't deserve to be criticized by fans for sitting out the entire 2012-13 season while rehabbing from a torn ACL in his left knee, Bulls Hall of Famer Scottie Pippen said. "I was kind of surprised people turned on him knowing the difficulty of Derrick's injury," Pippen said at Nike's pro-am basketball league at Whitney Young High School on Saturday. "No one can justify what he's going through. No one can make his decision as to when to get back on the basketball court. I thought he took a little bit of a hit for it. ESPN.com

Chicago Bulls, Scottie Pippen, Derrick Rose, Injuries 

Tim Bontemps: Tony Parker is noticeably limping as he walks up to the podium postgame. Twitter @TimBontemps

San Antonio Spurs, Tony Parker, Injuries 

Tim Bontemps: Parker was asked by @Mike Monroe about limping to the podium: "Just tired. It was a physical game. Tried to pace myself better." Twitter @TimBontemps

San Antonio Spurs, Tony Parker, Injuries 

The San Antonio Spurs today announced that guard Patty Mills will miss the remainder of the 2013 NBA Finals. Mills had an infection in his right foot and, in turn, an abscess developed between his fourth and fifth toes. The abscess was removed during a short out-patient surgery on Friday afternoon. NBA.com

San Antonio Spurs, Patrick Mills, Injuries 

Jeff Caplan: Spurs just announced this INJURY UPDATE: Patty Mills (infection in foot/abscess removed) will miss the remainder of the 2013 #NBAFINALS. Twitter @Caplan_NBA

San Antonio Spurs, Patrick Mills, Injuries 

It’s been almost nothing but ice and massages over the past two days for All-Star Tony Parker as he rehabs his strained right hamstring in advance of tonight’s Game 5 against Miami. “I don’t know (how many hours), I don’t count,” he said. “But a lot. Most of the day. I’ll do everything (it takes).” Parker has even called in the services of Fabrice Gautier, the Los Angeles-based osteopath for the French national basketball team. Parker, who was injured in the second half of Game 3, said the leg feels better with each passing day, but noted during Saturday’s availability that the hamstring could tear at any time. San Antonio Express-News

San Antonio Spurs, Tony Parker, Injuries 

Dan McCarney: Parker says he feels good, ready to go for tonight after rehabbing like crazy over the past two days. Twitter @danmccarneysaen

San Antonio Spurs, Tony Parker, Injuries 

Olajuwon admitted his lone concern is if the latest two knee surgeries lessens his elevating ability even moreso — but said he doubts it. Stoudemire is just 30 years old, and Olajuwon said the No. 1 goal is not to turn him back into a superstar, just a productive starter. “The only thing I want to see is his elevation,” Olajuwon said. “He needs good elevation. That’s why he needs his knees to be strong so he can finish strong. Once you have surgeries, it depends on how hard you work to get back. Once he’s comfortable, we can apply a little more innovation. If he’s moving good, it will be smoother and he’ll get good elevation, and he’ll get to another level. All summer he’ll have to strengthen his knees.” New York Post

New York Knicks, Amare Stoudemire, Injuries, Hakeem Olajuwon