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The messages provoked responses that were both supportive and critical, and some users raised questions about the suggestive nature and demeaning tone of some of the messages. Asked by Anne Peterson of the Associated Press if he understood that his messages might have offended some readers, he acknowledged that he did, upon reflection. "Yeah, now that you asked me that question, yeah," he said. Blazers Edge

Portland Trail Blazers, JJ Hickson 

"I think I represent the Trail Blazers great," he said. "What I tweet and what I do outside of basketball, that's my personal things that I do. I could do something good and one million people would think it's good and one person thinks it's wrong." The messages were meant to be humorous, he concluded. "It definitely was jokes," he said of his intention. "Some people take it out of proportion and want to do other things with it. That's their problem, not mine." Blazers Edge

Portland Trail Blazers, JJ Hickson 

The NBA has a social media policy that applies to its players but it's not yet clear whether Hickson's messages violated the policy. The Blazers said Tuesday that they will investigate. Blazers Edge

Portland Trail Blazers, JJ Hickson 

Darren Wolfson: Not sure who the #Twolves trade targets are. Working on. Told again no on Josh Smith. No on Hickson. And while they like Redick, doubtful. Twitter @DarrenWolfson

Atlanta Hawks, Minnesota Timberwolves, Orlando Magic, Portland Trail Blazers, Trade, JJ Redick, JJ Hickson, Josh Smith 

Adrian Wojnarowski: Portland still willing to move J.J. Hickson, but hasn't found an appealing offer yet, sources tell Y! Twitter @WojYahooNBA

Portland Trail Blazers, Trade, JJ Hickson 

Stefan Bondy: Heard the Nets are interested in Portland's JJ Hickson, who can veto a trade. Hickson would lose his Bird Rights if dealt. Twitter @NYDNInterNets

Brooklyn Nets, Portland Trail Blazers, Trade, JJ Hickson 

JJ Hickson: S/O to all the strippers in the world. I know society y'all a bad reputation. It's good tho I don't judge. I definitely respect y'all hustle Twitter @Hickson21

Portland Trail Blazers, JJ Hickson 

A source said to keep an eye on forward J.J. Hickson, whose Bird Rights allow teams to go over the salary cap to re-sign him, as possible trade bait. Yahoo! Sports

Portland Trail Blazers, Trade, JJ Hickson 

Portland’s energetic J.J. Hickson has played himself into a great position even while playing out of position. At 6-foot-9, Hickson is the Blazers’ undersized center who’s putting up double-doubles at a higher rate than even his All-Star teammate LaMarcus Aldridge. Hickson’s 14 points and 10 rebounds in Wednesday’s loss at Dallas was his 27th double-double, tied for third-most in the league. It’s the kind of production that will put Hickson, 24, atop many teams’ offseason shopping lists when he becomes an unrestricted free agent in July. “I’d be lying if I wasn’t looking forward to it, but that’s something I’ll get more excited about when that period hits,” Hickson said. “It’s something that me and my agent will talk about, but right now I’m just worried about playing basketball and trying to make these playoffs.” NBA.com

Portland Trail Blazers, Free Agency, JJ Hickson 

Darren Wolfson: Forgot to answer Hickson question on @1500ESPN. The #Twolves have not asked about him. Told Derrick Williams is being shopped heavily. Twitter @DarrenWolfson

Minnesota Timberwolves, Portland Trail Blazers, Trade, JJ Hickson, Derrick Williams 

Hickson has expressed several times how happy he is with the Blazers and there is a belief that Portland will do a new deal with Hickson this summer. The problem is Hickson may have played himself into a market value the Blazers won’t match. There are several teams with interest in trading for Hickson. However, if he is traded he loses his Bird rights. The only way that makes sense for Hickson to approve is if the trading team is going to have cap space to sign him without Bird rights and expresses a willingness to do it. HoopsWorld

Portland Trail Blazers, Trade, JJ Hickson 

Portland Trail Blazers 6-9 power forward/center JJ Hickson has been receiving exploratory interest from a handful of teams looking to potentially swap for his services before the Feb. 21 trade deadline, a source close to the situation told CSNNW.com. CSNNW.com

Portland Trail Blazers, Trade, JJ Hickson 

However, these teams have not made contact with Trail Blazers General Manager Neil Olshey, just yet. The inquiring phone calls are going to Hickson's agent Andy Miller, first, the source said. CSNNW.com

Portland Trail Blazers, Trade, JJ Hickson 

“Yeah, I'll be lying if I said it wasn't an exciting time in my life,” Hickson told CSNNW.com. “It's also exciting to play on this team that everybody counted us out at the start. We're making a lot of noise in the Western Conference. I'm trying to make this playoff run if I'm here after the trade deadline. Obviously, I'll be happy either way because I can veto any trade.” CSNNW.com

Portland Trail Blazers, Trade, JJ Hickson 

Consider that Hickson, who makes $4 million annually, is averaging a double double (12.2 points, 11 rebounds) this season. He's well regarded by fans. He's appreciated by teammates. Also, he's an unrestricted free agent by the end of the season, and anyone who has ever spent any time around owner Paul Allen knows that he'll be irked if Olshey loses the 24-year-old Hickson at the end of the season without getting something for him. Oregonian

Portland Trail Blazers, Trade, JJ Hickson 

League executives are watching this, of course. I talked to a Western Conference GM on Saturday who said, "This would be so much easier on Neil if the team fell out of the playoff race. Everyone figured that road trip would take Portland out of it, but it's put them right in the race and if he gets to that deadline in the same position he's going to have to make a difficult decision with a popular player. "It's a tough play when you're above .500." Oregonian

Portland Trail Blazers, Trade, JJ Hickson 

That's not the tricky part. Because even as the Blazers love Hickson, there are a number of league executives who don't believe he has trade-deadline value beyond, maybe, a couple of future second-round draft picks. Sacramento waived him last season. Cleveland struggled to trade him in 2011, getting Omri Casspi and a conditional pick for him. Even after posting encouraging numbers at the end of last season, there wasn't much interest in Hickson last summer beyond Portland, which signed him to that modest one-year deal. Oregonian

Portland Trail Blazers, Trade, JJ Hickson 

Hickson is an early candidate for Comeback Player of the Year after getting released by the Sacramento Kings last March. Since then he’s gone from an athletic, but undisciplined former prospect to a remarkably efficient offensive weapon. And since he’s still just 24, he’ll undoubtedly have offers over the summer. “I don’t know,” he told HOOPSWORLD about his future with the Blazers. “All I can do is control what I can control and that’s play the game of basketball and the rest will work itself out.” HoopsWorld

Portland Trail Blazers, Free Agency, JJ Hickson 

Hickson, on the other hand, could be expendable, in part because he is playing out of this world, far better than his $4 million salary. After finishing with 17 points and 14 rebounds Wednesday, Hickson has nine consecutive double-doubles, and is averaging 12.8 points and 11.1 rebounds, statistics that could be pricing himself right out of Portland. Not only will teams be interested in his high-energy game, the Blazers might be interested in getting something in return before he hits the free agent market. Oregonian

Portland Trail Blazers, Trade, JJ Hickson 

You were here last year for some time and we’re going through another DeMarcus Cousins situation. What was it like to be a teammate of his? Hickson: He’s a great player. You know, we all know that he has his ways about him. I think he has to do a better job of maturing and getting along with the coaching staff and his teammates, but besides all of that, he’s a phenomenal player. I think once he matures, he’s only going to get better. Cowbell Kingdom

Sacramento Kings, DeMarcus Cousins, JJ Hickson