HoopsHype.com Rumors

Mark Deeds: Three incidences of unsurprising news here: Aaron Gray, Linas Kleiza and Charlie Villanueva have all opted in for next season. Twitter @MarkDeeksNBA

Linas Kleiza, Charlie Villanueva, Aaron Gray 

Linas Kleiza wants everyone to know his basketball career is not over. The Toronto Raptors forward made an impromptu appearance before the media on Friday morning to refute a Lithuanian report that his nagging knee problems had spelled the end of his career. In fact, Kleiza said he could return to action as early as a week from now. Kleiza's brother called him Friday morning to inform him of the article on Lithuanian website 15min.lt. "The article. . . said my career was over, I'm retired. It's funny, it's the Lithuanian media, I don't even know what to say," Kleiza said. "I don't even want to talk about it, I don't know how you can even write something like that out of the blue. "It's funny, but at the end of the day, it's not very funny when they talk about you like that." TSN

Toronto Raptors, Linas Kleiza, Injuries 

Kleiza said he never considered retirement through his recovery, and tried to laugh off the Lithuanian article. "I don't take things personal what they write, they write a lot of stuff," he said. "They translate rumours into facts, that's how it is in a small country, where basketball is the number one thing. "I just want to get back, like I said, I feel great. " TSN

Toronto Raptors, Linas Kleiza, Injuries 

Holly MacKenzie: Linas Kleiza spoke with the media at shootaround. Refutes reports that knee isn't okay and says he could return soon. Twitter @stackmack

Toronto Raptors, Linas Kleiza, Injuries 

Eric Koreen: Kleiza on Lithuanian reports that his career was in danger: “That’s the good thing about Lithuania: I had no idea either." Twitter @ekoreen

Toronto Raptors, Linas Kleiza, Injuries 

Eric Koreen: More Kleiza: “I don’t even want to talk about it, but I don’t know how you can write something like that out of the blue." Twitter @ekoreen

Toronto Raptors, Linas Kleiza, Injuries 

Toronto Raptors forward Linas Kleiza has not had much luck with injuries the last couple of years and bad turned to worse as the Lithuanian player might have to undergo a knee surgery once again. The 28-year-old Kleiza has been sidelined for the last couple of months and has appeared in only 20 games this season. According to Asta Zukaite of 15min.lt, this number is unlikely to change. It is claimed that the player could not only be done for the season, but the future of his career in general is in doubt. lithuaniabasketball.com

Toronto Raptors, Linas Kleiza, Injuries 

According to the former head of the Lithuanian national team’s delegation and a good friend of Kleiza, Antanas Guoga, it is likely that the surgery will need to be repeated. “I’ve heard that the surgery didn’t go right, there were some mistakes [in the rehabilitation process] after the injury. It’s not good that he underwent surgery in the United States. You can’t turn the clock back, but things might have been different, if it had been Lithuanian medics,” Guoga told 15min.lt. lithuaniabasketball.com

Toronto Raptors, Linas Kleiza, Injuries 

The Toronto Raptors are actively seeking to bolster their roster in an effort to make a playoff run this season. Sources close to Raptors forward Linas Kleiza have indicated they wouldn’t be surprised in the least if the veteran is dealt by the team before Thursday’s trade deadline and believe he is no longer part of the Raptors’ future plans. HoopsWorld

Toronto Raptors, Trade, Linas Kleiza 

Linas Kleiza, who has not played for almost two months, could leave the Toronto Raptors soon. The trade deadline is Thursday and the Raptors' front office is hoping to find a new team for the player, according to basketnews.lt sources. lrytas.lt

Toronto Raptors, Trade, Linas Kleiza 

Stretch power forward Andrea Bargnani, veteran point guard Jose Calderon and fellow vet Linas Kleiza are among the players, sources say, that the Raptors have discussed making available to the Lakers in a deal for Gasol. It's an open secret around the league, meanwhile, that Timberwolves general manager David Kahn has been trying since last season to acquire Gasol to join fellow Spaniard Ricky Rubio in a three-man core with All-Star forward Kevin Love, but sources say that the Lakers continue to resist Minnesota's attempts to build a trade offer around 2011's No. 2 overall pick Derrick Williams and center Nikola Pekovic. ESPN.com

Los Angeles Lakers, Toronto Raptors, Trade, Linas Kleiza, Pau Gasol, Jose Manuel Calderon, Ricky Rubio, Nikola Pekovic, Andrea Bargnani 

There was one — and only one — Dream Team. So that is the American view. But not everyone is American. As all knowledgable American basketball fans know, Lithuania is the country that has competed at a high level most consistently over the past six Olympics. Lithuania produced Arvydas Sabonis, Sarunas Marciulionis, Sarunas Jasikevicius, Linas Kleiza, Jonas Valenciunas, and Egle, among others. And now a film has been made about the 1992 Lithuanian national team, entitled “The Other Dream Team.” SheridanHoops

Linas Kleiza, Arvydas Sabonis, Olympics, Lithuania, Sarunas Jasikevicius 

USA head coach Mike Kryzewski was also genuine in his praise for Lithuania. "They were quick as a unit, they played as one seemlessly. I thought their veterans led the way," he said. "Kleiza was particularly outstanding and Pocius played great. We had to make big plays to win." FIBA.com

Linas Kleiza, USA Basketball, Team USA, Mike Krzyzewski, Olympics, Lithuania, Martynas Pocius 

Valanciunas will be helped by other Lithuanian, Linas Kleiza, whom Jonas asked lots of questions about his future team. "On our way to supper with Raptors representatives I asked him a lot of questions. I was introduced to both - city and team. Will I be under Kleiza's wing? I hope so. At least he promised me that, so we will see if he keeps his promise." ATN.lt

Toronto Raptors, Linas Kleiza, Lithuania, Jonas Valanciunas 

Forget Sonny Weems, please, he’s not in the mix (for the Raptors), Linas Kleiza is no more an NBA two than you are, Bayless and Forbes are question marks with one year left on their deals right now. Toronto Star

Toronto Raptors, Linas Kleiza, Sonny Weems 

Ervinas Spūdys: Romanov about signing Kleiza: "It's a lottery I don't want to take part in" Twitter

Toronto Raptors, Linas Kleiza, Lockout, Lithuania 

Linas Kleiza has confirmed that he will be coming back to play in Lithuania while the NBA lockout continues and the only choice left is between Lietuvos Rytas and Zalgiris. “We’ll see how things pan out. I can’t say that the negotiations are intense, but the situation with Lietuvos Rytas is very clear, but I haven’t heard anything concrete from Zalgiris,” said Kleiza. lithuaniabasketball.com

Toronto Raptors, Linas Kleiza, Lockout, Lithuania 

Linas Kleiza denies reports that he's close to joining Lietuvos Rytas. BasketNews.lt

Toronto Raptors, Linas Kleiza, Lockout 

The lockout is close to bringing another NBA player back to Europe, as Lithuanian forward Linas Kleiza is reported to be on the verge of joining Lietuvos Rytas, where he would join a potential Toronto Raptors teammate Jonas Valanciunas, who was drafted by the Canadian club in this year’s NBA Draft. According to BTV Television, the 26-year-old Lithuanian star, who is recovering from a knee injury, would join the Lithuanian League (LKL) runners-up once fully healthy. After undergoing surgery in the beginning of February, the initial recovery time was said to be between nine and twelve months. lithuaniabasketball.com

Toronto Raptors, Linas Kleiza, Lockout, Lithuania 

According to BTV (Baltic TV), Lietuvos Rytas might add to the roster Linas Kleiza. The Lithuanian forward is out since months due to a serious injury suffered last NBA season while he was playing with Toronto Raptors Sportando

Toronto Raptors, Linas Kleiza, Lockout, Lithuania, Lietuvos Rytas