HoopsHype.com Rumors

Dan Woike: Jordan and Dahntay Jones were asked yes or no, would Howard be back for Lakers. Both players said no. Twitter @DanWoikeSports

Los Angeles Lakers, Free Agency, Dwight Howard, Dahntay Jones, DeAndre Jordan 

The pitches he will get after the second leg of this journey, the ones that will likely come from Houston, Dallas and Atlanta, among others (after July 1), will no doubt be very different. And yes, he intends to listen to those pitches, and no, he won't give the Lakers an answer in advance of the beginning of the free-agency period so they can plan accordingly. ESPN.com

Atlanta Hawks, Dallas Mavericks, Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Lakers, Free Agency, Dwight Howard 

In one section of the book, Phil Jackson talks about him hearing of his new Los Angeles job while with his sons. After leaving the Chicago Bulls, Jackson was without a coaching job until the Los Angeles Lakers struck a deal with the then six-time champion. Jackson remembers the day his career took a turn for the better and offered a glimpse into the day. Lakers Nation

Los Angeles Lakers, Phil Jackson 

Phil Jackson: I was in the middle of nowhere–a small village on the Iliamna Lake in Alaska–when I heard the news. My sons, Ben and Charlie, were with me. We were on a fly-fishing trip in a secluded wilderness area, and the fishing wasn’t going very well. So that afternoon we knocked off early and boated up the Iliamna River to see the falls. When we arrived back at the village, a throng of children surrounded us. “Are you Phil Jackson?” one of the boys asked. “Yes,” I replied. “Why?” “I hear you got the job with the Lakers.” “What? How do you know that?” “We got a dish. It’s on ESPN.” Lakers Nation

Los Angeles Lakers, Phil Jackson 

Phil Jackson: That’s how my adventure began. Actually, it didn’t come as a total surprise. My agent, Todd, and I had discussed the deal before I left for Alaska. I’d given him the go-ahead to negotiate with the Lakers since I would be unreachable by phone. Still, it was a bit of a shock to get the news from an Inuit boy in a place as far away in spirit from the glitzy, high stakes culture of Los Angeles as any I could imagine. Lakers Nation

Los Angeles Lakers, Phil Jackson 

Lakers forward Devin Ebanks got banged hard outside an L.A. nightclub ... when another car reversed into the luxury ride he had JUST gotten into -- and TMZ got video of the LOUD collision. Ebanks walked out of Greystone Manor last night, hopped into the passenger side of a friend's Mercedes sedan, and seconds later ... a huge CRASH ... as a Lexus smashed into them! TMZ.com

Los Angeles Lakers, Devin Ebanks 

It's unclear if Ebanks was injured, but the smash-up is way more action than the bench player saw in the Lakers' short playoff run. TMZ.com

Los Angeles Lakers, Devin Ebanks 

Kobe Bryant: Really?? Me. Retire?? Soon, but not yet. Vino still has work to do #35 #OG #kbvff Twitter @kobebryant

Los Angeles Lakers, Kobe Bryant 

Alex Kennedy: The Atlanta Hawks will also pursue Dwight Howard. Their dream scenario is to sign Howard and Chris Paul. They can offer two max contracts. Twitter @AlexKennedyNBA

Atlanta Hawks, Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers, Free Agency, Chris Paul, Dwight Howard 

Ramona Shelburne: You can cross Clippers off list of Dwight suitors, btw. Not happening for multiple reasons, according to sources Twitter @ramonashelburne

Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers, Free Agency, Dwight Howard 

During the Sports Spectacular event on Sunday night, Kobe announced (via remote video) that he was teaming up with Sports Spectacular to help eradicate homelessness. Kobe, who’s been fighting homelessness in Los Angeles along with his wife and the Kobe & Vanessa Bryant Foundation, wasn’t able to be at the event (something about a torn Achilles), but was still excited to share the news. Lakers Nation

Los Angeles Lakers, Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles, Vanessa Bryant 

Kobe Bryant: “I’d like to officially announce that we’re partnering with Sports Spectacular to help eradicate homelessness. We’re doing an event, it’s called Kobe: Up Close, and it’s about my past presence and future if you are interested. The event is August 15th at the Nokia Theater.” Lakers Nation

Los Angeles Lakers, Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles, Vanessa Bryant 

ABC is really hurting without the benefit of the Miami Heat on their airwaves. This past weekend, ratings for the Spurs-Warriors and Knicks-Pacers games suffered sharp declines. Sunday's San Antonio-Golden State matchup drew a 3.4 rating and 5.3 million viewers, down 29% in ratings and 30% in viewers from last year's Heat-Pacers game and 36% and 40% from 2011's Lakers-Mavericks matchup. The Knicks and Pacers didn't fare any better on Saturday evening, drawing similar marks of a 3.5 rating and 5.3 million viewers, down 29% and 35% from Heat-Celtcs in 2011 (with no comparable game last year). Awful Announcing

Dallas Mavericks, Golden State Warriors, Indiana Pacers, Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat, New York Knicks, San Antonio Spurs, Media 

With the Lakers hoping for a swift decision from Dwight Howard on his free agency this summer, the All-Star center has given no indication he will rush the process and has privately indicated that he plans to give strong consideration to multiple teams, league sources told CBSSports.com. Though Howard is adamant that his free agency not be marred by the circus-like environment that surrounded his departure from Orlando last summer, word already has spread to multiple levels of his support staff that Howard re-signing with the Lakers is far from a done deal. CBSSports.com

Los Angeles Lakers, Free Agency, Dwight Howard 

With six weeks to go before Howard becomes an unrestricted free agent, the team that is said to intrigue him the most is the Houston Rockets, according to multiple people briefed on internal conversations surrounding Howard's free-agent decision. The Rockets have a young star, James Harden, who has proved himself worthy of playing the leading role for the franchise; a budding 3-point shooting threat in Chandler Parsons; a defensive-minded coach in Kevin McHale; and Omer Asik, the kind of 7-footer Howard is believed to want next to him in the frontcourt. CBSSports.com

Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Lakers, Free Agency, Dwight Howard 

The Mavericks represent another franchise that intrigues Howard, and Dallas is a minor transaction or two away from having enough room to sign Howard outright as an unrestricted free agent. Howard plans to explore all such options, and a person briefed on his plans told CBSSports.com that there are "several" teams the free-agent center is "going to take a hard look at." CBSSports.com

Dallas Mavericks, Los Angeles Lakers, Free Agency, Dwight Howard 

Though league sources acknowledge that it would be difficult for Howard to leave LA and its off-court branding opportunities, Howard would find himself in somewhat of a dead-end in terms of the talent surrounding him with the Lakers going forward. If the Lakers re-signed Howard, even the bold move of amnestying Pau Gasol and his $19.3 million contract would leave them too far over the luxury-tax line to have access to anything beyond the taxpayer mid-level exception and minimum contracts to improve the roster. Teams that are $4 million or more above the tax line cannot use the full mid-level or bi-annual exceptions to sign free agents. Also, Kobe Bryant, 35, is coming off surgery to repair a torn Achilles' tendon. CBSSports.com

Los Angeles Lakers, Free Agency, Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, Dwight Howard 

Marc Stein: Word is Lakers assistant coach Steve Clifford gets his interview for Bobcats' HC opening Tuesday. CHA interviewed Kelvin Sampson last week Twitter @ESPNSteinLine

Charlotte Bobcats, Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Lakers, Coaching, Kelvin Sampson, Steve Clifford 

Metta World Peace: All you Fans out there make sure to show love to the whole team and not just so called stars. Teams win rings , solo artist "Go Fishing" KS Twitter @MettaWorldPeace

Los Angeles Lakers, Metta World Peace 

The Lakers have three unrestricted free agents in Earl Clark, Antawn Jamison and Howard. The team can also make Darius Morris, Robert Sacre, Andrew Goudelock and Devin Ebanks restricted free agents in July. Ebanks isn't likely to get a qualifying offer from the team, which would make him unrestricted. Los Angeles Times

Los Angeles Lakers, Free Agency, Devin Ebanks, Antawn Jamison, Earl Clark, Darius Morris, Andrew Goudelock, Robert Sacre