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Friday, November 21

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The Knicks, Warriors and Clippers are talking about a three-way deal that would involve Jamal Crawford, Zach Randolph and Mardy Collins being sent in a cap-space clearing move that would bring in Tim Thomas, Cuttino Mobley and Al Harrington. The contracts on all three incoming players expire in 2010. Trying to confirm this now. Newsday

The Knicks appear to be close to landing athletic forward Al Harrington in a trade that could send the team's leading scorer, Jamal Crawford, out to Oakland. Details of the Harrington acquisition were only starting to slip out late last night -- Peter Vescey put something up on the Post's website at 2:44 a.m. -- and the only concrete piece of information so far is that the Knicks were getting Harrington. Newsday

Donnie Walsh is set to pull the trigger on his first substantive move as Knicks president, The New York Post has learned. Knicks sources said a deal for Al Harrington was to go through late yesterday, but was delayed until today. A league conference call is scheduled for this morning that would bring the disgruntled Warriors forward to the Knicks, presumably for Malik Rose. New York Post

They failed to hit it off almost immediately after the Pacers sent him to Golden State along with Stephen Jackson in a multi-player trade (Mike Dunleavy and Troy Murphy went to Indiana) on Jan. 16, 2007. Once their conflict became news (Harrington felt Nelson cramped his style) Al got sent to a time out chair - shortly after he complained of back problems and underwent a MRI. At that point Walsh intensified his effort to acquire the devalued forward, who asked to be traded in June. The Knicks reached out to executive VP of basketball operations Chris Mullin on several occasions, but were rebuffed for lack of equal compensation. The open conflict made it much easier to make a deal. The move will reunite Walsh with Harrington, whom the Pacers president drafted out of high school (No. 25) in 1998. New York Post

The chances of Antonio McDyess returning to Detroit are increasing, according to Pistons coach Michael Curry. "I get into [Boston] and I look across the [television screen] at 2:30 [a.m. yesterday] and it says that he is going to Charlotte," Curry said before last night's game. "I didn't sleep good. I figured they offered him a heck of a package. "But, as I've said before, the longer it goes, the better chance we have. I figured that if he didn't sign last week, he'd get through Thanksgiving. That puts us closer to Dec. 7 [when McDyess is eligible to re-sign with the Pistons, who traded him to Denver this month]. Hopefully, we can get it done." Rivers confirmed his team's chances of acquiring McDyess are not good. "I'm not involved with it right now; I've got the team and I'm focusing on that," Rivers said. "I'm not getting any reports, which is probably not good." Boston Globe

Curry and the rest of the team got to Boston in the wee hours Thursday morning. First thing Curry saw on television was an ESPN scroll stating Charlotte had made an offer to McDyess. "I saw where he was about to go to Charlotte," Curry said, laughing. "I didn't sleep good. I figured they must have offered him a heck of a package." Actually, McDyess to Charlotte is a dream of Bobcats coach Larry Brown . The odds of McDyess going to a non-contender are slim. "We still feel the same," Curry said. "The longer it goes, the better the chance we have of getting him back." The Pistons fully expect to re-sign McDyess once the 30-day waiting period expires on Dec. 7. Detroit News

It will probably be next week before forward-center Dwayne Jones joins the Bobcats, filling one of the roster openings created when Andre Brown and Linton Johnson were waived. Jones is traveling here from Turkey, where he previously played. Jones, at Cleveland last season, was recommended by Eric Snow, who also played for the Cavs and was Brown's point guard in Philadelphia. “An energy kid,” Brown said of Jones. “Everybody who's had him says he'll try to rebound and defend on every play.” Charlotte Observer

Jackson said if O'Neal had been willing to sign for the $20 million annual salary he wound up taking from Miami, he could have stayed in L.A. Then again, the Lakers never offered five years at $20 million per, which is what the Heat gave O'Neal. Jackson said "It was purely an economic situation. It wasn't anything about their personalities. It was purely economics." ESPN.com

Jackson’s response: “It was never about that with him. It was never an issue in that regard. It was purely an economic situation with our owner. It wasn’t anything about their personalities or one or the other guy. It was purely economics for our owner.” Jackson alluded to O’Neal’s initial demands for $30 million a year from Lakers owner Jerry Buss before eventually accepting $20 million a year in his contract extension from the Miami Heat. “Shaq accepted that when he was in Miami and went forward,” Jackson said. “And I think if he would’ve done that in L.A., he would still be there – if he would’ve voiced that type of sentiment at that time. It wasn’t about the personalities.” Orange County Register

While the hurt feelings linger in Los Angeles, Brand moved on to Philadelphia and a five-year deal worth nearly $80 million. Brand still occasionally chats with Clippers assistants and keeps in contact "quite often" with former teammates Cuttino Mobley and Chris Kaman, but the All-Star forward hasn't reached out to Dunleavy. "There's nothing really to talk about," said Brand after 76ers practice Thursday. Dunleavy wouldn't mind a chat before Friday's game in Philadelphia to figure out why Brand bailed on the Clippers. "We had a great relationship the whole time he was here," Dunleavy said. "It's surprising, some things you can't figure out. I don't know why he left. All the e-mails we exchanged were positive. All of a sudden, it just fell off a cliff." ESPN.com

Dunleavy and Brand haven't spoke since the news conference. The veteran coach hopes that changes on Friday. "If we don't speak, it won't be because I don't want to speak to him," Dunleavy said. "I still respect him, he was a great player for us." Brand said he hadn't thought too much about the game, saying he might feel different if he was traded or released. He was the one who made the decision to leave via free agency so there's nothing left to prove. His former teammates only wish Brand well. "No hard feelings. I'm mad at Elton because he didn't buy my house," said smiling Clippers forward and former Villanova standout Tim Thomas. "That's about it. This is a business. Elton made a decision to play back East, closer to home. That's about it. You can't be mad at him." ESPN.com

What he wanted was a victory. "I don't care to see them," Brand said. Brand's words were not meant to slam his former pals - he said he had texted two of them, Chris Kaman and Cuttino Mobley, leading up to the game - but rather as an indication of how focused he was on leveling the Sixers' record, which at 5-6 is a disappointment. "I can't worry about individual stuff," Brand said. "It's just a competition. It's just a game we need to win." Philadelphia Inquirer

Clippers Coach Mike Dunleavyhas rehashed the turn of events last summer -- and is still wanting for answers. "Elton had a great five years here. I loved him," he said. "There's a disappointment because you just don't understand. He and I text messaged and called and never went, either one of us, usually 10 to 15 minutes without calling or returning a text. And then next thing I know it went silent." Dunleavy was asked what would happen if he ran into Brand in the hallway before the game. "If we don't speak, it's not because of me not wanting to speak to him," he said. "There's not going to be any love lost from my standpoint." Los Angeles Times

Owner Glen Taylor and vice president of basketball operations Kevin McHale said they feel as good today about that seven-for-one deal, which brought the Wolves center Al Jefferson, four other players and two future first-round draft choices, as the day they made it. "I do like the deal," McHale said. "Like I said at the time, it was going to be a change, and there'll be some growing pains on the thing. But yeah, I couldn't be happier with Al and his progression and the fact that he's 23. That was the thing. You gained 10 years in age on the primary assets in the trade. So yeah, I like the deal." St. Paul Pioneer Press

"I still feel the trade was the right move for us," Taylor said. "We were into kind of a hold mode there. I didn't see us going ahead. I saw us doing fairly well for the next few years but never getting ourselves in a position to get the draft choices we needed to make a change. Therefore, I thought we had to in one sense take a step backward as far as wins and losses to rebuild with younger guys. I'm comfortable that was the right decision for us, and I think over the next few years it will pay off." St. Paul Pioneer Press

Bill Walker, who has played six minutes in two appearances, confirmed he will be sent to the NBA Development League today. "It's a way of getting in games and getting in game shape," he said. "I don't want to sit on the bench the whole year. The team is doing well and there are not a lot of minutes for me. That's why the league was created, so you can go down and get some games." Boston Globe

“It’s not a demotion at all. So you have you to get that out your mind,” Walker said before Thursday’s game against the Detroit Pistons. “It’s the reason that why they created the D-League, so that instead of having guys sitting on the bench, not staying in shape, they can go down there and play.” The Boston Celtics rookie has played just six minutes in two games and hasn’t been given the nod since November 9. It’s only natural that Walker would like to play more, but if it’s not going to happen in Boston he isn’t too proud to go elsewhere. Even if that means going all the way to Provo with the Celtics affiliate Utah Flash. “I welcome it,” Walker said. “If it happens, I’m looking forward to going down and playing against someone other than my teammates.” WEEI

A big fan of the movie Dumb & Dumber, Hoiberg laughs at the similarity of the whole process to Lloyd's asking Mary what his chances are with her. Told "not good,'' he presses on. "You mean, not good like one out of a hundred?'' Mary: "I'd say more like one out of a million.'' Lloyd, after a pause: "So you're telling me there's a chance.'' Said Hoiberg: "Look at the whole [Stephon] Marbury situation. Every day, you read HoopsHype, it takes up half of the [Web page]. It's a daily thing. When is it going to get old? When are people going to stop talking about it? I think [media] people go in there and try to egg them into saying something that will be a front-page headline.'' SI.com

If that's the direction in which so-called reporting has gone, how does a team navigate around it and avoid the distractions and possible ill will it can bring? "I think it's on the individual player,'' Hoiberg said. "It's kind of hard to go to a superstar guy and say, 'Don't say that.' You have to hope that your player will eventually get sick of it and say, 'Hey, I'm not going to talk about it anymore. Please don't ask me again.' '' SI.com

The irony, of course, is that if Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal had reached this stage sooner they wouldn't have had so many problems and they would have raised another championship banner or two in Staples Center together. You no longer hear O'Neal barking about the need to feed the big dog anymore, and Bryant is perfectly willing to do less if it helps the team do more. Thursday night, the new-look Kobe prevailed over the new-look, older Shaq, as the Lakers outclassed the Suns in their own building, 105-92. Bryant wasn't even on the court when the Lakers took control of the game by scoring the first six points of the second quarter to go ahead by eight. Yeah, Bryant made his mark, with a team-high 24 points, but the star of this game was the Lakers' depth, the variety of assets that is unmatched in the league. "He goes 8-for-23, he let the other guys step up," Suns Coach Terry Porter said. "That's why they're so good this year." ESPN.com

"It's amazing," Bryant said. I was telling Luke [Walton] this might be the first season where I average 31 minutes, because we've been blowing teams out and I've been sitting the fourth quarter." Fewer minutes means fewer shots and fewer points, meaning Bryant won't top the league's scoring leaders anymore. "I don't really think about that," Bryant said. ESPN.com

Shaquille O'Neal There was love for Phil Jackson as well, following a retraction of O'Neal's accusations that Jackson had fostered the Kobe-Shaq feud in his own passive-aggressive way. Jackson was in the midst of answering a stream of Shaq-related questions in his pregame media session when O'Neal himself emerged from the Suns' practice court, stepped through the reporters and gave Jackson a hug and a kiss on the cheek. "We had a great time," Jackson said. "We had a great run of four years, five years." You can't have Shaq, Kobe and Phil in the same building and not have the past come up. Their time together was too historic and too turbulent, their individual and collective places in the game's history too significant for it not to provide the backdrop to any meeting. ESPN.com

What O'Neal was telling Jackson before the game was that he never meant to criticize Jackson's handling of Bryant and O'Neal as Lakers teammates. O'Neal has just been having a little fun with the aspect of Jackson's philosophy that prefers a team to police itself by saying Jackson preferred to leave the tension a little high. Yet this is how that brief exchange outside the Lakers' locker room before the game ended: Jackson: “OK.” O'Neal: “You know I wouldn't do that to you.” Jackson: “Yup.” Orange County Register

"I think Cleveland and L.A. have proven to be the best teams in the first 10 games," Denver coach George Karl said, "but I think it's fun to have the challenge, get nervous, and continue — hopefully — a positive process of getting better and moving in a better direction." Denver Post

After jetting to a 13-2 lead, the Pistons went flat, and let the game get away from them early in the third quarter, eventually dropping a 98-80 decision to the Celtics in a game in which they trailed by as many as 29 points. "Any time you lose to them twice by over 20 points, that's bananas, because we don't play like that," Richard Hamilton said. "It's not just one person, it's everybody. Everybody's trying to figure out what's our identity, what have I got to do to help the team out. Guys are still trying to find their niche, what we're going to be and what we're going to be about this season." ESPN.com

The Pistons turned the ball over 16 times in the first three quarter, which the Celtics turned into 19 fast points. "They really thrive on defense," Curry said. "They really thrive on playing what I call smash-mouth basketball. We have to be able to play smash-mouth against them. We have to be able to hit, bang, grab, hold, rebound and defend the paint. We have a ways to go with that." You wonder if the Pistons can ever be there with their current roster. Certainly getting Antonio McDyess back will help, but will it be enough? "We matched up with them the best we could with what we have," Rasheed Wallace said. "It's pretty much that they got bigger bodies. When you have that, you aren't worried about fouling as much so you can go all out and be aggressive and dive all over the floor. We used to play the same way." Detroit News

"Defensively, I think we took a step back from training camp," Pistons coach Michael Curry said after tonight's loss at TD Banknorth Garden. "The last two weeks or so I haven’t really had practice time. I’m hoping that with practice time we will be able to get on target defensively. This team, they run a lot of random pick and rolls, they got guys that deserve a lot of attention, and they are a little more physical than we are.” Boston Globe

Cavs coach Mike Brown wasn't happy about what transpired, allowed his disappointment to be known, and even got a little emotional in the process. ''They got up on us in the second half, and they brought us to a standstill,'' he said. ''This is the first time I've seen us this bad this year. You have to give them credit, though, they did what they needed to do in the second half to win.'' Akron Beacon Journal

Gilbert Arenas is already thinking about the possibility of a last-place finish for his Washington Wizards -- and finding the silver lining. With Arenas still working his way back from a third knee operation in 1½ years, the Wizards are off to a 1-8 start heading into their game Friday against the Houston Rockets. "I don't want to see them struggle," Arenas said Thursday at Madame Tussauds, where his wax figure was unveiled, "but if this is one of those years where we don't make the playoffs or we finish in last place ... that's what happened to San Antonio and that's how they got Tim Duncan and look at them now ... and that's for the better." ESPN.com

Arenas became only the third NBA player - joining Michael Jordan (whose likeness is housed in Madame Tussauds' Chicago location) and Shaquille O'Neal (housed in Los Angeles) - to be featured at a Madame Tussauds. Houston's Yao Ming will become the fourth, as Madame Tussauds plans to unveil a figure of him in Beijing soon. "This is, wow. When you're a little kid, you don't think about stuff like this," said Arenas, who in the three years before his knee injuries averaged 27.7 points a game. "You see it of all the movie stars, but you don't think about athletes. When I got the paper and they asked me, I said, 'Of course!' Are you crazy? They said they hadn't done LeBron, they hadn't done Kobe. I came here and I was ready." Washington Times

Kevin Garnett The crowds have been terrible at Target Center all season long, the economic downturn combining with the team's competitive downturn to create a half-empty arena on most nights. That figures to change on Friday night. Garnett is still beloved in this town, perhaps even moreso after enjoying so much success in his first year in Boston while the Wolves' struggles have only worsened since he left. "I know Kevin did a lot of great things for this city, but I'm looking at it as just going out there and just trying to beat the Boston Celtics," guard Randy Foye said. "I hope the crowd gives him a standing ovation and everything. "But other than that, when the ball is tipped up, it's now the Timberwolves versus the Celtics. He's got that green jersey on and we've got that white jersey on so everybody in that building should be cheering for us, not for him." ESPN.com

Tonight Garnett will return to the Target Center for his first game in Minneapolis since he was dealt to Boston July 31, 2007. He didn't play when the Celtics visited here last season because of an abdominal strain. A Timberwolves source said Garnett has asked for 30 tickets for the homecoming. Commemorative Garnett posters will be given to fans. "It's always good to go back to Minnesota," Garnett said. "It's always good to see friends. It's good to interact with people. They've always treated me with open arms. But as far as the game, it will be no different than me going to Milwaukee or Chicago or Oklahoma City or whatever. It's another game that you focus on. Boston Globe

"Garnett jerseys sell more than what the Timberwolves have," said Mike Bruce, manager of NBA City Restaurant. "The Al Jefferson and Kevin Love [jersey sales] are doing very well. But Garnett is still the big sell. I don't think we have any of his old Timberwolves jerseys for sale. We sold out of those. "We actually had to reorder [Garnett Celtics jerseys] for this season. The only thing that we are sold out of now is the Garnett T-shirts." When told his Celtics jersey was still a hot seller in Minneapolis, Garnett chuckled before saying, "I can't even comment on that. I guess it's a compliment." Boston Globe

McGrady, who is making just 39.5 percent of his shots this season and averaging just 15.9 points, said the solution would be to increase his role in the offense. “As far as me, get a little bit more touches,” McGrady said after making five of 14 shots against Dallas on Wednesday, taking all but three from the perimeter and most from or around the 3-point arc. “I feel kind of out of sync a little bit in our offense. I touch the ball here and there. It’s kind of tough to get in a rhythm. Whether that’s because we have so much depth on our team this year, it’s a different role for me.” Houston Chronicle

Beasley played a career-low 12 minutes against Toronto. He picked up two fouls in the first 72 seconds of the game. Beasley returned in the second quarter and picked up his third foul a few minutes later. He played sparingly thereafter, finishing with seven points and making 3 of 6 shots. His performance was one point short of his career-low, which he set in a victory Tuesday in his homecoming at Washington. Spoelstra continues to require youngsters such as Beasley to be accountable defensively. Beasley's defense continues to lag behind his offensive skills, but Spoelstra is pleased with his improvement. ''Objectively, he's come a long way defensively,'' Spoelstra said. Miami Herald

Udonis Haslem sees it a bit differently. To him, being left unaccounted for is dismissive. He used to consider that so insulting that he once berated Don Nelson and the Warriors' bench for ignoring him time and again -- even though Haslem was benefiting from it with a huge game. ''It gets old after a while,'' Haslem said. ``Basketball is supposed to be 5-on-5. People mix all those junk defenses. To me, I feel like that's kind of cowardly. Just play ball.'' Miami Herald / November 20

At this point, Popovich admits his rotation to be more trial-and-error than set in stone. “I see some combinations out there, and I wonder, ‘Why did I do that?' ” Popovich said with a chuckle. “We're getting a lot of looks at a lot of different combos, that's for sure.” Contrary to popular belief, the Spurs do not divvy up minutes by drawing names out of a hat. There are countless factors that determine how much or how little a player might play on a given night. Some of it has to do with matchups, some of it with merit. Sometimes, the best-laid plans are scrapped by unforeseen game conditions. San Antonio Express-News

In a different locker room, and with a different coach, the lineup tilt-a-whirl might not work. Many an NBA team has been soured by a veteran unhappy with playing time. That hasn't happened with the Spurs. They seem to have followed the lead of Bruce Bowen, who started the first four games of the season — and the first 555 of his Spurs' career — before being transformed into a reserve. He comes off the bench now, without complaint. “It's a matter of priorities,” Bowen said. “So what if you're only playing eight minutes? There are a lot of people out there who would love to play in the NBA, for just those eight minutes.” San Antonio Express-News

Jackson is taking Morrow under his wing, with special emphasis on defense. Nelson is lavishing praise on Mullin for finding Morrow and predicting that Morrow can and probably will average 20 points a game this season. "That's not hard for him to do," Nelson said. "And in our system, he's going to get enough shots to average 20 a game, I would think. I don't want to put any pressure on a young kid like that, but he has the ability to get 20 a game." That would be a WOW performance from a player who wasn't one of the 123 prospects listed in the 2008 NBA draft guide. And Mullin is pleased that Nelson has again found a quirky way to pull out a few victories — and maybe more than a few. "I'll tell you what: I didn't think he'd do it again last night," Mullin said of Morrow's 25-point game in the victory over Portland, following the 37 in L.A. against the Clippers. "But he did. "I just didn't think they'd leave him open that much, you know? But they did." San Jose Mercury News

If O’Neal really does want to come back to the Lakers in 2010 to back up Bynum, O’Neal might have something useful left, according to Phil Jackson. “I still think he’s got two or three more years of playing ability,” Jackson said. “I still think this guy is going to be a force and effective." Orange County Register

"I don't like it," he said. "There are a lot of guys that play for just stats. You don't want to play for just box scores." A lot of players say that, but there's a sense of sincerity in Nesterovic's tone. "That's why people think he's one of the most underrated players in the league," coach Jim O'Brien said. "I think he is. I would not like to be in this season without Rasho. He makes so many things happen for you positively." Indianapolis Star

No one knew the churning inside Barnes. Not Nelson, someone Barnes appreciates, and not his teammates. In a locker room thick with friendships, with Stephen Jackson and Baron Davis in particular in his case, Barnes walled himself off. He played on, that next night at Arco Arena in some alignment of the stars that had him taking the court in his hometown to make good on a promise to his biggest fan. He played 73 times in all in his season of unknown despair. "They said she had cancer Nov. 1," Barnes said. "She died the 27th. It was 3 1/2 weeks of trying to say goodbye, still trying to play. I was trying to keep it in. Trying to keep all that in, it just really ate me up. "Nothing was going right on the court. Off the court, I didn't talk to anybody. I was just kind of in the dark for a while. I got some counseling, some family counseling, and that really helped. But I didn't do that until the end of the season. Sacramento Bee

With 5:25 left in the second quarter Wednesday, referee Eddie F. Rush came over to the bench and admonished Williams. Rush didn't issue a technical foul but made it clear to Jerry Sloan and his staff that he didn't want to hear another word out of Williams. What did Williams say? I asked after the game and Williams said he told Rush, "That's a terrible call," after Paul Millsap was whistled for a loose-ball foul on a rebound. Even if that's all that was said, Rush still didn't take kindly to it. Salt Lake Tribune

Gilbert Arenas The Wizards haven't given a timetable for when their All-Star point guard might begin practicing or playing this season. He, though, now is targeting the start of 2009. "They said Jan. 1 -- there is no doubt that I will be good to go ... play 40 minutes," Arenas said, according to a transcript provided by the team. "I definitely want to wait until after New Year's. ... It will give me time to get in shape. Plus I want to learn the new playbook," he added. ESPN.com

Yesterday after a practice at Verizon Center, Arenas said he and center Brendan Haywood, who is expected to miss four to six months following wrist surgery, are hoping the team can rebound from the poor start and remain in playoff contention. "Me and Brendan, we talk about it," Arenas said. "If I come back in January -- that's about 20, 25 games we counted -- when do we say it's okay? If we're 15 games out, how hard is it to come back from that? It might depend on who is in the eighth spot at the time and what our record is." Washington Post

Arenas said the knee is steadily gaining strength but is still not ready for the daily pounding it would take. "It's like last season," Arenas said. "If it's the playoffs, I could play, but since it's not, I'm still taking it slow. I wouldn't be able to play back-to-backs and if we had four games in five nights, I'd only be able to play two of them. We don't want to go through that the whole season, so we're just going to wait until it's fully ready to go so we can go and just not even worry about it." Washington Post

The Wizards' medical team has brought him along painstakingly slow, Arenas said, ensuring he has his full range of motion before allowing him to even begin weight training. Finally having met those requirements, Arenas will do squats and leg extensions next week. He said it's been frustrating watching his teammates struggle without him, but he learned from last season's two premature comebacks that patience will pay off. "Before games I go out there just to keep my shot maintained, work on some movement," Arenas said. "We decided this time that I'm not going to come back limping. When I come back, it's going to be like I never left." So Arenas now is targeting "just after the first of the year" for his return date, he said. The Wizards play at Boston on Jan. 2 and then host Cleveland on Jan. 4. Washington Times

Asked, specifically, if he meant Ginobili had been in the team's five-on-five work, Mason looked a bit stricken, but made no attempt to backtrack. “Man, I don't know if I'm supposed to say that,” he said. “Yeah, he did. Hopefully, I don't get in trouble for that. He did a little bit, but we've seen him playing two-on-two, and you guys know that. He's progressing nicely, and when he comes back it will be great.” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich had declared Ginobili ahead of schedule in his rehabilitation from September surgery that has had him on the injured list, and said his participation in five-on-five drills would be the final test before the All-Star guard suits up again. San Antonio Express-News

Meanwhile, Williams did not seem optimistic about returning against San Antonio. After Thursday morning's practice, he said, "I'm not ready to go. When I'm on the court and you see me playing, you'll know I'm ready to go." With Knight also sidelined against Milwaukee, Ronnie Price played 40 minutes. He finished with 16 points, six assists and only one turnover. "He played well," Williams said. "He took care of the ball. He struggled a little bit with his shot, but he found it in the second half and came up big for us." Salt Lake Tribune

“If this was November 2007, I would probably (have played),” Yao said. “Now, I’m what, 38? Oh sorry, 28.” Rather than battling the body of a player pushing 40, however, he said he had gained the wisdom that comes with experience. So Yao accepted the decision to skip Wednesday’s loss to the Mavericks while team doctors consulted with more specialists. Unless they find some reason for concern that had not been uncovered before, and Rockets athletic trainer Keith Jones said on Thursday that so far Yao remains “good to go.” The one game he missed was to be the only one, a precautionary measure before a three-game road trip beginning tonight at Washington. “Sometimes you have to guide yourself to compare (playing) 81 games or to keep playing with a risk,” he said. He and the Rockets chose to reduce the risk. Houston Chronicle

Curry, who has a "sore right knee," according to the team, has not practiced in more than two weeks and hasn't played in a game this season. That trend will continue when the Knicks (6-5) visit the Bucks tonight. There has been frustration within the organization that Curry is not pushing himself hard enough to get back on the court. A person with intimate knowledge of the situation noted "lack of desire." Two other sources agreed. Curry, according to one source, has been warned and has since picked up the effort level. Mike D'Antoni said that even in his up-tempo approach, the team could use Curry's size and that Curry "can really make us good." But the coach would not deny conditioning is an issue. Newsday

If the Nuggets have the top pick in the 2014 draft, Charlotte coach Larry Brown might not care. He'll be pushing 74 then and will perhaps be retired from coaching, if not with a 12th NBA team. But the Nuggets, thanks to a crafty maneuver in June, could be in line to have a pretty nifty pick if the Bobcats (3-7) continue to show few signs of being a playoff team. Denver sent its 2008 No. 20 pick to Charlotte for a future first-round pick. The selection is protected through the top 14 in 2009, No. 12 in 2010, No. 10 in 2011, No. 8 in 2012 and through No. 3 in 2013. The selection is unprotected in 2014. So if Michael Jordan continues to show few signs of being a top executive, that's when the Nuggets could really score. Rocky Mountain News

USA Basketball chairman Jerry Colangelo plans to meet with Duke’s Mike Krzyzewski in the near future to offer him the chance to return to the bench for the 2012 London Olympic Games, several sources said. “We’ve yet to talk about how much of a level of interest he has in doing it again, if at all,” Colangelo said by phone Thursday night. “We’ve saved that conversation. There’s no need to push that envelope so soon. I wanted him to get back to Duke and get ready for his college year. But I do believe a great deal in continuity.” Yahoo! Sports

Together, Colangelo and Krzyzewski were the architects of the United States’ gold medal at the Beijing Games in August. Sources say that while USA Basketball officials aren’t convinced that Krzyzewski will take the job again, it’s his if he wants it. “I wish to have that kind of discussion with him in the short term,” Colangelo said. Yahoo! Sports

With the No. 20 pick they got in June, the Bobcats selected French center Alexis Alinca, a raw prospect even skinnier than Denver's Cheikh Samb. They actually were pitted against each other last week in a matchup that conjured up no memories of Chamberlain versus Russell. "We didn't think the pick at 20 was somebody that would help us right away, but we thought it could be a really good future pick," said Brown, who added Charlotte made the deal believing one of several young big men would be available and that Alinca, averaging 0.9 points, will "take time" to develop. Come back in a half decade, and we'll see if Alinca ends up possibly being worth a lottery pick. Rocky Mountain News

Most of the elite Team USA players have committed to returning for 2012 and the process of preparing will start in the summer of 2010. With so many top players expected to be free agents that summer, there’s a good chance that the Americans will send a younger team to the World Championships in two years. If they are unsigned, players won’t risk injury that summer on the international stage. Instead of LeBron James, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade, the 2010 U.S. team could be comprised of Greg Oden, Kevin Durant and O.J. Mayo. Yahoo! Sports

Colangelo plans to meet with most of his 2008 players at the All-Star Game in Phoenix next February. USA Basketball is moving its headquarters from Colorado Springs to Glendale, Ariz., where Colangelo keeps his year-round home. His duties with USA Basketball now include overseeing the men’s and women’s programs, as well as the junior national teams. “It’s one thing to get to the top of the hill, but it’s another to defend it,” Colangelo said. “The realization is that other teams in the world are going to get better, and this won’t get easier for us. But I’d rather be in the position of defending it than climbing the mountain.” Yahoo! Sports

Randy Wittman Randy Wittman's coaching job is safe, Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor said. "If I worried about the short term, and I looked at the economy and all my companies, if I based things on that, then I'd fire all my presidents because they had a bad month," Taylor said. "I've been through ups and downs. You've got to be patient. I think Randy has prepared (the players) well. We've just got to get them some confidence. They're still young." St. Paul Pioneer Press

The Timberwolves are 2-8 entering tonight's home game against the defending NBA champion Boston Celtics, who include former Wolves Kevin Garnett and Sam Cassell. "I learned a long time ago that you've got to be patient with this," Taylor said. "The last thing, when these guys are trying so hard and everybody wants to win, is for me to put undue pressure on them. That's not going to make it any better. They all know I want to win, but I also know that they want to win just as bad. "I thought we would probably have a better record. We played really good in every game for three quarters; we've just struggled in fourth quarters. We've done some really good things this year. The turnovers have been down, but when we've had them, they've been at critical times in the fourth quarter." St. Paul Pioneer Press

For a week, Walsh has been mum on Marbury's banishment since The Post reported he talked to the Players' Association about a buyout. "I'm not talking about Stephon," Walsh said. However, Walsh added: "It hurts to have some guys out right now." Walsh said he's happy with D'Antoni. "He's a very competitive guy himself," Walsh said. "He's done a great job instilling what I consider a confidence to the players to play quickly. He's coaching every game expecting to win. "I think we're playing hard," Walsh said. "I think we're competitive. I like the spirit of the team in most of the games. I know it's a hard style to grasp when you're really into it. And that probably will take more time." New York Post

Carlisle played two years at the University of Maine before transferring to Virginia where he co-captained the Cavaliers' Final Four appearance in 1984. By then, Iavaroni was an NBA player, who worked out at Virginia regularly after having served as a graduate assistant coach through 1981 and player through 1978. "We talk all the time," Iavaroni said. "(Carlisle) has helped me a lot on my ladder headed up. He's one of the guys in the league I really respect a lot and really care for. And he's always been there for me as well." Excuse Iavaroni if he puts little-to-no stock in Dallas' 0-4 record at home -- the franchise's worst in 15 years. Dallas is the only team in the league to not win a game at home. That's shocking given the Mavs have won at least 34 home games over the past two seasons. If anyone, Iavaroni knows better. "He's turned into a great coach," Iavaroni said of Carlisle. Memphis Commercial Appeal

George Karl: The process of finding out Coby had cancer was heart-wrenching. We had a few days to digest it. We kind of knew that lump on his thigh was probably going to turn out to be cancer. There were a couple of days, though, before we found out for sure. When your son calls you to say it's cancer ... He's in Boise, I'm in Denver. You feel like a piece of s---, frankly. I remember nights I spent yelling at God. I'm not religious, but I'm spiritual, and I believe there is a creator, and something like karma that operates. Take anything, was my thought. Take my leg. Give me another cancer. Just let him be. ESPN.com / November 20

George Karl: At that time, Judge Rehnquist had just died of thyroid cancer, maybe a month before Coby's diagnosis. In my mind, I associated it with death. So I got on the internet, I was reading books, calling people. Eventually I found out more, and that when caught early, thyroid cancer is almost as treatable as prostate cancer. Then I heard from some people who had had their thyroid removed, and they were fine. Eventually, after this kind of diagnosis, the family grows. You hear from all kinds of people who have stories that strengthen you. There are trees of communities out there -- people who want to help you. That's the silver lining of the whole thing. ESPN.com / November 20

The Kings could add a piece to their front office next month, when attorney and agent Jason Levien is expected to be named assistant general manager. The move, which sources within the organization and close to the team say should be official in the coming weeks, marks a rare addition to the Kings' management team that Geoff Petrie has headed for 15 years. And with an on-court rebuilding and youth movement already in effect, the franchise also is taking the same approach upstairs. Levien, 37, has earned a reputation as a versatile talent, having negotiated hundreds of millions of dollars in NBA contracts while showing an ability to find little-known players who come up big. Although Levien no longer will be an agent, Kings shooting guard Kevin Martin was chief among his clientele. Sacramento Bee

According to the sources, Levien and the Kings have agreed to terms on a multiyear deal that is expected to be signed by the end of the month. "I have a lot of confidence in him," said Joe Maloof, speaking hypothetically with Levien not yet signed. "He'd be a good addition to our basketball operations part of our company. He's got a great eye for basketball talent. "Geoff is the one who is real high on him. Gavin (Maloof) and I are, of course, but I think he developed a relationship with Geoff, and Geoff's very impressed with what Jason has to offer." Sacramento Bee

By the way, I asked Mullin if he'd like to address his current status with the Warriors. Mullin's answer was the same as it has been for months, and tells us that one shooting spree by one player isn't going to make all the angst disappear. "Nothing's changed," Mullin said. Any comment about Rowell's recent firing of assistant general manager Pete D'Alessandro, Mullin's closest confidante in the front office? "It's not 'no comment,' " Mullin said. "It's: 'I can't comment.' " San Jose Mercury News

Michael Jordan Brown, the Bobcats' third head coach in three years, is solicitous, not upset, when he wants his fellow Tar Heel around all the time. "I just want Michael really, really, really involved," he says. "One, the players need to see him because of what he's about, what he accomplished. I talked to him about that. He told me he was going to be here for eight days to start the season." USA Today

Creating a new buzz in the Hornets' old bee hive is one reason why Brown and Johnson asked Jordan to become less invisible. The superstar paid $64,500 for two floor seats just a few feet from the bench. "I definitely think it matters when Michael Jordan is around," says Bobcats forward Jared Dudley. "I mean, he's Michael Jordan. He's the face of this organization — the face of the NBA." MJ sightings were fairly unusual until this season when Brown, Johnson and Fred Whitfield, Bobcats president and chief operating officer, urged Jordan to help restore the fans' faith. "Believe me, Fred and I are always talking to Michael about what we want him to do to help us make sure fans know how involved he is," Johnson says. "Nine times out of 10, if he can fit it into his schedule, he's going to be there helping us out." USA Today

When it comes to re-ordering a roster, Brown is eager to dismantle. The Bobcats didn't make many offseason moves, leaving the coach more than slightly vexed — "You know, there are six guys who might not be on our team in two, three weeks." "Michael's got to be the guy who we can get in an instant," Brown says, snapping his fingers, "and make a decision to help our team. He told me the other night he was going to watch the game (on TV). He said, 'Do you want me to call you after it's over so you can vent?' " Brown laughs. "I guess Michael knew something I didn't know." USA Today

Whether Texas businessman David McDavid had enough cash on hand to support the money-losing Hawks would have been a concern for the National Basketball Association had the league received his application to buy the team, an NBA executive testified Thursday. McDavid, who tried to buy the Hawks, Thrashers and Philips Arena operating rights from Atlanta-based Turner Broadcasting System in 2003, had a net worth of $181 million, according to court documents. Atlanta Journal-Constitution / November 20

About $80 million of that was in cash — $60 million of which McDavid said he would pay up front to buy the teams, the documents show. He planned to borrow additional money to finance the rest. The remaining $20 million may not have been enough to bail out the Hawks given that the team lost $31.2 million during the 2002-2003 season, said Joel Litvin, president of league and basketball operations. “Given that the losses this team was certain to incur, losses that probably would exceed the $20 million he had remaining, that would have been a concern,” Litvin testified in Fulton County Superior Court. “We want to make sure that the owners of our franchises have the wherewithal to fund the teams in a first-class manner.” Atlanta Journal-Constitution / November 20

Mavericks owner Mark Cuban has not paid former coach Don Nelson the $7.1 million awarded the former Mavs coach in an arbitration hearing on July 31. A Dallas County district judge on Wednesday confirmed that Cuban must pay. Nelson initially sued to recover $6.3 million he said Cuban owned him in deferred money. Nelson also was awarded about $800,000 in court costs and lawyer fees. Fort Worth Star-Telegram

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has written a letter to owner Stan Kroenke asking the Nuggets to enact a policy prohibiting the use or display of live animals at home games. PETA cited the Nov. 7 game at the Pepsi Center against Dallas, when team mascot Rocky ran onto the court and held two baby tigers over his head and when the mascot handed out kittens from a box to those in the crowd wanting one. Rocky Mountain News

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Center Dwayne Jones isn’t yet a Bobcat, and it will probably take until early next week for him to arrive from Turkey and get all the paperwork settled to sign him. Jones is expected to take up one of the roster spots the Bobcats opened when they waived forwards Andre Brown and Linton Johnson Wednesday. Charlotte Observer

When he needed just a little more space, he traded Carney and Calvin Booth to the Minnesota Timberwolves, ostensibly for a second-round draft choice. He even agreed to continue to pay Booth's salary and about two-thirds of Carney's salary. "It was kind of weird," Carney said. "I was sitting at home when [the Sixers] called and said I had been traded. I asked who I got traded for and they said they couldn't tell me. The way I look at it is, I got traded for them to get Brand. I got traded for money. "It's still a business. I had to pick up and move. I couldn't do much about it. They had to make some moves in order to get a better team, and they did that. Hopefully, it's a good opportunity for me, but it's still a learning experience." Philadelphia Daily News

They’ve won 10 of 12, are the No. 1 team in the East, and yet, as Sam Cassell noted, “We’re not playing very well.” He’s right in the sense that they are not the same team they were a year ago. And it’s not the absence of James Posey. He’s the only significant player missing from a year ago this time. It’s attitudinal. And, most likely, unavoidable. “I don’t see the same sense of urgency,’’ said Danny Ainge, the Celtics’ president of basketball operations. He then quickly added, “but it reminds me in a lot of ways of our team in the 1980s, when we’d just find ways to win. Still, you can tell it’s already different. Tony Allen [a reserve] has already been our best player in at least two games. I don’t recall a single game last season when one of our bench players was the best player in the game.” Yahoo! Sports

A 10-2 record heading into tonight’s game against the Pistons would seem to indicate that the Celtics at least have absorbed the early-season lesson that Rivers has been preaching for some time. He’s just hoping the message resonates. “You can’t get in the habit of thinking that you can turn it on and turn it off,’’ Rivers said, mindful of the fact that his team has been doing a lot of that so far. “Teams that do that traditionally don’t make it. They might win some games and get to the playoffs, but they don’t win it all. Eventually, the bad habit comes back. And that is something that we as a coaching staff are fighting every single day.” Yahoo! Sports

"Bass," as one Mavs insider puts it to me, “is affected more than anyone else because it seems to take him a while to get cranked up.’’ And Carlisle doesn’t seem very patient as he waits for GG to get involved, as he waits for Diop to seem interested, as he waits for “The Animal’’ to get “cranked up.’’ DallasBasketball.com

Carlisle, says one very inside-the-Mavs-source, “isn't interested in waiting for players to make an impact.’’ In other words, you’d better make an impact early. His demand for early energy has been answered. (Dallas, winners of three straight, and all three on the road, has in the last four games gotten out to leads of 10-3 against Orlando, 15-0 in Charlotte and 8-0 in Houston.) DallasBasketball.com

Jermaine O'Neal, who has every reason to despise Haslem because they nearly came to blows in a game back when O'Neal was with the Indiana Pacers, paid particular attention to Haslem during the 2006 Finals, while the rest of the world couldn't take their eyes off of Dwyane Wade. ''I can remember when Dallas went up [2-0] in the [Finals], he started guarding [Dirk] Nowitzki, and Nowitzki's numbers went way down,'' O'Neal said. ``That was something me and my friends talked about all the time.'' Yet, somehow it's 2008 and the only conversation Haslem can generate is trade talk. ''From what I was hearing, they were trying to trade him for a while?'' O'Neal said. ``That goes to show, you don't really miss what a person does until he's gone.'' Miami Herald

How’s this for a novel idea: the league needs to put Morrow in the 3-point contest for All-Star Weekend. He certainly can shoot. He’s also got the great story they can milk. Morrow’s down. “I know I’ll win,” he said with a smile. The league hand picks who they want in the shootout, so Morrow’s at the mercy of Stu Jackson (I think he’s the one over that area). Contra Costa Times

NBA.com: How is Richard Hamilton handling the transition from Chauncey running the offense to Tayshaun running the point? Dumars: Rip is making the transition just fine. He and Tayshaun have played together for six years now. NBA.com

Posey can only hope the next time he meets the Celtics - outside of their regular season meetings on December 12 in Boston and February 11 in New Orleans – is at the NBA Finals. "That's what I told them – me versus them in the Finals. That would be a nice ending to the season." HoopsWorld

The return of Andrew Bynum has played a big part, obviously. It's not just his size, it's also that he's in shape and moving well. As a result, he has become a real presence roaming the lane and blocking shots, and he has allowed Pau Gasol to slide over to his more natural power forward role. Bynum is spiking three shots a game, the Lakers' now-huge front line is controlling the defensive glass and L.A. in general has found a more physical edge in the wake of last season's embarrassing conclusion to the Finals. If the Lakers keep it up, they'll be virtually impossible to beat. ESPN.com

The 36-year-old Diesel has reversed a steady, multiyear pattern of decline during the early going. He has converted his usual 59.4 percent from the field while avoiding the rashes of turnovers that plagued him a season ago. He has become a focal point of the Suns' retooled seven-seconds-or-more attack, averaging 22.6 points per 40 minutes and dishing out assists at his highest rate since 2005. Although the Suns are limiting Shaq's minutes and holding him out of back-to-backs, and a high foul rate also has kept him sidelined a fair amount, he has been productive offensively and reasonably competent defensively in the early going. Should he provide 55 more games at this level, the seemingly one-sided Shawn Marion trade will look far fairer to Phoenix. ESPN.com

Additionally, he has taken to the longer NBA 3-point distance much more readily than most European imports have. Fernandez is hitting 44.3 percent from downtown, and he's not just a long-range specialist, either. He has shown the athleticism to score in the paint and draw fouls, and he's at 94.4 percent from the line. Although it remains to be seen whether his percentages can stay this freakishly high in the long term, Fernandez is likely to make other improvements as he acclimates, and if he does, he'll be one of the top dogs in the rookie of the year hunt. ESPN.com

Shaquille O’Neal had a problem. An Internet impostor using his name was sending messages to unsuspecting Shaq fans. So O’Neal did what any sensible, 7-foot-1, muscle-bound mammoth would do. He started tweeting. “This is the real SHAQUILLE O’NEAL,” came the message from The_Real_Shaq, via Twitter.com, early Tuesday morning. New York Times

The synthetic Shaq sounded a lot like the real O’Neal. His blurbs were whimsical, boastful and creative, even adopting O’Neal’s unique grammatical flourishes. “My tweets are Shaqalicious,” ShaquilleONeal wrote Nov. 11. “Andrew Bynum’s knee is like Erika Dampier ... fragile,” ShaquilleONeal wrote Sept. 30, dealing a two-fisted insult to the Lakers’ Andrew Bynum and the Mavericks’ Erick Dampier. New York Times

The real Shaq — who could fill an almanac with clever quips — could hardly have said it better. Now he is. O’Neal opened his own Twitter account this week to connect with fans and to take back his identity. “Somebody out there was trying to use my language and trying to speak for me,” O’Neal, sounding more amused than offended, said Wednesday night in a telephone interview. “Rather than have that happen, I thought I’d do it myself.” O’Neal added: “It’s a fun thing. It’s a way for fans to connect.” New York Times

Jameer Nelson apparently fired his personal chef sometime ago, and the chef, well, he had some beefs. Contacted the newspaper recently to alert us about some juicy morsels, then suddenly retracted the offer. Nelson concedes he fired the chef, but would say no more when grilled. Orlando Sentinel

CSKA Moscow, Dinamo, Khimki, Triumph and CSK VVS don’t pay their salaries right now. CSKA and Dynamo just go long delays. In Khimki’s and Triumph it is much worse. The women’s team of CSKA is on the edge of bankruptcy. Its main sponsor sold his business and the new owner does not want to have any relationship with the club. But that does not mean that CSKA will have any problems with the players. There is a delay of the payments more than a month. Vatutin, CSKA’s CEO, said that there are difficulties, but the main sponsor of the team Norilsk Nickel assured that they would continue to fully meet its financial obligations. It is not clear why CSKA has problems, becaus Norilsk Nickel stocks did not fall significantly for the year. Ball In Europe

There are more problems with Khimki and Triumph. Yesterday, Carlos Delfino refused to go to play in the third quarter. Head coach Kemzura said that he doesn’t want to see a player not listening to his instructions. I am sure Carlos does not want to see his team not paying him either. Ball In Europe

New Orleans Hornets starting shooting guard Morris Peterson is expected to miss the next two games because of soreness in his right knee, Coach Byron Scott said after Thursday's practice at the Alario Center. Peterson missed Wednesday's game against the Sacramento Kings after he complained of soreness. Rasual Butler is expected to earn his second consecutive start at shooting guard on Friday night against the Oklahoma City Thunder at the Ford Center. New Orleans Times-Picayune

At practice on Wednesday, president Robert Rowell, executive vice president Chris Mullin and new assistant general manager Larry Riley were all there. Mullin and Rowell sat outside on the balcony for a while before walking across the court together. Mullin didn’t fulfill interview requests (we were told he had meetings lined up), but he plans on talking to us Friday at shootaround. As a view into my world of self-amusement, I couldn’t help but snicker to myself at the sight of them two walking across the court in lock step. It looked like one of those photo ops you see in a presidential campaign. It just looked like it was some kind of planned appearance, like they hired David Axelrod and he suggested they pal around in front of the media. Contra Costa Times

Ernie Grunfeld attends most practices and he was on hand as well today. As he often does, Grunfeld chatted with a few players as they left the practice court and generally, I get the idea that the entire organization is taking a "we're in this together" approach. Grunfeld declined interview requests for the day. When asked for his take on the state of the team, he did say: "One and eight. That's the state of the team." Washington Post

Can this really be true? Does the NHL really have more attendance than the NBA? Sad little chart. And, an imagined conversation between an aggressive reporter and David Stern about attendance. ESPN.com

Magic, who had a white agent, Lon Rosen, during his playing days, said he's not saying black athletes should have only black agents. But he added that players cannot let their white agents steer them away from addressing African-American issues and impacting African-American communities. The needs of the black community are too great for many of its richest, most influential, most visible members to ignore. "My agent may not be a minority, but I don't let him dictate who I'm going to hire," Magic said. "If America can say we'll put an African-American in the highest office in the land, then our African-American basketball players and football players and baseball players should be willing to say, 'I can hire an African-American to run my business.'" ESPN.com

When we finally got around to talking basketball, Magic told me LeBron James was the player who most reminds him of himself (no surprise there). He also likes that LeBron has created his own marketing company (LRMR) and put some of his friends to work running it. "LeBron will be the next player whose work off the court really resonates outside of basketball," he said. ESPN.com

What are your plans for the future? David Seok, AUCKLAND. Magic Johnson: To continue to do what I do--grow my businesses. Our equity fund is at about $500 million. I want to take it to $10 billion one day. I think that there are always goals for me to try to achieve, and I'm going to work toward those goals. TIME

On Wednesday morning, NBA commissioner David Stern met with the Overseas Security Advisory Council to discuss the organization's impact in growing the NBA game internationally. The Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC) is a Federal Advisory Committee with a U.S. Government Charter to promote security cooperation between American businesses and private sector interests worldwide and the U.S. Department of State. OSAC encompasses a 34-member core council, an executive office, more than 100 country councils and more than 3,500 constituent member organizations as well as 372 associates. "What I want to share with you is that the people of the NBA have been doing an enormous amount and the NBA is enormously dependant on OSAC and its fellow members for helping us to navigate our international journey," Stern said. NBA.com

Scottie Pippen is out to crush a couple of allegedly crooked businessmen who may have screwed the NBA legend out of a ton of cash -- and this time, he doesn't need Michael Jordan's help. Pippen -- a major stockholder of Learn.com (LDC) -- is leading a team of pissed off shareholders in a lawsuit against the site's head honchos, after Scottie says the bigshots pulled a bunch of shady financial maneuvers and couldn't produce a paper trail. The suit is pretty technical, but it basically boils down to this: Team Pippen claims the honchos, James Riley and J.W. Ray, abused their authority, reducing share-prices and handing out millions of dollars in loans without getting the proper consent from their investors. TMZ.com

Gerald Wallace The Nets continue to be in trade discussions with Charlotte, which is desperate for frontcourt help, but they don't have the expendable post player Larry Brown wants. The Bobcats are willing to part with Gerald Wallace for a player of consequence, but are more actively pushing Matt Carroll or Adam Morrison, mindful that the Nets are shooter-crazy these days. Newark Star-Ledger

Sounds like the Bobcats have a taker, and that in the deal they're getting back more players than they're sending out. According to a couple of well-informed sources the Bobcats have been aggressively working the phone lines as they watch their attendance drop in direct proportion to their winning percentage. It sounds like we could see a huge move made by the Bobcats in the next few hours. HoopsWorld / November 19

The Charlotte Bobcats plan to sign former Cleveland Cavaliers center Dwayne Jones to fill one of the roster spots they opened Wednesday, the Observer has learned. Jones could be in practice as soon as Thursday, after the Bobcats cut forward Andre Brown and Linton Johnson Wednesday. Neither had a guaranteed contract and neither was active for the Bobcats’ last four games. While those moves would leave the Bobcats one short of the maximum 15 players under contract, general manager Rod Higgins and coach Larry Brown said nothing was imminent on the trade front. “We weren’t playing these guys,’’ Larry Brown said of the forwards waived Wednesday. “Sure, we’re looking to see if there’s anything we can do, but I don’t know that (anything else will happen). I feel bad (about the cuts) because these are good guys, but we moved on.’’ Charlotte Observer

Bobcats managing partner Michael Jordan recently acknowledged in an interview with the Observer that he’s looking to add another big man and a third point guard to the roster. The Bobcats have been among the more active NBA teams, in looking for a trade. “”There are so many rumors out there,’’ Higgins said. “We’re always trying to improve our talent.’’ Charlotte Observer

The Charlotte Bobcats waived little-used forwards Andre Brown and Linton Johnson and were on the verge of signing center Dwayne Jones on Wednesday. The Bobcats were also one of several teams pursuing forward Antonio McDyess as the Bobcats look for ways to boost a thin front line. General manager Rod Higgins said the 6-foot-11 Jones would likely sign on Thursday. The former Saint Joseph's big man has played 74 games for Cleveland and Boston, and had been playing overseas. Higgins said he has been in contact with McDyess' agent, but that nothing is imminent with the free agent, who was waived by Denver last week. AP

Rasheed Wallace was asked if he has reached out to Antonio McDyess , who is a free agent the Cavaliers are interested in. "Nah, I haven't thought about that," he said with a smile. "'Dyess will have to cross that bridge when he gets to it. I haven't talked to Dyess. Well, he hasn't answered my calls." The Pistons still expect to re-sign McDyess on Dec. 7. Detroit News

Rumors persist that former Pistons forward Antonio McDyess, who was traded to the Nuggets along with Billups, but eventually waived, could end up in a Cavs uniform. Wallace was asked if he could exert any influence over his former teammate. ''I haven't thought about it, but I'm sure 'Dyess is going to have to cross that bridge when he comes to it. No, I haven't talked to him. Well, he hasn't answered my call,'' Wallace said laughing. Akron Beacon Journal

According to a league source, the Cavs have made a contract offer to McDyess and were told McDyess is considering it. But the team is not optimistic. He can re-sign with the Pistons on Dec. 7, which is what most across the league expect. Cleveland Plain Dealer

Everywhere he goes these days James is bombarded with questions about his future -- and he isn't a free agent until the summer of 2010. Here was his response: "Sometimes people don't have anything to write about. They need a story once a game and keep bringing up my free agency." Would he consider the Pistons? "I don't know," he said. "I'm happy where I'm at right now. We'll see what happens in two years." Detroit News

It's a question that he appears to be growing increasingly weary of answering and it cropped up again as the Cavs prepared to take on the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday night. ''No, sometimes people don't have nothing to write about,'' he said when asked if he was surprised about the level of interest. ''They need a story once again and keep bringing up my free agency.'' When asked if he might be willing to keep the Pistons in mind when the time comes, he replied: ''I'm happy where I'm at right now. We'll see what happens in two years.'' Akron Beacon Journal

Marbury, who hasn't played this season, doesn't have that kind of situation available to him. Unlike Cassell, who had superagent David Falk, Marbury doesn't have an agent. The NBA players association is assisting him in buyout talks with Knicks president Donnie Walsh. Marbury and a union representative met with Walsh a week ago at the MSG Training Center to open discussions. But unlike Cassell, Marbury maintained his stance that he will not give up any of his $21.9-million salary. The Knicks, said a person with knowledge of the situation, initially considered offering a $15-million settlement to set Marbury free. The sides have not met since. "They need to keep talking and get something done," Cassell said. (The Knicks are owned by Cablevision, Newsday's parent company). Newsday

Some NBA executives say the Heat, who are shallow at point guard, would seem to be a perfect destination for Marbury. But others wonder if the Heat - like any team - has concerns about adding Marbury to its locker room. Who will blink first? Will Marbury forfeit some salary to get back on the court, or will the Knicks, if they fall under .500, turn to him for help? An NBA coach told Newsday that after committing to moving on without Marbury, Mike D'Antoni "can't turn back now." Newsday

Nuggets coach George Karl has talked about sending Weems to the NBA Development League's Colorado 14ers when he's healthy. Weems said he hasn't heard anything but added, "Whatever coach wants, for me to go there, then I'll do it." Rocky Mountain News

Larry Hughes started for the injured Luol Deng Wednesday, but Deng's sore left hamstring can't make the Bulls' glut of guards disappear. That's why the disenchantment Hughes expressed late Tuesday in Los Angeles, after averaging 18 minutes this season, could resurface. "I don't want to play like this," Hughes said. "I'm not comfortable with 15-20 minutes. Something has to change." Chicago Tribune

Asked, "Would you rule out going back to the Lakers?" by the Bee, O'Neal said: "I don't know. I don't really think that far ahead. I know I've got two years left and then at the end of the two years, I'll just look at my options." O'Neal reiterated as much Wednesday, saying, "I have a great relationship with Steve Kerr. When I'm done here, we'll see what happens. Going back that way, no, it never came out of my mouth." He continued denying comments, not realizing the source until the end, saying, "Oh, that's who said that (expletive)? Scott (Howard-Cooper)? I didn't know it was Scott." Arizona Republic

The transcript included O'Neal saying he believed Jackson designed the rift between O'Neal and Bryant to drive each because Jackson never told them to stop. O'Neal said it as if to compliment Jackson for pushing them and reflected fondly on his Lakers years as "fun." "Phil has always done right by me," O'Neal said Wednesday. "We had a great relationship. "It would be idiotic for me to say something bad about him." Arizona Republic

Many will be interested to see how Bryant and O'Neal interact after O'Neal's June freestyle rap at a Ne