http:// [h3][/h3]
[h3]Trade chatter a distraction?[/h3]
10:30AM ET
[h5]Carlos Boozer |
Jazz[/h5]
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There is a lot of chatter about what the Jazz might do as we get closer to the trade deadline in February, but
Carlos Boozer says it's not a distraction for him.
"For some of the guys, maybe," Boozer told
The Salt Lake Tribune. "Maybe they haven't been in that position before. I'm sure Kevin O'Connor is getting calls every day. I'm sure coach is feeling a little pressure [about] what to do. ... But that's [their] job. For us players, all we can do is the best we can."
The Jazz are over the tax threshold and a trade is likely. Boozer is playing well and is in the final season of his contract so there is a good chance he'll be dealt.
Yesterday, ESPN's Chad Ford outlined a trade scenario that could send Boozer to the Mavs.
[h5]Chad Ford[/h5]
Expiring deals of Dampier, Gooden could be helpful for Jazz
"I think the Mavs will be in this thing. Their window with Dirk and company is small. They're playing well and they have two huge assets, Erick Dampier's contract that isn't guaranteed next year and Drew Gooden's contract that isn't guaranteed for the rest of the season. I could see a team like the Jazz, who are desperately trying to cut payroll, make a Carlos Boozer like swap for that type of relief."
http:// [h3]Harris not concerned?[/h3]
10:28AM ET
[h5]Mike Harris |
Rockets[/h5]
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The Rockets face a decision today about forward
Mike Harris, who has a non-guaranteed contract. Harris says he's not concerned about what might happen.
"It's out of my mind," Harris told the
Houston Chronicle. "I can't control it. The majority of time I don't think about it. It's a business decision. I've been in this situation a lot. Now I'm at the point where I'm mature enough and ready to deal with it. It's a stepping stone sometimes that you have to work harder."
http:// [h3]Randolph to be waived?[/h3]
10:26AM ET
[h5]Shavlik Randolph |
Trail Blazers[/h5]
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The
Portland Trail Blazers signed
Shavlik Randolph last week to a non-guaranteed contract.
The Columbian reports Randolph is expected to be waived Wednesday so his salary won't be guaranteed.
Randolph could sign two 10-day contracts with the Blazers once he clears waivers.
http:// [h3]Griffin's close, but he won't rush back[/h3]
10:25AM ET
[h5]Blake Griffin |
Clippers[/h5]
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Blake Griffin has missed his entire rookie season so far due to a knee injury. He should play later this month, but he won't come back until he's confident the knee is completely healthy.
"For me it's a matter right now of having to harness myself a little bit and not go too crazy," Griffin told the
Los Angeles Daily News. "I can't do too much, only what I'm allowed to. So I do exactly what the doctors tell me I can, and nothing more. It's important to take my time and not rush it. I don't want to have anymore setbacks."
"Sitting on the bench and watching is a very, very difficult thing to do," Griffin said. "It just makes me realize how fortunate I am to play when I am healthy."
http:// [h3]Will player-only meeting help?[/h3]
10:24AM ET
[h5]Atlanta Hawks[/h5]
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The
Atlanta Hawks are going though a rough patch, and the players decided they needed to have a meeting Tuesday.
"It was just guys talking about what we need to do," forward
Marvin Williams told
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "It was all positive, all positive things."
"It's just a lack of effort," said center
Al Horford. "People have to make the extra rotation, the extra offense. It has something to do with offense. If guys are not making shots, they tend to get a little discouraged. We still have to defend and rebound to give ourselves a chance to be in the game."
[h5]John Hollinger[/h5]
Hawks' lack of offensive rebounding is hurting squad
"The common thread? Atlanta's once-vaunted offense has hit a wall. Although the Hawks still rank second in the league in offensive efficiency (109.3), they haven't been playing up to their usual level in the past eight games, with an efficiency mark of 105.8 -- and only 101.9 if you subtract the two doormats (Minnesota and Indiana) ... Look a little deeper, and there's a surprising reason. The Hawks' offense has benefited from an odd approach, as I mentioned a few weeks ago -- they don't shoot a particularly highly percentage, but they're so good at rebounding and avoiding turnovers that they generate far more shot attempts per possession than most teams. Lately, however, one of those planks has disintegrated: The Hawks stopped getting offensive rebounds. Atlanta's offensive rebound rate in the past eight games is a measly 17.7 percent, barely half what they were averaging until that point."
http:// [h3]Hunter waived, roster move coming[/h3]
10:21AM ET
[h5]Othello Hunter |
Hawks[/h5]
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The Hawks waived forward
Othello Hunter on Tuesday. They now have 12 players on the roster and have two weeks to bring it back to the mandatory 13-player roster minimum.
"Basically, it just gives us some options for the roster," general manager Rick Sund told
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "We've got a two-week grace period in which we can have a 12-man roster before we have to get to a 13-man roster. It allows us to be able to look at the waiver wires a little bit right now."
http:// [h3]Alston in, Arroyo out?[/h3]
10:19AM ET
[h5]Carlos Arroyo |
Heat[/h5]
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Rafer Alston confirmed yesterday he will sign with the
Miami Heat after he clears waivers on Thursday.
"I'm coming," Alston told the
South Florida Sun-Sentinel Tuesday night. "I can't explain in words how excited I am. I'm really excited."
He'll only sign for the pro-rated veteran minimum, but that may force the Heat to waive
Carlos Arroyo as they try to get under the luxury-tax threshold. Arroyo's salary for this season will be guaranteed if he's not waived today.
"I know I was given a unique opportunity and wanted to take full advantage of it, do my best and everything would fall into place," Arroyo said of agreeing to a non-guaranteed contract despite his veteran experience. "I knew I'd have to bust my butt for everything."
http:// [h3]Jazz add Gaines[/h3]
10:00AM ET
[h5]Utah Jazz[/h5]
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The
Utah Jazz got up to 13 players yesterday when they signed Sundiata Gaines of the Idaho Stampede to a 10-day contract.
The
Deseret News reports
Dontell Jefferson or Kevin Kruger could be signed, if Gaines doesn't work out with the Jazz.
http:// [h3]Magic won't trade Gortat?[/h3]
9:45AM ET
[h5]Marcin Gortat |
Magic[/h5]
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Marcin Gortat would welcome a trade if it meant he would get more playing time, but
ESPN.com's Marc Stein reports the Magic will likely hang on to their backup center for the rest of this season.
If Gortat is traded it will most likely happen during the summer.
http:// [h3]Exception will go unused?[/h3]
9:40AM ET
[h5]Denver Nuggets[/h5]
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The
Denver Nuggets have a $3.2 million trade exception that expires on Thursday and
ESPN.com's Marc Stein reports it will probably go unused.
The Nuggets are above the luxury tax threshold and don't want to increase their payroll, which is the reason they will let the exception expire.
http:// [h3]Butler most likely to be traded?[/h3]
9:34AM ET
[h5]Caron Butler |
Wizards[/h5]
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ESPN.com's Marc Stein reports most people around the NBA feel
Caron Butler is the most likely player to be traded by the
Washington Wizards.
There have been rumors about deals that could land Butler in Chicago and Miami.
http:// [h3]Lakers will be careful with Gasol[/h3]
9:19AM ET
[h5]Pau Gasol |
Lakers[/h5]
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Pau Gasol's strain in his left hamstring is a Grade 1 instead of a Grade 2 strain in his right hamstring that sidelined him for the first 11 games of the season. Lakers head coach Phil Jackson says the team is concerned.
"There actually is an insignificant amount of tear," Jackson told the
Los Angeles Times. "But it's something we want to prevent from being anything greater and so does he. We're hoping this is, like, game to game."
So when will Gasol return?
"He'll have to be confident of where he's at," Jackson said. "He'll have to be fully assured that he's all right."
http:// [h3]Arenas fears David Stern?[/h3]
8:37AM ET
[h5]Gilbert Arenas |
Wizards[/h5]
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Gilbert Arenas was asked last night what he feared more, law enforcement or David Stern and Arenas said the NBA Commissioner.
"Stern is mean," Arenas told
The Washington Post. "I think he may make his decision before [the legal process plays out]. Most likely he's getting a lot of pressure, because of all the stories going around, to act. . . . I've looked at some of the charges brought against other people and they were [suspended] three to five games."
Arenas also said it is easy for him to stay calm during this time. "If I really did something wrong, I would feel remorse in what I did, but I didn't do anything," he said. "You can slander me, or whatever, it doesn't matter. I'm still alive. I'm playing basketball.
"I'll take all the hits right now. The truth is there; there is no point in getting angry and mad," Arenas said. "At the end of the day, all that I want is a sorry. It can be small print. Maybe just one person do it, for slandering me. Because you guys have no idea."
http:// [h3]No need to talk?[/h3]
8:12AM ET
[h5]Mike D'Antoni |
Knicks[/h5]
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Larry Hughes let it be known a
few days ago that he was unhappy with Mike D'Antoni because of the lack of communication from the Knicks head coach.
On Tuesday, D'Antoni said doesn't think he needs to talk with Hughes about his role and he's not mad about the comments.
"I'm sure he's frustrated and vented, and you guys don't leave him alone, so I'm sure it was a little prod here and there," D'Antoni told the
New York Post. "But I can understand his frustration and sympathize with him. But that doesn't change how we have to try to go about things or try to win."
Told that Hughes would have liked some dialogue, D'Antoni replied, "I don't know what dialogue to give him. But we don't need to go back and forth. He's fine and he'll be ready when we're ready to go."
http:// [h3]Magic denied?[/h3]
8:01AM ET
[h5]New York Knicks[/h5]
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The New York
Daily News reports
Magic Johnson was denied a ticket to a Knicks game last month. According to the newspaper, the team is unhappy with what Johnson wrote about
Isiah Thomas in his and Larry Bird's book, "When the Game Was Ours."
Johnson wrote that he was partly responsible for keeping Thomas off the 1992 Olympic Dream Team.
http:// [h3]Moves unlikely for Bobcats?[/h3]
7:44AM ET
[h5]Charlotte Bobcats[/h5]
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The
Charlotte Bobcats could use some help in the frontcourt, but head coach Larry Brown doesn't think the team will sign a player.
"I've thought all along we've needed somebody to back up
Boris Diaw. I don't think because the guarantee date is coming up that it will make any difference at all," Brown told
The Charlotte Observer. "There are a lot of guys out there you could have brought in anyway without a guarantee."
Brown also doesn't see the team making a trade right now.
"I think we'd want to improve our team," Brown said, "but I don't want to see anybody leave that we have."
http:// [h3]Morrow campaign coming[/h3]
7:11AM ET
[h5]Anthony Morrow |
Warriors[/h5]
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Anthony Morrow is one of the best three-point shooters in the league and a campaign will be launched soon by the Warriors in hopes he will be invited to All-Star Weekend.
The
San Francisco Chronicle reports the Warriors are going to post a video online that shows Morrow making 23 of 25 three-point tries, using ball racks to re-create the same format used in the three-point competition.
"I just want to be able to be in the competition, not only for myself, but for the Warriors' organization," Morrow said. "It's important to me. It's on the back of my mind all of the time. If I get invited, great. If I don't, I'll try to do like I did last year and lead the league in three-point percentage."
http:// [h3]Calderon won't rock the boat?[/h3]
6:48AM ET
[h5]Jose Calderon |
Raptors[/h5]
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Jose Calderon has missed 12 out of the last 13 games with a sore hip and the Raptors are 8-5 with
Jarrett Jack as the starting point guard. Calderon will not start when he plays tonight and that's okay with him.
"It's Jay's (Jay Triano) call. I'm ready to help the team, and keep winning games," Calderon told the
Toronto Star. "If I've got to be coming from the bench the first two, three, four, five games, or whatever, it's Jay's call. He's the coach."
"I'm sure we'll make it work, however it's going to," said Jack. "We'll be able to make it work. I'm not worried about it. I'm not worried about it at all."
http:// [h3]Pierce back tonight?[/h3]
6:37AM ET
[h5]Paul Pierce |
Celtics[/h5]
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Paul Pierce will play against the Heat tonight after missing the last five games while recovering from an infection in his left knee.
"I got a good practice in today, felt pretty good. Probably not 100 percent, but it's getting better," Pierce told the
Boston Herald. "I got a chance to run last couple of days on the treadmill. I shot every day, rode the bike every day, so I'm as confident as I'm going to be. It's just a matter of the swelling going down. I have a lot more flexibility than I have in the last few days. I saw some flashes today."
http:// [h3]Cuban ticked at NFL[/h3]
6:07AM ET
[h5]Dallas Mavericks[/h5]
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Mavs owner Mark Cuban is upset with the NFL because the Dallas Cowboys playoff game Saturday against Philadelphia was scheduled at the same time the Mavs are going to be hosting the
Utah Jazz.
"I know we're just little pissants compared to the NFL, but seriously, the NFL is turning into the ugly American when it comes to sports leagues," Cuban told
ESPNDallas.com. "They don't give a crap about anybody but themselves."
http:// [h3]Trade killed Pistons' chemistry?[/h3]
5:54AM ET
[h5]Antonio McDyess |
Spurs[/h5]
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Antonio McDyess and
Chauncey Billups were traded to the
Denver Nuggets for
Allen Iverson on Nov. 4, 2008. McDyess says that trade killed the chemistry on the team and that's why he didn't want to re-sign with them last summer.
"I really didn't understand the logic of that trade," McDyess told the
San Antonio Express-News. "I guess they were in a rebuilding stage, and it's showing now."
"I'm not sad for the Pistons, but for some of the guys I played with on that team, it's sad to see them go through this. I know how hard they play and how bad they want to win on the court."
Asked if he would still be in Detroit if Billups were still there, McDyess said, "I think I would."
http:// [h3]When will Finley play?[/h3]
5:36AM ET
[h5]Michael Finley |
Spurs[/h5]
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Michael Finley has missed the last 13 games since he suffered a Grade 2 sprain of the left ankle on Dec. 5. He has begun some light shooting drills and remains a week or two from a return to action, a team spokesperson told the
San Antonio Express-News on Tuesday.
http:// [h3]Iverson guaranteed[/h3]
5:07AM ET
[h5]Allen Iverson |
76ers[/h5]
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The
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/clubhouse?team=phiPhiladelphia 76ers guaranteed
Allen Iverson's contract for this season yesterday. They had until today to make that decision.
76ers head coach Eddie Jordan told
The Philadelphia Inquirer he was not surprised that the organization kept Iverson. "He's a guy that's added a lot to us, leadership, and things on the floor he does for us. He's a valuable part of what we're doing since he's signed."
"Since his arrival, Allen has done everything asked of him and has been an excellent teammate," said general manager Ed Stefanski.
http:// [h3]Granger's return getting closer?[/h3]
4:53AM ET
[h5]Danny Granger |
Pacers[/h5]
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Danny Granger's torn right plantar fascia will keep him sidelined at least two more weeks.
"I think Danny, he went up and down a little bit today. I still think he's two, 2 1/2 weeks away," Pacers head coach Jim O'Brien told
The Indianapolis Star. "I haven't been told an exact time, but that's my understanding."
