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Friday, November 21

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The Knicks completed a wild day of trading on Friday when they sent Zach Randolph and Mardy Collins to the Clippers for Tim Thomas and Cuttino Mobley. The deal comes less than two hours after Donnie Walsh traded Jamal Crawford to the Warriors for Al Harrington. Both deals were made to clear salary cap space for the summer of 2010 for when LeBron James becomes a free agent. The contracts of Harrington, Thomas and Mobley all expire in two years which will put the Knicks in position to make a run at James, the most coveted free agent since Shaquille O'Neal left the Orlando Magic to sign with the Los Angeles Lakers. New York Daily News

"I'm a little upset," said Mobley, in a voice barely above a whisper. "It was a surprise. I mean, I liked our team. I didn't give up on our team. I don't know what the owner was thinking, and don't know what anyone was thinking. "I thought we were going to come around. It's hard. It's hard because I like all the guys a lot. It's tough." Los Angeles Times

The Clippers have agreed to a trade for New York Knicks forward Zach Randolph and guard Mardy Collins in exchange for guard Cuttino Mobley and forward Tim Thomas, a league source told the Daily News Friday afternoon. Randolph is a dominant low post threat, having averaged 16.4 points and 8.2 rebounds in his eight seasons in the NBA. This season with the Knicks, he's excelled in new coach Mike D'Antoni's system, averaging 20.5 points and a career-high 12.5 rebounds. Los Angeles Daily News

On the heels of the trade of Jamal Crawford for Al Harrington, Knicks president Donnie Walsh was on the verge of completing a gigantic day by pulling off a second blockbuster that will clear even more salary cap space for the summer of 2010 - when Cavaliers star LeBron James will be a free agent. A league source confirmed the Knicks have agreed to send Zach Randolph to the Clippers for Tim Thomas and Cuttino Mobley. By losing Crawford's and Randolph's contracts, the Knicks will have saved $27 million for 2010 while in the process trading their two leading scorers. New York Post

There also had been talks of the Knicks moving Zach Randolph to the Clippers, who tried to trade for the forward in July. But that move now seems doubtful. "Donnie's plan is pretty clear that in a couple of years we'll be under the (salary) cap," Mike D'Antoni said. "Everything we do will lead us to the possibility of being under the cap in two years. Then I'll deal with making sure the team is competitive. We're not going to compromise our future because we might take a half-step." The Post's Peter Vecsey first reported the Knicks had struck a deal for Harrington in today's editions, with initial indications Malik Rose would be involved. But giving up Rose would not help the Knicks in their goal of moving under the cap in 2010 for the brilliant free-agent class headed by LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and Amare Stoudemire. "I think all (our) players know this is a season of transition," D'Antoni said. "There's a lot of rumors and talk. We have to block that out." New York Post

The Knicks may have only seven bodies to dress tonight, meaning Stephon Marbury will have to suit up and possibly make his season debut. With the addition of Mobley, it's unclear if Marbury is back in the plans. "Donnie's plan is pretty clear that in a couple of years we'll be under the cap,'' D'Antoni said in Milwaukee before the two deals became official. "Everything we do will lead us to the possibility of being under the cap in two years. Then I'll deal with making sure the team is competitive. We're not going to compromise our future because we might take a half-step. New York Post

The New York Knicks have agreed in principle to send power forward Zach Randolph to the Los Angeles Clippers, two league sources said Friday afternoon. The Clippers would send Tim Thomas and another player who’s still unclear —- Cuttino Mobley or Marcus Camby – to the Knicks for Randolph and guard Mardy Collins. Yahoo! Sports

A separate deal that hasn't been announced sends Zach Randolph (and the three years and $48 million left on his deal) to the Clippers (as reported in Monday's Record) along with Mardy Collins for Cuttino Mobley, plus Paterson Catholic product (and former Knick) Tim Thomas _ both of whom, like Harrington, with contracts that expire after next season. Meanwhile, the immediate bottom line (and D'Antoni acknowledged this) is the Knicks could have as few as eight healthy bodies available Friday night to play the Bucks _ including Stephon Marbury. Thus he could use as few as seven players (something he often did in Phoenix with a full roster) _ and shovel even more dirt on Marbury, especially if he doesn't even dress him. "This will happen a few times during the year because Donnie's got his plan and he will execute it as he sees fit, and we'll go from there," D'Antoni said. "He's throwing stuff against the wall and sees what becomes of it. And I think he'll do that every day the rest of the [season]. ... "I [knew] that one day the face of this team is going to change." Bergen Record

The Knicks confirmed the trade Friday afternoon, even as they were working toward a second deal that would Zach Randolph and Mardy Collins to the Los Angeles Clippers in exchange for Tim Thomas, a former Knick, and Cuttino Mobley. An N.B.A. team executive involved in the Knicks-Clippers talks said he expected that deal to be completed by the end of the day. New York Times

Got word that the Zach Randolph-Mardy Collins for Cuttino Mobley-Tim Thomas scenario we reported here earlier in the day is going down.... That's $27 million in salary relief for 2010-11.... Newsday

As for any more moves, I've heard from a few people that Donnie is working on another deal, but it probably won't get done today and, therefore, might take the weekend to get it done. It is believed Zach Randolph is the player the Knicks could move in this other scenario. I'm getting mixed reports regarding the Clippers involvement. More than one source has said they are very much interested in Randolph and one other said they're not. The issue, I'm told, is the roster. The Clips don't want to take Zach while they still have Chris Kaman and Marcus Camby. Newsday

The Daily News has mentioned the Dallas Mavericks as a possible third team in this situation, though it's being shot down in the Big D. Disgruntled Jerry Stackhouse certainly works from a Knicks point of view because he can easily slide into Crawford's position and his contract is up in 2010. Perhaps the Mavs would be interested in bringing Kaman in to play alongside his Team Germany pal, Dirk Nowitzki? Newsday

With Crawford gone, the Knicks are committed to about $43.6 million for the 2010-11 season, when the salary cap should be around $64 million. The Knicks could have about $20 million in cap space to pursue James, the Cleveland Cavaliers’ star, or one of the other top free agents of 2010. The class could include Miami’s Dwyane Wade, Toronto’s Chris Bosh and Phoenix’s Amare Stoudemire. Those cap figures, however, do not include possible contract extensions for David Lee and Nate Robinson. Trading Randolph would clear another $17.3 million from the books in 2010. Both Thomas and Mobley have contracts that expire in two years. The Knicks will shed five other major salaries over the next two years, with the expiring contracts of Stephon Marbury, Malik Rose, Quentin Richardson, Jerome James and Chris Duhon. New York Times

It's official. As Newsday reported this morning, the Knicks have just completed a deal that will send Jamal Crawford to the Golden State Warriors for Al Harrington. Newsday

The Knicks acquired Warriors forward Al Harrington Friday for Jamal Crawford in a deal that creates salary cap space for the summer of 2010. The Knicks are also working on a trade that would land Zach Randolph in Dallas. Harrington, who was originally drafted by then-Pacers president Donnie Walsh, is not expected to be available for Saturday's home game against Washington. He will likely play, coincidentally enough, in Tuesday's game against LeBron James and Cleveland. New York Daily News

The Golden State Warriors and New York Knicks have received league approval to complete a trade that will swap disgruntled Warriors forward Al Harrington for Knicks guard Jamal Crawford. ESPN.com

Crawford was the Knicks leading scorer and is well liked by his teammates and coaches. But his contract runs through 2011 and Walsh has made it clear that his goal is to get the Knicks under the salary cap by 2010. "It's always going to be a possibility that one day the face of this franchise is going to change," Mike D'Antoni said early Friday. "(Walsh's) plan is pretty clear... In a couple of years we're going to be under the cap. Everything he will do will lead us to being under the cap in two years. And I'll deal with making sure the team is competitive and we'll try to make the playoffs this year." New York Daily News

Crawford said in the Bradley Center locker room, "It's a whole new regime. You can't take stuff like this personally. I got to be professional and not take it personal. I'll be closer to home. It wouldn't be the end of the world. It would be disappointing. When things were bad, I was there. I wanted to be there when things got good.'' New York Post

I'm told by an NBA source that the Knicks may not be done yet today.... Newsday

Unless another player is thrown into the trade, there is a possibility that the Knicks will recruit a third team to make the Randolph deal work. The Clippers are still hoping to acquire Randolph for Tim Thomas and Cuttino Mobley. New York Daily News

HOWEVER....the Clippers-Zach Randolph scenario we mentioned in the previous blog might not come to fruition. Hey, that's why we call them rumors. Right now as it stands, I can't figure out trading Crawford, a guard, for Harrington, a forward. You remove a bona fide scorer and leave a hole at the two-spot. If the Knicks are sincere with their stance that Stephon Marbury is not going to play regardless of situation, then you really are scraping the barrell in the backcourt. Newsday

All the players potentially involved were at the Friday shootaround, with Randolph saying he hadn't been told anything, but Crawford admitting he'd heard of the scenario late Thursday from his agent. Bergen Record

The Knicks might be down to only seven healthy bodies for tonight's game -- if you don't include Stephon Marbury. That means D'Antoni might be forced to dress Marbury and (gasp!) even play him. From this perspective, however, I don't see how that scenario comes to fruition. I think D'Antoni would play five-on-four if need be. The last thing I would think he wants to do is insert Marbury into the lineup and watch him drop 20 points and six dimes in a Knicks' win. That would open up the proverbial can of worms and he might lose some of his credibility/respect from some of the players, who've been on board and supportive of him not playing the unwanted Marbury. I asked D'Antoni if he has a plan in place on what he'll do tonight if the trade does go through. "Obviously, we do," he said. "We talk about all kinds of scenarios. Until that happens, I won't act upon anything or talk to anybody or I don't want to say something that, 'Ooops. I made a mistake.' So I'll just wait and just react to the situation when it happens." Newsday

The Golden State Warriors and New York Knicks have agreed in principle on a deal that would swap disgruntled Warriors forward Al Harrington for Knicks guard Jamal Crawford. ESPN The Magazine's Ric Bucher reported early Friday that the teams were nearing completion on a deal featuring Harrington and Crawford. ESPN.com has since confirmed that those two players, barring a late adjustment, would be the only two involved in the trade. ESPN.com

Although neither team has yet commented on the deal, sources said both clubs were hoping to reach the conference-call stage to secure the required league approval by the day's end on Friday. Harrington went public with a trade demand just before the start of the season after privately urging Golden State to move him for months. New York had immediate interest, seeing the versatile and mobile Harrington as an ideal frontcourt fit in new coach Mike D'Antoni's up-tempo system. ESPN.com

Yet it's believed that Walsh has multiple motivations for re-acquiring one of his favorites. Another sizable lure is Harrington's contract, which pays him $9.2 million this season, $10 million next season and expires after the 2009-10 campaign. That meshes with New York's intent to slice payroll and get as far under the salary cap as possible for the highly anticipated free-agent summer of 2010 to join the bidding for Cleveland's LeBron James. ESPN.com

But, of course, they could also trade Curry to create more. Perhaps Jeffries. That would help open up space to re-up Lee and/or Robinson, plus keep Chandler and Gallinari (whose options total just $5.4 million for the 2010-11 season). Yet if they do nothing else, they're in a position to play out this season with what they have and, as D'Antoni still expects to do, make a run at a playoff berth. Bergen Record

The issue: Where will they land when they become free agents in 2010? This promises to be the most provocative free-agent class of the post-Jordan world, with the Pistons, Nets and (launch Darth Vader intro music) Knicks among the dozen or more teams potentially lining up to recruit and sign one or more of the game's biggest names. But ... and a big but this is ... it's a story that won't be consummated until the summer after next. Indeed, nothing may come of all the speculation, should LeBron and his fellow stars decide to re-sign with their current teams, as they very well may do. "I find it sort of strange,'' said Henry Thomas, agent to potential 2010 free agents Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. "The reality is it's two years away. I don't know why there's so much talk about it.'' SI.com

That trade was linked to the deal sending Zach Randolph to the Clippers for Cuttino Mobley (a backcourt replacement for Crawford) and Tim Thomas, which will save the Knicks an additional $17.3 million in 2010. The next likely phase for New York will be to move center Eddy Curry into the rotation, with the goal of rehabbing his value so that he can be traded as well. The ultimate goal for the Knicks will be to create enough cap space to recruit two free agents, much as the Magic did in their 2000 bonanza signings of McGrady and Grant Hill. Imagine a package deal of LeBron and Bosh ... SI.com

Chris Bosh, Raptors. For all of the other teams with cap space, Bosh becomes the top available target. Every city he visits brings questions of where he might be playing in 2010-11, Bosh acknowledges. "There are too many ifs,'' he said. "I just work on being happy right now and helping this team and trying to be the best player I can be. By thinking about it too much, you won't end up thinking about playing basketball. You'll think about two years from now. I'm not a person who thinks like that.'' SI.com

"The corporate base and economic climate is a lot better in Canada than it is south of the border,'' Colangelo said. "Not only is he getting accolades and attention, but he's also got an entire country to market to in addition to the U.S. He is the cornerstone of this franchise, and not many players have the opportunity to say they are the cornerstone.'' The Knicks are expected to make a run at Bosh, depending on the decision of LeBron (or maybe in addition to him, if they were somehow to amass enough cap space); so could the Pistons, Nets and -- provocatively -- Miami, Houston and Phoenix, who represent three markets that NBA players traditionally covet. But the truth is every franchise with room under the cap will be interested in Bosh, a team-first, 24-year-old power forward whose early season numbers (25.5 points, 11.0 rebounds) denote continual improvement. SI.com

Can you guess how many max free agents have led their new teams to a championship? The answer is one and only one: Shaq, with the Lakers. "That is an amazing stat,'' Pistons president Joe Dumars said. "The only thing I will say is that I think it's imperative that you continue to make your team better. Whether you can guarantee a championship or not, you can't pass on adding a great player to your team.'' SI.com

Suffolk, Va.: What are the chances that Ernie Grunfeld will pull off some kind of trade this season. Ivan Carter: I guarantee that Ernie is regularly on the phone as is the case with all gms this time of year but looking at his roster and the salary structure, it's hard to visualize many trades that will drastically help this team in the short term. Name me the players on this team who are playing up to their salary right now? Butler and Jamison nmaybe? McGee for sure. After that who? Where is the value right now? Washington Post

Washington, D.C.: Are we going to be able to get anything for Etan and AD's expiring-in-the-year-of-LeBron contracts? Seems like our only hope right now. Ivan Carter: The way their deals are structured and given their levels of production, the fact that Daniels and Thomas have deals that will expire after the 09-10 season is the only thing that makes them remotely enticing. But remember, you have to take back contracts that match and who are you going to get? I seriously doubt that Ernie will want to take deals that are longer in return. That would only clog up his cap situation even more. Washington Post

In other words, the Hornets had best begin combing opponent's cobwebs to get Paul a faithful companion capable of manufacturing shots for himself and teammates before my choice to win the West winds up in a dumpster like last season's Bulls, my pick to win the East. Jamaal Tinsley or Stephon Marbury would be a flawless fit, of course. Come to think of it, nothing in Pargo's contract prevents him from returning to the NBA later this season if a financial arrangement can be worked out with Moscow. League rules forbid a team from paying more than 500G to shake loose a player. New York Post

Iverson’s contract is up at the end of this season, but he intends to play six more seasons, which would bring him to 39. “I know you guys have put me in a rocking chair already,” Iverson said. “When the time comes and we have a game and you put that scouting report up and my name isn’t one of the first or second names on that scouting report and I can’t dominate like I used to, then I don’t want to play no more. I won’t do anything to tarnish my legacy.” Boston Herald

Through a smart combination of trades, drafts and free agent signings, the Rockets' general manager has put together a deep roster, essential for a team whose stars haven't been able to stay healthy. "It's frustrating in that it takes you farther away from your goals,'' Morey said of the injuries. "But it's probably the most interesting part of the job, is make sure you manage your roster such that if you do take injuries or you do have issues, you're hedging that risk as much as possible.'' Houston Chronicle

You mentioned last week that Jose Calderon may be the best point guard in the Eastern Conference. Could Derrick Rose, in fact, already be that guy? -- Jim P., Skokie, Ill. It's too early to say. But you could be right. We may look back and decide that Rose was indeed the best point guard in the conference from his opening month in the league. He is exceeding expectations as a leader, and he already knows how to channel his athleticism in an efficient way. He's much more prepared for the NBA than anyone could have expected after one year of college. SI.com

Levien is aided enormously, though, because of who made the push to bring him in. Which leads us to... Q: Is this a Petrie hire or a Maloof hire? A: The short answer: yes. Both sides are on board, but it is Petrie driven from start to finish. Going back to their journey to Istanbul, they became closer through the years. And one thing I didn't 'mention in the story is that Levien was a Harvard Law fellow, meaning he can do the Ivy League fist pound with his new boss. Sacramento Bee

Q: Why would a successful agent leave a lucrative career behind to do this? A: According to Hoopshype.com, he ranks 23rd in the league among agents in the NBA in terms of clients' salaries. He was far from an uber-agent, as I once described agent Aaron Goodwin, but more than successful enough to think twice and maybe even 10 times before making this move (and for the record, my line in today's story about how he negotiated "hundreds of millions of dollars in NBA contracts" was a bit steep, as his tally appears to be more in the neighborhood of $150 million). I also don't know what he'll earn, but rest assured - considering his title, inexperience and the current status of the Maloofs' bottom line - it's a pay cut. Sacramento Bee

The obvious reason for change is the appeal of switching sides, becoming a more permanent part of the NBA system as opposed to a cog in it. He played basketball in college and was quoted in stories dating back years saying he gave serious thought to coaching before taking the route he took. Again, until Levien himself speaks, I'd be sharing guesswork here. Sacramento Bee

The move is outside the box in every way, and Levien's focus should be on not becoming the next Pete D'Alesandro . The former agent and former Golden State Warriors assistant GM was fired in early November. He's the only example I've heard of a guy who took the agent's path to become NBA brass, but I may be missing some other examples there (feel free to add to the list as I haven't had time to do that homework). Just my own musings here, but I find it funny how the Kings and Rockets - whose paths have now crossed in so many different ways - continue to have similarities that may be total coincidence and may not be. Houston stepped outside the proverbial box by putting money man and "Moneyball"-type stat head Daryl Morey up high as a GM. Levien is known to sway toward the newer wave of statistical analysis as well. Sacramento Bee

More specifically, he's Kevin Martin's player agent. Levien actually has a long history with Petrie. The Sacramento Bee reports that when the Kings drafted Hedo Turkoglu in 2000, Levien accompanied Petrie to Istanbul to negotiate Hedo's release from European club and Turkish national team obligations. Levien clients Orien Greene and Loren Woods have also had short stints in Sacramento. Levien will soon join the Kings as an assistant GM alongside Wayne Cooper, who has been with Sacramento for 15 years, the last 12 of which have been served as Petrie's deputy. The writing on the wall is legible: Levien was brought in by Petrie and the Maloofs to add some expertise now and later have at least a shot at the team's top job when Petrie retires or moves on. Logic dictates that this is the case: Levien is giving up millions of dollars by leaving the agent game. AOL

Former NBA superstar Scottie Pippen has called a foul on executives at Sunrise's Learn.com. Pippen, who became a Learn.com shareholder in 2001 while playing with the Portland Trail Blazers, accuses two company officials of financial shenanigans in a lawsuit filed this month in Broward Circuit Court. Learn.com made a $160,000 loan to a company connected with its president and chief executive, Jim Riley, without disclosing the relationship, Pippen claims in the suit. Shareholders also weren't told about a $305,000 loan made to Chief Operating Officer JW Ray, the suit alleges. In addition, Pippen alleges Riley's company and Ray were allowed to buy Learn.com stock at prices far below ''adequate consideration.'' Pippen filed the suit on behalf of the company and its shareholders. Miami Herald

Pippen, who lives in Fort Lauderdale, joined Learn.com as a shareholder and director in December 2001, a company statement said at the time. Within three weeks, the lawsuit says, he acquired 500,000 shares for $1 each. ''Online learning technology will help to change the world in terms of the way we learn,'' Pippen said in the statement. ``Employees and students can now learn on-demand anywhere, anytime. I look forward to participating in this learning evolution and helping to guide the growth and development of Learn.com.'' Miami Herald

Knicks president Donnie Walsh is within hours of announcing a deal for Al Harrington that is expected to include Jamal Crawford Jamal Crawford in a move geared more to getting under the salary cap for 2010 than to help the present. Crawford, told by his agent, Aaron Goodwin Thursday night he could be moved in a trade today with Golden State, has a contract that extends to 2011. Goodwin told The Post this morning the Warriors want Crawford the most. Crawford attended the morning shootaround. New York Post

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

In return, the Knicks could deal Malik Rose or Jamal Crawford, league sources said. The deal could also involve Golden State's Marco Belinelli, who coach Mike D'Antoni thinks can fit in his system. New York Daily News

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

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

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

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'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

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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Thursday, November 20

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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 sit