US PresswireThe New York Knicks have been considered one of the favorites to snag J.R. Smith now that he's back from his adventures in China and the New York Times reports that the team may soon deliver on the possibility.

The word from the paper is that Smith and the Knicks are close to signing a deal "although some unspecified hurdles remain." The Times has it that Smith had narrowed his choices to the Knicks and Los Angeles Clippers.

While Smith is "a solid 3-point shooter who would provide depth at guard and small forward," the Times notes, "he is also known as a ball-stopper and a volatile personality who could erode the Knicks' newfound chemistry." That dichotomy has caused there to be some "disagreement among team officials on whether he is worth the risk," the paper reports.

Meanwhile, the New York Post has it that Smith will sign Friday and be in uniform for Sunday's game against the Dallas Mavericks. Before then, the Knicks will need to cut a player from the roster. The Post names

US PresswireDenver Nuggets power forward Nene has missed two games with an injured left calf and the word is that he'll be out a few more days, according to the Denver Post.

"Doctors said (Tuesday) it would be four or five days with the (walking) boot," Nene said, according to the Post. "And after that, we're going to see how I'm feeling and when I feel ready to go, I'll go."

The 17-13 Nuggets are currently in seventh place in the Western Conference, but playing without three key players: Nene, Danilo Gallinari, and Timofey Mozgov. The latter, who has missed seven games with a sprained ankle, might be back in action Friday night against the Memphis Grizzlies.

But Nuggets fans shouldn't expect to see 6-11 Brazilian native Nene at that point. The Post reports that he won't be back until next week "at the earliest."

Nene is averaging 13.4 points and 7.8 rebounds.

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US PresswireNow that the Zhejiang Lions have made it into the playoffs over in China, the team may be saying goodbye to the Denver Nuggets restricted free agent who helped them get there, Wilson Chandler. ESPN reports that the team's playoff games don't start till next Thursday, but Chandler might not be suiting up for the game and just returning to the States with the team's blessing instead.

The team's management is OK with allowing Chandler "to come back to the NBA as soon as he helped the team clinch a playoff spot," the site notes. However, Chandler "needs the Chinese Basketball Association to issue his FIBA letter of clearance before he can resume his NBA career," the site notes, and it isn't clear just how easy it will be to obtain that.

NO matter what, Chandler is expected to back in the U.S. next week, ESPN reports, though it remained unclear whether he would at least stick around China long enough to be in this weekend's All-Star game or not.

"We prefer to let [Chandler] make the

US PresswireUkrainian big man Kyrylo Fesenko tore the meniscus in his left knee last September while representing his home country in the Eurobasket tournament. Now his agent, Stu Lash, is saying that the four-year NBA veteran is ready to return, and four teams are interested.

The Journal Times reports that the Milwaukee Bucks, Atlanta Hawks, Miami Heat, and Chicago Bulls are all expressing interest in adding Fesenko, who spent his first four seasons in the league as the backup center for the Utah Jazz. There, he averaged 8:18 minutes, 2.3 points, 2 rebounds, and 0.4 blocks per game.

The Bucks aim to meet with Fesenko next week in Denver, where he has been living, the Journal Times reports.

In other Bucks news, the paper reports that forward Drew Gooden, who is averaging 12.7 points and 6.7 rebounds per game, "has been having issues with his right wrist for much of the season" and "the injury hasn't gotten better." The paper notes that he was "expected to see a hand specialist Thursday."

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US PresswireThe Tampa Bay Lightning took down the San Jose Sharks in overtime 6-5 Thursday night and did it without the services of defenseman Pavel Kubina. GM Steve Yzerman held him out because of the potential for a trade, USA Today reports.

Since Kubina has a limited no-trade clause in his contract, he asked the 34-year-old Czech native for a list of teams that he'd be willing to go to in a deal, according to TSN.

"We've decided to protect our interest and keep Pavel off the ice until the situation is resolved," Yzerman said, TSN reports.

The Lightning made it all the way to the seventh game of the Eastern Conference finals last year but are eight points shy of even getting into the playoffs. Still, Yzerman isn't planning to unload a slew of players: "We're not going to just give guys away," he said, according to TSN. "If we come across a deal that brings in someone in return who makes us a better organization, we're going to do that. But we're not just going to unload guys for the sake of

US PresswireChicago Bulls point guard Derrick Rose has sat out the last three games with a back problem that is not going away. He skipped practice again Wednesday and visited a back specialist, ESPN Chicago reports.

Because of this, Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau may be going without the reigning MVP when he coaches the Eastern Conference All-Star team on Feb. 26, the site notes. "We'll see where [the back situation] is when we get there," Thibodeau said, ESPN reports. "We just want to do what's best. We don't know how it will be. That's down the road."

An MRI has shown that there is no structural damage, the site says, but the pain persists. Thibodeau notes that he's not just taking Rose's word for when he's ready to play. "[Rose] is a tough kid and he wants to play," Thibodeau said, ESPN reports, "but you also have your medical staff and your training staff who are studying the test results, and also have the understanding of prior injuries and things of that nature. I think that if he needs rest,

US PresswireThe Miami Heat may have three of the league's biggest stars on their roster, but they have needed someone to play center effectively since last season. While the team made it all the way to the Finals, the Mavs may have topped them in last year's championship because of that weakness.

The word from Fox Sports is that the Heat are hoping to add New Orleans Hornets center Chris Kaman, whose current deal could be bought out by the Hornets after the March 15 deadline.

Kaman, of course, was banished from the Hornets for seven games while the team unsuccessfully tried to unload him earlier this season. Since nobody would take Kaman and his contract that pays him $14 million this season, the NBA-owned Hornets brought him back.

Fox reports that now "the belief is that the 7-foot Kaman … could be bought out if the Hornets end up failing to get a deal they want for him." Kaman joined the Hornets as part of the Chris Paul deal with the Los Angeles Clippers.

"If they could get him, that would

US PresswireThe Colorado Avalanche are in 10^th place in the Western Conference, 20 points behind the conference-leading Detroit Red Wings. And things got a little more challenging for the Avs Wednesday.

The team suffered a 3-1 loss to the Vancouver Canucks as well as the sidelining of No. 1 goalie Jean-Sebastien Giguere, who went down in the first period with a groin injury, according to the Denver Post.

"I'm not too worried about it," said the 34-year-old Giguere, the Post reports. "I'm not sure what it is, but I honestly don't think it's anything serious."

Still, the Post points out that this is an area that Giguere has had to have surgery on before.

Giguere, one of the league's last players to have suited up for the Hartford Whalers (along with Chris Pronger), won the Conn Smythe trophy back in 2003 and helped win a Stanley Cup for the Anaheim Ducks in 2007.

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