With Damaso Marte's return from shoulder problems looking less likely, the Yankees could use a second lefty to complement Phil Coke.

Grabow, who is making $2.3 million this year, is 3-0 with a 3.75 ERA in 35 games. Lefties are hitting .262 (11-for-42) against him and righties are at .255 (24-for-92).

The Dodgers and the Rockies also had scouts on hand, according to the Post.

There is a difference of opinion whether signing the veteran, physical forward to a deal was a good thing or a bad thing. The deal has been both ripped and praised in the Los Angeles Times for example.

However, the Times did note that Artest, like him or not, will fill a void for the Lakers, who were viewed as "soft'' during different junctures of the regular season and playoffs.

The Times wrote: A little more than a month ago Denver physically pound them (the Lakers) to tie the Western Conference finals at two games each. They obviously toughened up enough to win those next two games, as well as the Finals, but this move was done with an eye toward the Eastern Conference. Now they have someone to slow down LeBron James. And Paul Pierce. (And also Carmelo Anthony . . . can't totally ignore the West.)

According to the Post the Blazers have long coveted Lee, who also seeks $10 million per season, exactly the amount the Blazers are under the cap. Lee's agent, Mark Bartlestein said because Lee is restricted, the Blazers were fearful of waiting 10 days to see if the Knicks would match and instead jumped at the surer thing in Turkoglu, who then backed out of a seemingly completed deal and headed to Toronto.

Bartlestein claims he's talked to nearly 15 over-the-cap teams who have proposed sign-and-trade deals with the Knicks for Lee. But because he is a base-year compensation player, it is difficult to make the math work under the CBA.

According to a source with knowledge of the situation, the 76ers reached out this week to the agent for Atlanta Hawks guard Mike Bibby, only to find that the 10-year veteran is intent on staying with the team he played for the last two seasons, according to the Inquirer.

With the uncertainty of the Sixers' relationship with guard Andre Miller — he also is a free agent, and there are no signs that he plans to return — the team may be in need of a veteran point guard for first-year coach Eddie Jordan.

There is not much separating Miller, 33, and Bibby, 31, either in performance or contract requests. Bibby earned about $15 million last season, when he averaged 14.9 points and 5.0 assists and shot 39 percent from three-point range. Miller averaged 16.3 points and 6.5 assists and shot 28.3 percent from beyond the arc while earning around $10 million, the Inquirer reported.

Childress played last season with Olympiakos in Greece and has until July 15 to decide if he wants to opt out and return to the National Basketball Association. The Atlanta Hawks still hold his league rights and could match any offer made by another team.

According to the report, the 26-year-old Childress left Atlanta on difficult terms last summer, however, when he signed a three-year, $20 million deal with Olympiakos. It is possible he could sign an offer sheet with another NBA team, and the Hawks would then match it and work out a sign-and-trade arrangement.

It's unclear what assets the Hawks might be seeking from Milwaukee, but Hammond acquired two expiring contracts from San Antonio (Bruce Bowen and Kurt Thomas) in last week's trade that sent Richard Jefferson to the Spurs. The Bucks also have point guard Luke Ridnour's $6.4 million expiring contract.

According to the Atlanta Journal Constitution, Childress was in Atlanta on Sunday to speak with Hawks officials. He indicated he would explore his NBA options before deciding whether to return to Greece for a second season.

The 6-foot-8 Childress, the sixth overall pick in the 2004 draft, might fill a Bucks need at small forward, one created with Jefferson's departure.

Childress averaged 11.8 points and 4.9 rebounds in his last NBA season, appearing in 76 regular-season games.

The Globe reported that Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett, and Paul Pierce joined president of basketball operations Danny Ainge and managing partner Wyc Grousbeck for a three-hour meeting with Wallace in Detroit yesterday, the Celtics offering a contract using their midlevel exception. But Wallace is apparently in no hurry to respond, preferring to weigh approaches from Charlotte, Cleveland, Orlando, and San Antonio, according to an NBA source.

Bill Strickland, Wallace's agent, said in a text message that it was a "very good meeting; some contractual terms discussed, nothing agreed to.''

Strickland added Wallace will be "meeting with a few more teams next week.''

Wallace is coming off a five-year contract with the Pistons, earning $13.68 million last season. The teams courting Wallace would be offering the midlevel exception, worth between $5.6 million and $5.8 million. So, Wallace's choice will be based on other factors, and the Celtics believe they have an advantage because of the forward's relationship with Garnett and the team's good chance to compete for a championship, the Globe reported.

The high-scoring veteran is a free agent for the first time in his professional career. Iverson, 34, reportedly has only had mild discussions with the Miami Heat since the free agency period began Wednesday. There were also internet reports Thursday that the Chicago Bulls have interest in Iverson.

The Grizzlies had no comment about Iverson's inquiry.

While no deal is imminent and conversations have been only exploratory, Griz brass are said to be weighing the pros and cons of adding Iverson to the team's youth movement, according to the Commercial Appeal.

Iverson would certainly have to take a major pay cut from the $21 million he earned last season with Detroit. It is believed that the Griz would only entertain Iverson at what they'd deem a reasonable price, and if the 13-year veteran agreed to play off the bench.

Those criteria would seem to make Iverson and the Grizzlies a bad fit.

According to the New York Daily News, Shaq wasn't in Cleveland five minutes when he dropped his desire for an extension Cavs owner Dan Gilbert.

The Daily News wrote: It's always been about the dough for O'Neal and he didn't hide his desire to get two more years after this one. That would take him through his 40th birthday.

"I've been in it for 17 years but I've missed three years because of injury,'' he said of his storied NBA career. "If you do the math, I've still got three years left. You got that? I've got three years left in my career," he said. "I have a lot left. There's only four or five good centers in the league and I'm in that number.''

According to the New York Daily News, that is approximately the difference in the three-year offers Kidd received from the New York Knicks and Dallas Mavericks. A person close to the veteran point guard told the New York Daily News that the Knicks presented Kidd with a three-year contract worth approximately $18 million Saturday. The Mavs offered Kidd a three-year contract worth between $25 million and $30 million.

Kidd could take at least one more week to make a decision. Signings do not become official until this coming Wednesday. Mavs owner Mark Cuban is optimistic that Kidd will re-sign with Dallas, accoring to the Daily News.

The Knicks, who entertained Kidd on Wednesday, showed their commitment by offering three years. They originally planned to offer Kidd a one- or two-year contract but added a third year in order to stay competitive with Dallas.

According to the Boston Globe, House, who could have exercised a player option and declared for free agency Wednesday, has one year remaining on a contract worth $2.86 million.

"Eddie is staying in the contract,'' Bartelstein said. "It was a tough decision. But, when it was all said and done, Eddie loved his time in Boston, he feels like he is on a championship contender, he really enjoys playing with his teammates and playing for Doc [Rivers], and the fans have been great to him. He'll stay at least one more year and he can go into free agency next year, if he wants. But he has a comfort zone there; he's enjoyed the experience, and he didn't want to walk away from it.

House, 31, averaged 8.5 points off the bench in 81 games last season.

According to the Tribune, the Bulls planned to contact Raymond Brothers, Gordon's agent, who has turned down offers of $50 million over five years and $54 million over six years the previous two summers.

Gordon, the Bulls' leading scorer for the last four seasons, never has backed off his publicly stated desire to remain in Chicago. He reiterated that desire to close associates on Tuesday. Similarly, general manager Gar Forman consistently has said the Bulls want to re-sign Gordon, according to the Tribune.

The Tribune reported that the Bulls have roughly $63.9 million worth of contracts committed for the 2009-10 season. This number doesn't include the scaled rookie contracts of draft picks James Johnson and Taj Gibson, which combine for roughly $2.75 million.

The league office will release the luxury tax threshold on July 8. Most league observers expect that figure to land somewhere near $69 million. Barring a trade, that means the Bulls only would have approximately $2.5 million to offer Gordon in the first year of a multiyear deal if they want to avoid incurring the luxury tax penalty.

It is the reason why Detroit believes it can steal Gordon from the Bulls.

According to the Los Angeles Times, Bryant elected not to terminate the final two years of his contract and was expected to sign a three-year extension sometime this month.

The Times reported Bryant would make a guaranteed $47.8 million over the next two years and could earn another $86 million to $91 million with the extension, depending on NBA salary-cap figures to be determined in 2011.

There was optimism that the sides would reach agreement, one source familiar with the situation calling it "a layup" but declining to speak further about specifics.

The Times reported that under terms of the extension, the earliest Bryant could opt out again would probably be June 2012, three seasons from now. To do that, however, would leave more than $60 million on the table over the last two years.

In other words, Bryant, who has spent his entire 13-year career with the Lakers, might very well retire with them. He will be 31 next month.

Unless the Knicks negotiate a sign-and-trade with Kidd and Dallas, the club can offer him only its mid-level exception starting at approximately $5.8 million. Knicks president Donnie Walsh and coach Mike D'Antoni are hoping to convince Kidd that he can rejuvenate a doormat franchise the same way he did nearly 10 years ago in New Jersey, according to the Daily News.

According to the Daily News, Kidd is intrigued by the possibility of playing and living in New York, which is both good and bad for the Knicks. He would provide leadership, assuming the 36-year-old point guard is committed to the team and not just spending the twilight years of his career enjoying Manhattan.

The Knicks, however, believe the addition of Kidd would bring instant credibility and would strengthen their chances of possibly adding LeBron James or Dwyane Wade when the two superstars become free agents in 2010, the Daily News reported.

"He's the main free agent, an important free agent," said Sixers president and general manager Ed Stefanski. "Neither of us is going to be at each other's doorstep at 12:01 a.m., but we will talk on July 1. There's no doubt."

After Miller, Stefanski will fill the remaining gaps to form the 2009-2010 roster.

Wednesday is when the Sixers are allowed to contact Miller, an unrestricted free agent, to begin discussions about what it might take - how much money and over how many years - to re-sign the team's 33-year-old starting point guard, the Inquirer reported.

Although teams may begin negotiating with free agents Wednesday, contracts may not be signed until July 8.

Miller, who last season averaged 16.3 points and 6.5 assists, is represented by Andy Miller, who has said his client's No. 1 option is to remain with the Sixers.

If another NBA team were to sign Davis, a restricted free agent, to an offer sheet, Boston would have seven days to match it.

Davis, whose annual salary is $711,517, increased his value with strong performances late in the regular season and playoffs, replacing the injured Kevin Garnett in the starting lineup, the Globe reported. Davis averaged 15.8 points and 5.6 rebounds in the postseason, and hit a game-winning jumper at the buzzer in Game 4 of the second-round series against Orlando.

Also, guard Eddie House will decide today on whether to accept his $2.86 million option for next season or become a free agent, according to agent Mark Bartelstein.

According to the Globe, free agent guard Stephon Marbury said he would like to re-sign with the Celtics if he is offered a fair deal. Marbury will be an unrestricted free agent beginning tomorrow and is excited about the possibility of making a title run again next season.

Celtics coach Doc Rivers has said he hopes Marbury will be back.

A league source told the Daily News Monday night that Kidd is scheduled to sit down with Knicks president Donnie Walsh and head coach Mike D'Antoni early Wednesday. Kidd said in January that he would strongly consider signing with the Knicks.

Kidd, who helped the Nets reach back-to-back NBA Finals before being traded to Dallas two years ago, is giving the Mavericks the first chance to re-sign him. The future Hall of Fame point guard will speak with Dallas officials before he talks to the Knicks. It is believed that Kidd also will talk to the Portland Trail Blazers, according to the Daily News.

The Knicks could sign Kidd to the mid-level exception or try to negotiate a sign-and-trade with Dallas. Since the Mavs traded Devin Harris two seasons ago for Kidd, Dallas figures to make a strong push to re-sign Kidd or at least get compensation for having mortgaged its future.

The report also indicated the Hawks will add Jamal Crawford and Jeff Teague.

However, the web site was not certain the visit to Texas had anything to do with joining the Mavericks.

The Mavs may also have to cross Raymond Felton off their wish list, according to Dallasbasketball.com.

Charlotte Bobcats executive Michael Jordan said "I don't see any situation where he's not with us. "I anticipate us keeping Raymond Felton, without a doubt."

Kupchak made two moves toward retaining the services of Ariza, Odom and Brown when he traded two of the Lakers' three draft picks for cash and future selections. He didn't want to add players or their salaries to the roster, according to the Daily News.

The Daily News reports money will be an issue. At midnight Eastern time, Kupchak can begin negotiations with agents for the players. It's also when general managers for 29 other teams can begin pursuing Ariza, Odom and Brown in hopes ofluring away three valuable members of the Lakers' 2008-09 championship team.

Kupchak made it clear he doesn't have blank checks to hand out, and issues such as the salary cap and luxury tax could mean he won't be able to afford to re-sign them. He also doesn't know how high other teams might go in order to sign them.

Odom and Brown. It means the talks might go quickly, with the players agreeing to new deals within a matter of minutes or hours. Negotiations between teams and restricted free agents tend to take longer.

Compounding matters is Kobe Bryant's right to terminate his contract by 9 p.m. today and join Ariza, Odom and Brown as a free agent. Bryant indicated he intends to stay put until his contract expires after the 2010-11 season, however

According to the Tribune, the list of potential suitors for Millsap is expected to possibly include Oklahoma City, Detroit and Portland. The Thunder are believed to be looking for a physical post player — Anderson Varejao is another name — and will have $11 million or so in cap space to sign a player. They are expected to spend this summer.

Rubio, a flashy 18-year-old Spanish guard, was unhappy when he was selected by the Minnesota Timberwolves. According to the Times, Rubio's father threatened to keep Ricky in Europe for another year or two. Rubio did not attend his own introductory news conference on Friday.

The Knicks responded with great interest according to the Times. Donnie Walsh, the team president, said Friday that he intended to call David Kahn, the Timberwolves' president. Walsh never directly said he would propose a trade, but his intent was clear.

"I would never say never to anything," Walsh said of pursuing Rubio. "We're in the off-season. We're going to be checking everything out, seeing how we can make our team better."

Walsh and Kahn are close, having worked together in the Indiana Pacers' front office for several years, with Walsh serving as a mentor. Like most draft observers, Walsh said he was curious about Kahn's decision to draft two point guards — Rubio and Syracuse's Jonny Flynn — with consecutive lottery picks.

Asked if it would merely be a discussion between two old friends, Walsh answered with light sarcasm: "Yeah, and the people that are in that relationship never talk about their wants and needs."

"Wait," said Nelson. "One shouldn't confuse silence with inactivity. We're prepared for a very active summer."

Just because Vince Carter, Richard Jefferson and Shaquille O'Neal have moved to contending teams doesn't mean the Mavericks won't be able to find just as much of a helper, according to the Dallas Morning News.

It will almost certainly have to be a trade of some sort, with Stackhouse's $7 million contract, which can be bought out for $2 million, and Erick Dampier's expiring $11 million deal as the primary trade chips.

As far as straight free agency goes, this summer will not be the frenzy it's going to be in 2010. But can the Mavericks afford to wait a full year to make their big play for help for Dirk Nowitzki?

The New York Daily News also reported that according to one Eastern Conference president, the deal is still not enough for the Cavaliers to beat the Orlando Magic.\

The Daily News wrote: Shaq alone would not necessarily be enough to help the Cavs to even overtake the Magic in the East. While Shaq enjoyed a bit of a revival last season, the Suns missed the playoffs, and O'Neal is not the same player he was when he was winning three titles with the Lakers from 2000-02.

"They didn't give up anything for him in terms of main rotation players," said one Eastern Conference president. "So that's good. But Shaq doesn't give them size in their backcourt to match up with the Magic. And as for being someone who can guard Dwight Howard, Shaq can't do that. The Magic are still better, depending on what happens in free agency."

According to the Boston Globe, Ainge was critical of Rondo's maturity and other issues, during an interview Wednesday on a Boston radion station.

Ainge commented that Rondo "has to grow up'' in some areas, according to the Globe. Ainge said Rondo has to take a bigger leadership role revealed the 23-year-old was fined for showing up late to a playoff game.

"We expect him to play by the rules and be a leader as a point guard. We need him to be more of a leader," Ainge said. "There were just a couple situations where he was late this year, I don't know if he was sitting in his car, but showed up late and the rest of the team was there. We have team rules and you have to be on time. He was fined for being late, he said he was stuck in traffic, and it's just unacceptable."

Ainge was also critical of Rondo's play during the Celtics' second-round loss to the Magic.

"As we saw in the Orlando series, they left him wide open," Ainge said. "His presence hurt us in winning right now because his man went and doubled onto Ray [Allen] and Paul [Pierce] and made it difficult for us."

According to the Times, Jackson told a radio audience Tuesday it was possible. Wednesday, general manager Mitch Kupchak said it wasn't.

The Times wrote: But if the arrangement does become reality, even in a very limited form, we can reasonably expect Phil to be checking in from the home office on good occasion during halftimes. He'll be a regular on those grainy video-conference calls as he trots out his wipeboard to diagram inbounds defense, tells Bynum to step up, Odom to get a grip and Vujacic to calm down.

"Nooooo, no," general manager Gar Forman said with mock horror, when asked earlier this week if Berto Center workouts swayed the decision-making process. "We base what we're doing much more on the body of work as far as scouting them during the season.

"A lot of these guys we've seen for two, three or four years. A workout is one small piece of the process. But really the body of work is what we're analyzing. That's why we're out all year scouting guys."

Ainge told the Globe he expects the team to have the same starting five next season.

"We love Rajon,'' Ainge said. "I think everybody knows how good of a player he is and what sort of a bright future he has. It's amazing, I hope each one of you can maintain your integrity through this world of media that we live in — it doesn't even seem like you have to have any kind of source anymore, you just write stuff and print stuff, and things can just come out of the air.

"It's a little bit frustrating sometimes, because I've got to manage those players. And their agents, and their mothers, and their wives, and, in some cases, their children. But the one thing I can assure you, I will never sit up here and say there is any player that is untradeable, ever.

"But the notion that we might be trading [Rondo] because of his contract situation, I've heard speculation, or that we're dissatisfied with him, or his attitude. I mean, that stuff is so false. He showed up late for a playoff game, so we're going to trade him - none of those things are true.''

Rambis coached one game for Jackson last season when he elected to remain in Los Angeles instead of traveling to Portland for the game because of swelling in his legs from plantar fasciitis.

"This is not new to me," Rambis, who was one of the final candidates for the Sacramento Kings head coaching job, said late Tuesday night. "This is one of the many ideas we kicked around a little. The hardest part about the job is the travel. It's especially hard when you have physical issues. There's some travel that are particularly grueling. He can take tough road trips off. Phil is probably at a point where he is looking to wind his career down and I'm looking to wind my career up."

While doing a radio interview with 710 AM Tuesday morning, Jackson reiterated what he told reporters last Friday at the team's training facility in El Segundo — that his health would be the only reason to keep him from coaching next season. Jackson said he will soon have some tests to determine his health and that if it turns out favorable "that there's no doubt" that he'll return to coach the Lakers for the 2009-10 season, which he is set to earn $12 million, the Times reported.

Jackson, who turns 64 in September, told the radio station that the organization has "toyed" with the idea of him skipping some road games and with having Rambis take over the head coaching duties in his place. Jackson has had two hip-replacement surgeries, an angioplasty and gout during his two stints coaching the Lakers, according to the Times.

However, the Post reports that Hansbrough isn't a no-brainer pick for the Nets at No. 11 in the NBA Draft.

The Nets are well stocked with power forwards already. According to the Post, Hansbrough, 24, doesn't have a great upside.

Duke guard Gerald Henderson has risen dramatically on the Nets' list. So though Hansbrough certainly is in the mix, he probably ranks behind Syracuse point guard Jonny Flynn, Louisville wing Terrence Williams and Henderson, according to the Post.

The Knicks own the eighth pick in Thursday's draft and are trying to move into the top four in order to take Rubio, the highly touted point guard from Spain. Rubio, Curry and Evans are all projected to go in the top seven.

According to the Daily News, when it comes time for the Knicks to make their pick, point guards Brandon Jennings and Jrue Holiday should both be available, but people familiar with the club's thinking claim that Donnie Walsh and Mike D'Antoni prefer Henderson, a 6-5 shooting guard from Duke and son of the former NBA player - and former Knick - of the same name.

The thinking among the Knicks' brain trust is that Henderson, unlike Jennings and Holiday, has the ability to step in and make an immediate contribution. Henderson, who averaged 16.5 points last season as a junior, is regarded a strong character individual with a high basketball IQ. In a majority of mock drafts, Henderson is projected to be picked either 11th or 12th, the Daily News reported.

According to Newsday, the best chance the Knicks have to select Thabeet is with the No.5 selection currently owned by the Washington Wizards. Newsday reported the potential blockbuster trade that would land the Knicks the fifth overall pick and allow the Knicks to keep their spot at No. 8. The deal likely would have to include one of the team's most valuable assets, swingman Wilson Chandler, which would be a difficult decision.

This scenario also might include Larry Hughes going back to Washington in exchange for guard Mike James, a Long Island product, and a big man such as Etan Thomas or Brendan Haywood. All of the players involved have expiring contracts, according to Newsday.

Newsday reported the move by the Knicks, however, would not be to target Thabeet or even Spanish guard Ricky Rubio. It appears more likely that Davidson's Stephen Curry or Memphis' Tyreke Evans are the more coveted prospects. The Knicks then could use their own pick at No. 8 to land Arizona power forward Jordan Hill, if he still is on the board. If not, there is Duke's Gerald Henderson or USC's DeMar DeRozan to consider as potential replacements for Chandler.

"He's been [at the Berto Center] working some," Forman said. "He's starting to run some and get some shots up. So we think that's progressing well. At this point, [the training staff] is real happy with his progress."

Deng, sidelined since Feb. 28, has said he is trying to avoid surgery at all costs, according to the Tribune.

On top of that, they are waiting to hear from center Kwame Brown, who has until June 30 to pick up a player option for $4 million next season. The Pistons expect he will exercise his option and return, but if he doesn't, they gain an additional $4 million in cap space.

According to the report, the priority will be to sign a young, top-tier power forward. Carlos Boozer, 27, is expected to opt out of his contract with the Jazz. If he does, he most likely would be the Pistons' first option.

Paul Millsap, 24, a restricted free agent in Utah, would be another option.

The Jazz, most likely, won't be able to keep both and re-sign center Mehmet Okur.

According to the report, the deal has been discussed, but hasn't really heated up. There has been talk that the Nets like North Carolina's Tyler Hansbrough, who should be available at 16. So it's possible New Jersey is more interested in moving down than the Bulls are in moving up.

This is generally regarded as a weak draft, so the Bulls have to ask themselves if it's really worth giving up that No. 26 pick, which could bring a backup point guard like Toney Douglas or Darren Collison, or an extra big man.

A person with knowledge of the situation told Newsday the Houston Rockets are engaging in very preliminary discussions involving offers for Tracy McGrady and, the source said, the Knicks have shown some interest. However, much like the inquiry about Shaquille O'Neal, it is believed to be strictly due diligence at this point on the part of Walsh.

The oft-injured McGrady, a seven-time all-star who over the last year endured surgeries on his shoulder (arthroscopy) and knee (microfracture procedure), played just 35 games this past season. He has one year and $23 million left on his contract, which, for the Knicks, would make acquiring him a low risk, especially if it doesn't cost them more than an expiring contract.

The Morning News wrote: This is the off-season Nelson either makes enough moves to help the Mavs become an elite team in the Western Conference again or becomes known as the guy in charge when they descended into NBA irrelevance. Right now, we all know the Mavs aren't good enough to compete against the conference's best team. They're not even close.

According to the Morning News, the Mavs don't have enough shooters to take pressure off Dirk Nowitzki, and they don't have enough quality defensive players to win games when they struggle offensively.

Nelson has to fix those flaws.

A day after Heat President Pat Riley said the team could not go forward with a major personnel overhaul without his star guard first agreeing to an extension this summer, Wade indicated he might seek such action by the team before making such a commitment, according to the report.

"I'm there. Why not fast track this thing anyway while I'm there and let's not give it a chance to get to 2010?" said Wade, who can extend his contract starting July 12, or can opt out an become a free agent following next season. "I'm in my prime right now, playing the best basketball I've ever played, and I feel as good as I ever felt. So let's not wait. Let's do it now if we can do it. So it's not about me signing a contract."

According to the Sun-Sentinel, Wade said an aggressive personnel approach by the team this summer could lead to his signature on an extension before his potential 2010 free agency.

"They have to do everything they can to make sure they want me there for the future," he said.

In 2006, a 10-member NBA staff went to India to look at basketball facilities and to meet politicians, coaches, players, and corporate leaders as well as current league sponsors with India ties. While paling in popularity to cricket, field hockey, and tennis, basketball is played in schools in all the key urban areas, and kids are gravitating to the sport, according to Jain.

After the trip, the NBA developed a plan to build the sport through coaching programs, clinics, school programs, and court construction. India is sorely lacking in basketball venues; there is no current facility available suitable for an NBA preseason game, according to the Globe.

"India is a significant emerging business and basketball opportunity for us,'' Jain said.

"I think it's always dangerous to pass up what you think is the best player to take a positional player," said Vandeweghe, the team's general manager.

Vandeweghe said that while most have a general idea about who will be taken with the top five or six picks, what happens after that is "really up in the air."

Though the Nets do need a third point guard to spell Harris and backup Keyon Dooling on occasion, it seems unlikely they would go in that direction considering what they already have at that position, according to the Daily News.

Harris is coming off his first All-Star Game appearance and Dooling is a more than competent backup. Carter also plays the position. Plus, with Lawrence Frank heading into the season as a lame-duck coach, needing to win to hold onto his job, it's unlikely he'd put much trust in a rookie at that spot, which could make such a pick a wasted one for the upcoming season, the Daily News reported.

The NBA draft is Thursday at Madison Square Garden. The Sixers hold the 17th pick in the first round.

Sunday's workout will be the Sixers' fourth announced predraft workout and the first involving a center: Mullens, 20, is a 7-footer who played one season at Ohio State and averaged 8.8 points in 20.3 minutes per game. Mullens is projected as a middle first-round selection because he might need at least a couple of seasons to develop, according to the Inquirer.

Ayers, a 6-7 guard, played four seasons for the Fighting Irish and averaged 11.1 points per game during his senior season. Ayers might not be drafted in either round.

Sixers president and general manager Ed Stefanski has said the team is focused on selecting a perimeter player, according to the Inquirer.

According to the Plain Dealer, Ming has called a possible move to Cleveland an "unknown," but did nothing to dampen ongoing speculation that the Cavaliers' new Chinese part owners want to sign him.

In a recent interview with his hometown Shanghai TV station, Yao said he continued to have "much affection" for the Rockets, the team that picked him as a first-round draft pick in 2003 and with whom he has played all six of his NBA seasons.

The Plain Dealer reported that rumors of a possible switch have swirled since a group of Chinese investors signed an agreement last month with the Cavaliers to become minority owners of the franchise, a move expected to boost the team's popularity and marketing opportunities in China, where Cleveland star LeBron James is already very popular.

Cleveland has not publicly expressed interest in Yao, who has one guaranteed year left on his contract with Houston, including a player option for the 2010-11 season.

According to the report, Kerr met with two-time MVP Steve Nash on Thursday to talk about Nash's current contract. The two met in New York City, where Nash lives in the offseason, and were joined by Nash's agent, Bill Duffy.

The topic of discussion was Nash's contract extension, which is partially guaranteed by the team. 2009-10 is the final year of the playmaker's contract, although he's eligible for a two-year extension.

"It was a good meeting," Kerr said. "It was very productive and it was just about laying groundwork for future talks."

The two agreed to resume talks as the future of the team continued to take shape. With the Suns holding three picks in next Thursday's 2009 NBA Draft and free agents becoming eligible to sign on July 1, the pair should have plenty to discuss in their next conversation.

Minnesota's director of basketball operations David Kahn, who has more than a decade's experience with the Indiana Pacers and owned the NBDL's Reno Big Horns for a spell, has already made one splash in firing McHale and vows to make another at next week's draft, where Minnesota will have three first-rounders, according to the report.

As far as making a splash with a coaching hire, Kahn would have to recruit Bobby Knight or Avery Johnson to get a bigger name than Jackson, who played for Kahn twice during Kahn's nine-year stint in the Pacers front office and has been tabbed as a future coaching star from the minute he retired, according to Pro Basketball News.

Odom will be an unrestricted free agent July 1, one of two forwards the Lakers hope to re-sign to keep their frontcourt intact. Trevor Ariza is younger and has plenty of potential, but Odom can play three positions and provide much-needed backup help whenever Andrew Bynum gets in foul trouble.

According to the Times, the Lakers hope to sign both Ariza and Odom, but owner Jerry Buss will first have to evaluate how much to offer Odom, a non-starter on a championship team. Odom was on the Lakers' books for $14.1 million this season, though he was actually paid $11.4 million because he received some of the money in a trade kicker when the Lakers acquired him from Miami in July 2004.

"I thought I did my job this year — come off the bench, do whatever it takes," Odom said as players continued to have exit meetings with Lakers Coach Phil Jackson and General Manager Mitch Kupchak. "I had to play well and I played well. We had to win and we won. Hopefully, everything will just work out and I can stay home."

"Where am I going to go?" he said into a microphone when asked if he would stay with the Lakers. "This is my home."

Bryant, 30, can become an unrestricted free agent next month by terminating his Lakers contract with two more years and $47.8 million on it. The 13-year veteran could then re-sign with the Lakers for five years and about $135 million, according to the Times.

"It's been a blast being here from '96 to now," he said to the crowd. "Here we are, back on top. This feels unbelievable. We have a young team, a team that has a lot of chemistry. We want to do this thing again and again. We'll be back next year, ready to go. We're going to keep on rolling."

Kupchak readily acknowledged the speculation about his coach. Jackson, who turns 64 in September, has been through hip surgeries, an angioplasty, gout and various other maladies since he started expanding his ring collection in Los Angeles. People around the team have reasonably wondered whether Jackson, with his 10th ring secured, might leave the stress behind and walk off into the proverbial sunset, the Times reported.

"It seems to make sense, doesn't it?" Kupchak said. "I don't think he'll do it, but it seems to make sense."

Jackson has one year and $12 million left on his contract. He intends to honor it, according to his longtime agent and friend, Todd Musburger.

"I don't think he's given any thought to not completely fulfilling his contract," Musburger said, nor does the 10th title change anything. "I don't think he's in it for the gold ring. The gold ring is clearly important, but I don't think that's what drives him."

The Sentinel wrote: As much as Alston meant in getting the Magic to the Finals this season, he must now be jettisoned if the Magic expect to make a return trip next year.

This is not about ability; it's about stability. It's not demoting Alston; it's about promoting harmony.

The Magic have let it be known that Nelson is this team's starting point guard for years to come, but let's be honest: as long as Alston is around, Nelson will be continuously looking over his shoulder. The first time he goes through a bad stretch next season, fans will be calling for him to be benched and replaced by Alston.

The Sun-Times noted that would be a dream matchup for the NBA and ABC/ESPN and it's a scenario that could develop if the reported trade talks going on now between the Cavaliers and Phoenix Suns result in a deal.

San Antonio? The Spurs aren't likely to trade Manu Ginobili, although they could if all they want in return is Washington's No. 5 draft pick and some spare roster filler. The Spurs have to take one more big swing with their three stars, and they have to add something substantial to think their chances are serious, according to the Morning News.

Portland? It's still a piece or two away, and that's only if Greg Oden becomes a dominant post player. Denver? The Nuggets were completely exposed by the Lakers in the conference finals and need not only another magical season but at least one more major piece, the Morning News reported.

Beyond them, New Orleans, Utah, Houston and the Mavericks all are further behind, although the Rockets have some reason for hope if they can find a taker for Tracy McGrady.

According to the Times, Kobe Bryant will return. Bryant will be 31 in August and has accumulated plenty of mileage in a 13-year career, but he just finished averaging 32.4 points, 7.4 assists and 5.6 rebounds in the Finals on the way to his first Finals MVP award. Suddenly, a five-year, $135-million contract, the maximum for a player his age, doesn't seem like such a bad idea. His legendary off-season workout habits should keep him in competitive shape for most of a five-year deal, and it would be a public-relations fiasco if the Lakers let him walk.

Bryant wants to come back. He said during the Finals that he couldn't envision playing for another team next season. Only something completely unforeseen would keep him from returning to the Lakers, the Times reported.

But what about Trevor Ariza and Lamar Odom?

According to the Times, it was believed only one of them would stay, until the Lakers high-stepped through the last two weeks of the playoffs with relative ease, winning the last two games of the Western Conference finals against a physical, feisty Denver team before disposing of Orlando.

The recent sentiment is that there might be room for both Ariza and Odom. Lakers Coach Phil Jackson even said as much last week, saying it wasn't "written in stone" that the team would have to make an either/or decision with the two players, according to the Times.

Basically, it comes down to owner Jerry Buss, who has stepped up financially numerous times over the years, most recently by signing Andrew Bynum to a four-year, $57.4-million contract extension last October and, before that, absorbing an extra $49 million in salary by acquiring Pau Gasol in February 2008.

According to Charles Barkley and the Los Angeles Times, Jackson will not return.

"I don't know if he's the greatest coach of all time, but Phil Jackson is in the conversation,'' Barkley said. "I mean, you win 10 championships — that's pretty impressive. But I don't think he's coming back. Phil's done. I just think he's had enough. He's definitely gone. That's just my opinion, though.''

According to the Republic, the parts of the possible deal remain the same. Phoenix would send O'Neal to Cleveland for veteran power forward Ben Wallace, who is considering retirement, and reserve guard Sasha Pavlovic, whose final contract year is not fully guaranteed.

With O'Neal's $20 million salary (but a $21 million salary-cap number due to a trade kicker), the trade could save the Suns $9.9 million or even more if Wallace wants a buyout. The trade would save the Suns $3.1 million in payroll and projected luxury tax. Cutting Pavlovic, who has $1.5 million guaranteed in his final contract year's $4.95 million salary, could save another $6.8 million in payroll and tax, the Globe reported.

Wallace, 34, also is entering the final year of his deal, which would pay him $14 million. He is coming off an injury-marred season that was his most unproductive in 14 seasons. Wallace would consider a buyout, but Cleveland could use him as a trade chip, particularly to get O'Neal to counter Dwight Howard, whose Orlando Magic ousted the 66-16 Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference finals.

If the Suns acquired and bought out Wallace, they would save more than the $9.9 million that a deal and Pavlovic waiver would save, according to the Republic.

One bad pass by Dwight Howard at the 10-minute mark of the third quarter triggered a 16-3 run by the Lakers and wiped out a 12-point lead. Howard's errant pass was one of 19 Magic turnovers that led to 16 Lakers points. Taking better care of the ball will be a key point of emphasis for the Magic in Game 5 Sunday night, according to the Times.

The Magic had averaged 12.8 turnovers a game during the first three rounds of the playoffs, and is averaging 15.0 in the Finals. And while it might be normal to blame the turnovers on the unsettled point guard situation, the errors have been spread around. According to the Times, Of the 10 players Orlando used on Thursday, only J.J. Redick didn't turn over the ball.

The Orlando Sentinel wrote: Where was starting point guard Rafer Alston when it counted? Magic coach Stan Van Gundy's point guard decisions have become ridiculous. Alston had a big game Tuesday night, but in crunch time Thursday it was Jameer Nelson who was on the floor.

And why didn't the Magic foul the Lakers before Fisher hit his game-tying three at the end of regulation? Van Gundy, like too many NBA coaches, stubbornly refused to foul in that situations to put an opposing player on the line. Isn't it better to let Fisher sink two free throws and still be up by 1 then hit a game-tying 3?

"We thought 11 seconds was too early," Van Gundy said, "especially with the way we were shooting free throws."

DeRozan was a late addition to the schedule, but he was the player that will be most relevant when the Wizards are on the clock during the June 25 draft. DeRozan is expected to be a lottery pick and should be drafted within range of the Wizards' No. 5 overall selection, according to the Post.

"I want to have the staff see everything I improved on and have the main thing be me," DeRozan said. "That's one of the things in the workouts that I really wanted to show."

DeRozan has tried to improve his long-range shooting, which he categorized as "extremely different" since college. He shot 16.7 percent from three-point range during his lone year with the Trojans, the Post reported.

ProBasketballNews.com, an Ohio-based Web site, reported the Cavs' front office was in "disarray" and considering firing Brown following the Eastern Conference finals loss to the Orlando Magic. The New York Daily News' Web site that said there were reports of "infighting" within the Cavs' front office over Brown's job and suggested the team should pursue Miami Heat President and coaching Hall of Famer Pat Riley to replace him.

The rumors started as the result of criticism over Brown's strategies and lineup adjustments were never able to overcome the matchup advantages the Magic had over the Cavs, according to the Plain Dealer.

The South Florida Sun-Sentinel reported Thursday that Riley has not been contacted by any team to unretire from coaching.

According to the Plain Dealer, Brown has the backing of General Manager Danny Ferry, team owner Dan Gilbert and LeBron James, who credits his vast improvement on defense and the team's postseason success directly to Brown.

Ariza had 13 points in the third quarter, making two three-point baskets and five of six shots overall, as the Lakers outscored the Magic, 30-14, and went on to a 99-91 overtime victory.

"Trevor came out and just found something out there," Lakers Coach Phil Jackson said. "He really carried a lot of energy for us in the second half. We needed everything he could give us."

Ariza finished with 16 points and nine rebounds in 43 minutes.

"It's going to be a difficult decision," Harangody said. "As of now, it's 50-50. Either decision would be a good one so I'm in a good position. I've been getting great feedback," Harangody said. "That's what is making this tough. I've gotten a taste of it and I like the new challenge. I have to do what's best for myself and my family. There's still a strong chance I'll go back to Notre Dame."

Harangody said most teams are telling him he's a late first- or early second-round pick. At 6 feet 8 inches, there are size concerns.

"I'm a little undersized so I want to show teams my athleticism and how I can shoot," he said. "I think I've surprised some people with how my body is and how I move on the floor.''