Coach Phil Jackson is apparently saying that Gasol has gone five days without pain and that he's been out on the court for "light" workouts. The team is supposedly ready for him to try the hamstring out against some actual contact.

Lakers fans are surely thinking that it would be nice to have the 18.9 points per game he averaged last year back in the lineup.

For a short while, it was believed that James would move to New York so he could dominate that city and expand his empire. But the New York Knicks have continued to implode, so there's no real attraction to leaving the comforts of home to attempt to right a quickly sinking ship. What everybody seems to think now is that James will eventually re-sign with the Cavs for a tidal wave of cash. But now comes another option: Move to the Los Angeles Lakers.

The Lakers don't have a lot of salary room but they'd love, love, love to team up Kobe Bryant(notes) and LeBron James, according to Bulls.com. The 31-year-old Bryant is going to need someone to pass along the keys to the Laker Mythologymobile. And why not the 24-year-old James? James doesn't seem afraid to take a strong supporting role, which would likely suit Bryant just fine.

But somehow L.A. has to convince Cleveland to do a sign-and-trade deal because there is no other way to fit James under its current salary structure right now. Still, that could mean a talented player for Cleveland instead of the big nothing it will get if James walks next summer.

It's looking like it's not going to hold the big guy up for much longer. He apparently had a "pretty good workout" yesterday. He'll miss his fifth game in a row tonight but he reportedly might be back in action on Friday against his former team, the Memphis Grizzlies.

Coach Phil Jackson isn't saying jack about it, though: "We'll see," he said. "We hope he can get a practice in this week."