NBA roundup: Hornets waive McGuire; Bulls to sign Cook
A number of players are likely to be waived in the next few days because players who have been on a team since training camp will have their contracts guaranteed for the rest of the season if they are still on the team by next week.
Apparently with that in mind, the New Orleans Hornets waived forward Dominic McGuire, according to multiple sources.
He started nine games for the Raptors this season before being released and picked up by New Orleans, where he played in nine games.
Daequan Cook, who was placed on waivers by the Houston Rockets in a similar move, cleared waivers as no one picked up his $3.1 million salary. But he will sign with the Chicago Bulls, according to ESPN.com.
---Rookie forward Royce White has yet to play for the Houston Rockets this season and doesn't foresee it happening unless the team and the NBA establish a plan to assist players with mental-health issues.
White, the Rockets' first-round draft pick, has struggled with an anxiety disorder that affected his college career at Minnesota and Iowa State. There were questions before the 2012 draft about his issues, but the Rockets decided to take a gamble based on his talent.
He said he doesn't blame the Rockets and would like to stay with the organization.
---Miami standout LeBron James was expected to play Friday night against the Chicago Bulls despite saying after a morning practice that his bruised right knee needs additional treatment.
James missed practice on Thursday while undergoing treatment for an injury that flared up after Wednesday's overtime win over Dallas.
---The Indiana Pacers recalled rookie guard Orlando Johnson from Fort Wayne of the NBA D-League, the team announced Friday.
Johnson was sent down Thursday to play a game with the Mad Ants. He had 25 points and six assists in a 102-86 win over Santa Cruz.
