K-Mart Out Till Playoffs?

Nets: Sources say the chances of landing top choice, Jeff Van Gundy, are improved with Rod Thorn staying on the job. Van Gundy hadn’t planned to return to coaching next season, but the Nets believe he’ll be willing to listen to a pitch. They want to talk to Villanova’s Jay Wright, too, but he’s turned down big offers from the 76ers and Kentucky in the past two years, and a close friend of his on Monday said, “It would surprise me if he talks [seriously] to them, unless maybe he needs the leverage at Villanova.” - Yahoo

Here’s a story that illustrates how this season has devolved at times: During an earlier loss in a Western Conference city, several sources say the Nets huddled up at halftime, discussed adjustments amongst themselves and bolted the locker room without waiting for Vandeweghe and former assistant Del Harris to address them. As Devin Harris said Monday, “It’s been an abomination of a season.” - Yahoo

Josh Childress can opt out of his contract with Olympiacos after this season but would be a restricted free agent with Atlanta. Or he can sign a qualifying offer from the Hawks for one year and become a free agent in 2011 or sign a longer deal with the Hawks if they offer one. Childress also can sign an offer sheet with another team, but Atlanta can match it. Or he can return to Greece for the final year of his contract. He has until July 15 to let Olympiacos know his decision. - USA Today

Along with wondering if coach George Karl will return for the playoffs, the slumping Denver Nuggets have one other pressing concern: Will Kenyon Martin take the court again this season? Even as he continues to strengthen his injured left knee with hopes of returning, Martin has also accepted he may have already played his final game. He described his chances of playing in any of the Nuggets’ remaining seven regular-season games as “dim.” - Yahoo

Eddy Curry will not play again for the Knicks this season and perhaps his career in New York is over as well for all we know. Curry realized he was done for the year as recently as Friday in Phoenix if not earlier and the veteran center revealed his injury and status to reporters early today in Salt Lake City. It was only after Curry provided a medical update that the team miraculously released a statement to announce that Curry “is not expected to return for the final 10 games of the season.” - NY Daily News Blog

The basketball Hall of Fame is close to announcing a major change to the election process and is working on a revolutionary alteration as chairman Jerry Colangelo pushes forward with his pledge to increase transparency and fan interest. For the first time, vote totals are expected to be released when the Class of 2010 is revealed next Monday in Indianapolis in conjunction with the Final Four. The class is expecetd to be headed by locks Karl Malone and Scottie Pippen. - NBA

No longer are the Nets worried about being history's worst team. They got their 10th win last night, defeating the banged-up Spurs, 90-84, to ensure the inglorious title of "Worst NBA Team Ever" will remain with the 1972-73 Sixers, who were 9-73. "It's a big relief," said Devin Harris (17 points, nine assists and zero turnovers in 38 minutes). "Nobody wants to be the worst team in history, so it is exciting to get 10 wins. But then again, it is 10 wins." - NY Post

Michael Jordan, uber-owner, next to the bench has some value. If the best player ever is per chance your boss, and is in your ear frequently, you'll likely be more alert and motivated. However, how long before Jordan gets a technical foul for baiting the refs? I hear Toronto's Antoine Wright was talking smack, telling referees to pay no attention to Jordan since he doesn't play anymore. I'd say the same thing if I were Wright, but lemme tell ya: Consciously or sub-consciously, Jordan still has juice with an NBA ref. - Charlotte Observer Blog

Chauncey Billups proclaimed this as the opportune moment for his team to take a hard look in the mirror, but perhaps no one has already beat themselves up more than he has. The veteran Nuggets guard insisted he will become a more prominent voice in the locker room, the film room and the huddle as the team searches for some sort of chemistry in order to survive a rugged seven-game stretch run, five of which are against teams currently in a playoff spot. - Denver Post Blog

Los Angeles Lakers forward Luke Walton will return to full-contact practice when the team returns to Los Angeles on Thursday after their five-game road trip, and he could return to the lineup as early as Friday when the Lakers play the Utah Jazz at home. "Walton I think will start practicing next week," coach Phil Jackson told reporters before the Lakers' game at New Orleans on Monday. "He may even get on the court Thursday when we get back and get in a practice before the Utah game." - ESPN

Imagine how scary it is for NBA players to think about facing Kevin Durant in the years to come. Worse, imagine how someone like the Portland Trail Blazers feel, knowing they lost out on drafting him when they took the injury-prone Greg Oden instead, much in the same way they lost out on Jordan by drafting Sam Bowie back in 1984. "All I know is we're ecstatic to have [Durant]," said Brooks, unquestionably a top candidate for league coach-of-the-year honors, along with Milwaukee's Scott Skiles. "He leads us in rebounds [7.5 per game] and steals [1.3]. We needed to get better defensively, so we asked him to and he did that, too. There's nothing this kid won't do. He's a flat-out winner. He's made us relevant this year." Actually, he's done more. Durant has negated Kobe Bryant and Carmelo Anthony as league MVP candidates in the process. - Philadelphia Inquirer

If Larry Ellison purchases the Golden State Warriors and hires Hall of Famer Jerry West to run the franchise, another person to consider rejoining the organization is Andy Dolich, who is serving as a consultant for the San Francisco 49ers after Jed York removed him as COO. Dolich was the president of business operations for the Grizzlies during the time that West was Heisley's president. Dolich has long ties to the Bay Area, including 15 years with the Oakland A's when they won their World Series title and one year with the Warriors. - SI

Miami Heat forward Dorell Wright is the third NBA player in recent months to have an explicit picture of himself surface on the Internet. A picture of Wright, taken during a private video chat session a year ago, has surfaced on several websites as well as various Twitter accounts. - South Florida Sun-Sentinel