mark Jackson To Coach Nets Next Season? Jordan Now Officially Owns The 'Cats

When Bosh was asked recently if he thought the team could win consistently in its current form, and whether that would affect his decision this summer, he refused to answer the question. Twice. "Whatever my decision is, it is going to be a winning decision," he said. "Anywhere I am. That is just how I feel." But can the team win with the roster the way it is? "The GM is always going to make moves," Bosh said. "But I am not a GM. I don't paint the picture. I just play my role." - Sports Illustrated

Asik was the 36th overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft by Portland. A good FIBA World Championship should take Asik, who has a wingspan of 2.24m, closer to his dream of playing in the NBA. “What I like about him is that he’s setting goals for himself,” Turkoglu said. “He wants to play in the NBA himself. He’s close to reaching his goal.” The Chicago Bulls now own Asik’s draft rights. The club appreciates young, European talent, as demonstrated by their approach to give Great Britain’s Luol Deng and France’s Joakim Noah plenty of playing time. - InterBasket

It’s been about a year since you’ve been out of the game. Any regrets about hanging it up? Alonzo Mourning: Nah, no regrets. I think I’ve accomplished more than what 90 percent of the guys in the NBA, the guys that have ever come to the NBA, would have loved to accomplish. So, I’ve got no complaints, brother. I really don’t. I’ve got no complaints. I’m blessed, and I feel like I’ve had a pretty productive and impactful career, considering some of the obstacles I had to deal with. - Slam

Dwight Howard had hoped that NBA officials would rescind the technical foul he received during last Sunday’s game against the Charlotte Bobcats. Not going to happen. League officials have reviewed that technical — Howard’s 14th of the regular season — and determined that it will stand, NBA basketball communications coordinator Tim Kuck told the Orlando Sentinel in an e-mail message today. - Orlando Sentinel

This is what happened: While Chris Bosh – who in my opinion has been an exceptionally accountable pro during his time in Toronto and who has been by far the most consistent player this season, not to mention pretty close to brilliant – was getting some tough questions about his role in the Raptors recent slide, Turkoglu made the veteran’s exit, which is to say: leave when the media are otherwise occupied, thus limiting the possibility of having to do interviews. - Toronto Globe & Mail

After getting medically cleared to begin running last week, New Orleans Hornets point guard Chris Paul is now cutting and moving lateral during his pregame workouts. Though there is no set target date on his return, Paul said he is getting closer toward returning to the lineup after requiring knee surgery on Feb. 4. Paul could return this Saturday against Utah or on Monday night at home against the Dallas Mavericks. “It’s amazing just weeks ago, I was like will I ever get back,’’ Paul said.  - New Orleans Times-Picayune

Several jobs are expected to open up this offseason, including the Clippers and Nets. Jackson currently lives in Los Angeles, but he is a native of Brooklyn, the future home of the Nets. The former point guard enjoyed a 17-year career with seven teams and is third all-time in assists. Jackson went straight into a broadcast career after retiring and doesn't own any coaching experience. "I talk to lot of people about Mark Jackson, including Doc Rivers, Donnie Walsh and Jeff Van Gundy, and I can't find anyone who says he won't be a great head coach," agent Steve Kauffman said. - NBA

We're at Denver's Swedish Medical Center. The helmet is actually a white, hard-mesh mask that fits to every contour of Karl's big bucket head. It has red crosses all over it, like a hockey goalie's. He lays his 283 pounds on the table and the technicians clamp the mask on hard. How Karl breathes I'll never know. They secure his limbs and ask him to hold a blue plastic donut so no part of him moves. He looks like Hannibal Lecter about to get fried. "It makes you a little claustrophobic," the 58-year-old coach tries to say through the mask. "But what are you gonna do? Leave?" Coaching the wildly talented but wildly uneven Nuggets is hard enough, let alone doing it with throat and neck cancer, but that's what Karl is trying to do. Everybody tells him it's not possible, and today, maybe he's starting to believe them. - ESPN

The Oregonian has obtained evidence that the Timberwolves indeed made a four-year offer to Penn on May 12, 2009 that would have made Penn the team's Vice President of Basketball Operations. Penn turned down that offer to stay with the Blazers, where he got a new title and a raise. Of course, Minnesota's ownership didn't help Penn by perpetuating the idea that David Kahn, the guy who later got the job, was their first choice. The Vulcans are apparently buying that. Never mind that organizations rarely admit that the person they hired was their second or third pick. - Oregonian

The NBA Board of Governors has unanimously approved Michael Jordan's bid to buy a controlling interest in the Charlotte Bobcats. NBA commissioner David Stern said in a statement Wednesday that he was pleased the $275 million purchase was "closed in such a smooth and expeditious fashion." - ESPN



You might have the best beard in the League. What are the three keys to keeping a fresh beard? James Harden: Get up and brush it like you would do your hair. You got to make sure it’s clean cut and—[bends over in laughter as Thabo Sefolosha shakes his head at him nearby]. You have to make sure it’s looking right at all times. You don’t want to go out there and have your beard looking all nasty. - Slam

Griz owner Michael Heisley told a group of season ticket holders that the team intends to match any offer Gay might receive as a restricted free agent this summer. Heisley spoke before the game at the team’s annual “State of the Franchise” Chalk Talk where season ticket holders could ask questions. - Memphis Commercial Appeal

Knicks forward Al Harrington often wears a ballcap with a scripted "NJ." The former star at St. Patrick's High in Elizabeth, who lives in Edgewater, said he's not trying to send out any subliminal messages -- but told The Post he definitely would be interested in signing with his hometown Nets this summer, especially since they will play in Newark, 10 miles from Elizabeth, the next two seasons. "If they had interest in me, I'd take a strong look at that," Harrington, a free-agent-to-be, told The Post. "It's still the city. It's still home. I'd rather play at the Garden, but I'd play in Newark, too." - New York Post

Dwyane Wade said Monday he plans to talk to several free-agent friends after the season about their plans (LeBron James, Chris Bosh, Amare Stoudemire) and encourage them to sign with Miami if he stays. Miami has room for two maximum contracts -- including Wade -- with another $5 million or so left. Wade has expressed a preference to stay, and owner Micky Arison put the odds at 95 percent, but he won't handicap it: ``I'm not a percentage guy. I have a lot of things to think about.'' - Miami Herald

Trouble is, even that amount likely won't pry him out of Spain. That's because the prospect of an NBA lockout that could wipe out the entire 2011-12 season is enough to make any player making mega-Euros think twice about bolting for the NBA. Splitter's deal reportedly is worth more than $5 million. “That's why they're probably not going to get him, even for the full mid-level,” said one NBA executive. “If you've got a nice, guaranteed deal over in Europe, why would you sign over here and face a lockout? I'm telling you, the full mid-level probably isn't going to get it done.” - San Antonio Express-News

What will happen this summer is an opportunity to hit the NBA market. Allen has come back from injuries and he has a strong believer in general manager Danny Ainge, but it will be interesting to see what kind of free agent interest he draws. A few teams already have been asking questions. “I just want to be somewhere secure,” Allen said. “Everybody wants job security. I mean, that goes without saying. “I like Boston. I just want to help this team as much as I can. I mean, I’m in the gym every day working hard trying to get my body back to where I need it to be. I’m working with (strength coach) Bryan Doo and (assistant coach Mike) Longabardi, just showing them and the other coaches that, hey, I’m willing to work. I’m not going to get complacent." - Boston Herald

Dooling joined Jarvis Hayes as current Nets wanting to return, citing a bright future with cap space and a high draft pick. "I think it will turn around here pretty quick," he said. "I got a buyout at $500,000. That's a team option. If it was my option, I'd put it in right now and sign up." - New York Post

After Gee recorded his first career double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds, and adding two steals in 26 minutes off the bench, Coach Flip Saunders said that the team intends on signing him to a second 10-day contract. Gee has shown steady improvement with increased playing time, and he was all over the place on Tuesday. He was asked active on the glass, fighting for extra possessions, and had to contend with Carmelo Anthony on defense with Al Thornton battling foul trouble. - Washington Post

I spoke with Pacers point guard T.J. Ford before Tuesday's game to check how close he thought he was to being joining the Bobcats at the trade deadline. Charlotte and Indiana were in discussions on a deal that would have sent Ford and Brandon Rush to Charlotte for D.J. Augustin, Gerald Henderson and Nazr Mohammed. Ford got a call from his agent as he was headed for a team flight informing him of the talks. The Bobcats ultimately decided against it, and I'm told that was about owner Bob Johnson's reluctance to take Ford's $8.5 million salary next season. "I assume it got close if it came right down" to the 3 p.m. trade deadline, said Ford, who has a strained groin. - Charlotte Observer

The listless Nets, who got 21 points from Brook Lopez and a 13-point, career-high 20-rebound double-double from Josh Boone, didn't have Devin Harris (upper respiratory infection) as they used their 18th different starting lineup. And the way this horror season has unfolded, the Nets would rather discuss upper respiratory infections than their record. "We don't talk about it, but I think it's on everybody's mind," said Lee. "You can see there's a sense of urgency about it, because it comes up a lot. It's going to come up a lot more if we don't get some wins soon." - New York Post