Roy To Miss 1st Round

Adding another face familiar to Martin might not hurt, either. Sources close to the Rockets say Houston will pursue former Kings and current Chicago center Brad Miller on the free agent market. The 12-year veteran who played with Martin from 2004 to 2009 was one of Martin's staunchest supporters during their time together, and their chemistry in running Adelman's respected system could add yet another offensive dimension to the Rockets' plan. - FanHouse

Guard Kyle Lowry, who will be a restricted free agent, said he wanted to find a starting position, but would be happy if the Rockets match any offer he receives as general manager Daryl Morey said he plans. “I want to be a starter,” Lowry said. “I want to play. I want a chance to be that guy. Playing behind Aaron (Brooks) this year was great. I think we work together well. I want a chance to expand my game and experience new things. But I'd be happy to be back.” - Houston Chronicle

Bosh mentioned there is potential with the Raptors, but he wants more than this season offered. “I just want to win basketball games,” he said. “I want to play in the postseason. I want to advance. I've been playing seven years. It’s time to start thinking about stuff like that.” - Arlington Heights Daily Herald

When he rejected the Hawks’ offer of a four-year, $60 million extension in September, Johnson prepared himself for what was coming. Questions in every city. Rumors every week. Every athlete says they can handle this, but few do. “Going into your contract year, a lot of people think you’re going to press,” he said. “But I wasn’t going to do that. I’ve been able to focus on just trying to be successful, and these guys in here have made my job a lot easier. “Honestly, I do think about the contract from time to time. I can’t say I don’t. But I’ve been able to take it in stride, just knowing I had to establish myself and prove I was one of the best players in the league.” - Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Thorn offered an interesting slant on the Nets' own free agents. Don't be so quick to shove them all out the door because "we're going to be looking for players, we'll need bigs." That could keep Josh Boone a Net. "First of all, get the coach," offered Lee, expressing his offseason hope. "Then get guys willing to work on the defensive end. And we definitely need that guy who's a game closer, that guy to make the right play out of doubles, a guy who's going to knock down shots." - New York Post

O'Neal's contract expires after the season and he has made it known he would like to play a couple more seasons. While he said he has the greatest relationship with Cavs GM Danny Ferry that he has ever had with a general manager, he said there has been no talk about a contract extension. "I don't talk business when business doesn't need to be spoken," O'Neal said. "We're all on a mission here. After what we would like to happen happens, then we can talk business." - Cleveland Plain Dealer

Rip Hamilton: It's beginning to look like Hamilton's days are numbered. He really doesn't fit the direction of the team. He's more effective in the half-court game, but there will be a push to increase the tempo next season to take advantage of the talents of the younger players. With three seasons left on the extension he signed last season, it will be tough to move him, but not impossible. An Eastern Conference executive told me recently he still has value and the Celtics have been kicking the tires for the past year. The Pistons may have to take a bad contract in return. - Detroit Free Press

In many cases, when an NBA rookie has as much success as Marcus Thornton and Darren Collison did in 2009-10, they aren’t expected to participate in the NBA Summer League. After his Rookie of the Year campaign in 2005-06, for example, the Hornets requested that Chris Paul not suit up for the team’s summer squad, so he watched from the sideline. However, Thornton and Collison both say they are planning to be there in early July when the 2010 summer team’s practices commence in Las Vegas. Games for the 2010 NBA Summer League are scheduled for July 9-18. - Hornets



Dallas owner Mark Cuban had a similar opinion. But while Morey was able to convince Kings basketball president Geoff Petrie to engage in the final days before the Feb. 18 trading deadline, Cuban was not. "Very much so," Cuban said recently when asked if he pursued Martin before the deadline. "All teams put (trade possibilities) up on their board or put them in their back pocket, and you hold out for the dream deal. Well, Kevin was probably side by side one of our top deals that we had on the board. But the way it happens is you've got to say yes to the deal in front of you." - FanHouse

There was this thought that somehow someone had gotten into Bosh’s ear, telling him to be less assertive for fear of jeopardizing his free agency. GM Bryan Colangelo went on the record as referring to outside influences that affected the team without getting into much detail. Whispers began to surface that Bosh’s desire was waning. “Nothing went on,’’ Bosh said. “I turned my ankle when I came back. I had been healthy for the full season. Not to put everything on me, but we were used to playing with the full group. “We were used to playing with a certain group and we were playing well. I twist my ankle and that’s when things changed. I don’t think it was desire or outside influences.” - Toronto Sun

"I think [the Bulls] have absolutely overachieved and maxed out their team," Van Gundy said. "I think Vinny Del Negro and his staff have done an incredible job. Last year the three critical components to them extending Boston to seven games [in the first round of the playoffs] were [Derrick] Rose, then [Ben] Gordon then John Salmons. And two of the three are not there this year. They have been eliminated." - ESPN

Los Angeles Lakers coach Phil Jackson has been fined $35,000 for comments he made Tuesday that “publicly criticized game officials,” the league announced today. I’m sure Jackson would considered it money well spent if his comments do indeed sway an official’s call or creep into Kevin Durant’s head, prompting the Thunder’s franchise player to go outside of his game to try to stick it to Jackson.- Oklahoman

Dwyane Wade said it is ``no secret'' that Kevin Garnett is ``going to go at the young guy in many different ways.'' ``This could be a series that Beas goes up and this can lead him to what his expectations of himself probably are,'' Wade said. ``Now we have an opportunity to see what a young guy like Michael can do.'' - Miami Herald

James grew up here, but to a man, everyone on the Cavs has the same mission. Shaquille O'Neal, who has only been here a year but says he has fallen in love with the area, delivered an inspirational talk to the team after the Orlando game Sunday. "He just said this is the time," James said. "This is what everyone was brought here for. This is why everybody worked hard in the off-season and all year long. This is the time, now. "There's no time to look backward. It's all straightforward." - Cleveland Plain Dealer

Jennings said he hears it all: that he's too small to be a serious player, too flashy to be a dependable leader and too stubborn to fit in. "They said at the beginning I wouldn't be able to lead this team as a point guard to the playoffs,'' Jennings said. "It's going to take me some time, it would do this, it would do that. I proved them wrong.'' While it's not exactly clear who "they'' and "them'' are, it doesn't really matter. Those slights, real or perceived, serve as motivation for Jennings. "Now I just have to go into the playoffs and make my name,'' he said. "Make my fame, as they say. Your name is made in the regular season. Your fame is made in the playoffs.'' - SI

Crawford has been asking teammates for help, checking on things such as scheduling and the pace of postseason practices. He concedes he's "like a rookie" in this situation. "Like I've been telling him for the longest, this is an experience that, if you've never been there before, your adrenaline's going to be rushing so hard," Johnson said. "I've been to the playoffs quite a few times, but every time seems different. Every time seems like my first time." - Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Portland Trail Blazers guard Brandon Roy will have surgery on his right knee on Friday and will miss the first-round playoff series against the Phoenix Suns, the team announced. Roy, who averaged 21.5 points, needs the surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his right knee. - ESPN

Daryl Morey on Yao Ming’s progress and the minutes he can play next year: I don’t know. I think for sure by playoff time we think he can be 100 percent back, which is the most important time, obviously. He can be back to where he was last year when he was playing at a high level. What his exact ramp-up will be, I don’t think anybody knows exactly how that will happen. Yao is on schedule with the doctors. I think he’s at two-thirds of his body weight on the treadmill. Each week it ramps up a little bit and each week he’s responded great so we expect him to be back at the start of the preseason. If it’s not exactly that, we’re OK with it. Again, we’re focused on having him in the playoffs next year and clearly we’d like to have him for a large (percentage), if not all of the regular season as well. - NBA

Jackson has said he would wait until after the season and take some time to mull his options before deciding whether to return. Kupchak said the approach is no different than the way the Lakers have dealt with Jackson the last several years. "My understanding is that if Phil wanted to come back and coach next year ... then he would be embraced to come back and coach for another season ..." Kupchak said. "It's really a waste of time right now to talk about it because Phil's made it clear it's something that he'll talk about at the conclusion of the season." - ESPN