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According to Wizards interim head coach Randy Wittman, forward Andray Blatche will miss 3-5 week while recovering from a strained calf.
Blatche had been battling the calf injury for a while and has been day-to-day, but now it seems the injury has become more serious than originally thought.
— Reported by CSN Washington
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If Magic center Dwight Howard has any reservations about playing for the Bulls, it has nothing to do with sharing the spotlight with Derrick Rose. In fact, the five-time All-Star is open to uniting with the reigning MVP.
Approached Friday night in New Orleans after a 26-point loss to the Hornets, Howard shared his thoughts on a long-shot trade to the Bulls.
“If I could play with Derrick right now and God wanted that to happen, it will happen,” Howard told the Tribune. “It has nothing to do with me not wanting to play with Derrick Rose. I love him. That’s my brother.”
— Reported by Vaughn McClure of the Chicago Tribune
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Rubio has been a revelation for the Timberwolves as their rookie point guard, with Lakers coach Mike Brown pointing out that the athletic NBA game with fewer zone defenses to expose Rubio’s shaky jumper is well-suited for him.
Rubio had flashes Sunday night but shot 2 of 13 from the field, finishing with five points and eight assists.
Kobe Bryant has been impressed by Rubio in the NBA.
“He’s fantastic,” Bryant said. “He has great court vision, great poise.”
About Gasol, though, Rubio had this to say to Joan Niesen of Fox Sports: “A lot of people say that Pau is soft. I can tell you, he’s not. I practiced with him a lot this summer, and he’s tough. I mean, he plays hard, and one of the best things is, he’s a leader. A leader can’t be soft because if not we couldn’t win or get to the silver medal in the Olympic Games.”
— Reported by Kevin Ding of the Orange County Register
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Charlotte Bobcats point guard D.J. Augustin played through three ankle sprains the first dozen games of this NBA season. He knows the difference between a little pain and a debilitating injury.
The right big-toe injury Augustin has suffered is debilitating. So much so that Augustin likely won’t play in any of the upcoming four road games that start Tuesday against the Lakers in Los Angeles. In an exclusive interview Sunday with the Observer, Augustin said sitting out now is necessary, not only to this season, but potentially to protecting his career.
“If I try to come back and play on it too soon, I’ll be right back where I was last week,” said Augustin, who missed the last four games, all losses.
— Reported by Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer
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According to a league source, the Sixers have inquired about Amar’e Stoudemire, though it was categorized as “due diligence.” Nothing is said to be imminent or even in the early stages other than just talk, the source said. Nevertheless, in past seasons the Sixers were reportedly discussing trade scenarios with the Phoenix Suns in order to acquire Stoudemire. Whether or not the Sixers can afford Stoudemire, of course, is an issue too. Stoudemire is the ninth-highest paid player in the NBA after signing a five-year, $100 million contract before the 2010-11 season. He earns $18.2 million this season, $19.9 million next season and approximately $45 million between 2013 and 2015.
Incidentally, the Knicks are also paying a similar five-year deal out to forward Carmelo Anthony, a player whose arrival in New York snubbed out those M-V-P! chants for Stoudemire.
— Reported by John Finger of CSN Philly (Blog)