A glance at Pelicans free agency

Here’s the New Orleans Times-Picayune with some free agency insight from Pelicans general manager Dell Demps:

Demps said in free agency this upcoming summer, they are not likely to pursue a maximum-money free agent like they did last year when they offered a four-year, $44 million contract to swingman Tyreke Evans before acquiring him in a sign-and-trade deal from the Sacramento Kings.

”Last year was our opportunity to go on the free-agent market,’’ Demps said. “We’re very far under the luxury tax and we’ll still have opportunities to use money to add players to our group. But we’re currently not going to be a cap team; we’re not going to be able to go get a max free agent.And so our plan is to continuously add pieces to our group to make our team the best possible team we can be.’’

NBA makes sure Lakers, Knicks will not have conflict of issues

Here’s ESPN.com reporting that the NBA wants to make sure that no funny-business happens between the Los Angeles Lakers and New York Knicks:

phil jackson

An NBA official has acknowledged that the league has put parameters in place to make sure that the high-profile relationship between Jeanie Buss and Phil Jackson doesn’t create any issues.

“The Knicks’ hiring of Phil Jackson is subject to the league’s conflict of interest rules,” NBA spokesman Mike Bass told ESPN.com. “To avoid even the appearance of a conflict, we have addressed the issue with the Knicks and Lakers to ensure that the relationship between Jeanie Buss and Phil Jackson will not affect how the teams operate.”

Buss, the Lakers’ president and representative at board of governors meetings, and Jackson, who was named the Knicks’ president on Tuesday, got engaged in December 2012. They’ve been dating since 1999.

Since the engagement, sources say the league has gotten more serious about the two being on the up and up.

Blazers claw out overtime win against Bucks

Here’s the Oregonian reporting on the Portland Trail Blazers:

Almost nothing seems to be coming easy for the Trail Blazers these days, not even a win over the worst team in the NBA.

A win did come over the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday, but it took a clutch shot by Damian Lillard just to get the game to overtime, where Wesley Matthews’ heroics helped the Blazers finally put the Bucks away for a 120-115 victory before 19,572 at the Moda Center.

“We understand that we were very fortunate to win the game tonight,” Blazers coach Terry Stotts said.

The Blazers (44-24) had struggled to close out tight games against elite teams recently, and that issue surfaced again against the Bucks (13-55), who have the worst record in the NBA and had only beaten two Western Conference teams all season.

Byron Scott files for divorce, reports TMZ

Here’s TMZ reporting on Byron Scott:

Byron Scott files for divorce

Three-time NBA champ Byron Scott has filed for divorce … seeking to end his 27-year marriage to his college sweetheart Anita Scott … TMZ Sports has learned.

According to court docs, obtained by TMZ Sports, the former Lakers player (who later served as head coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers) … filed the papers on March 13.

Byron and Anita met at a nightclub in Los Angeles when Byron was still a student at Arizona State … and according to Anita, he courted her with flowers, love letters and poetry.

LeBron James scores 43 points vs Cavs

LeBron James scored 43 points (on 14-of-19 shooting) — 25 in a bewildering first-quarter shooting display — and Chris Bosh added 21, leading the Miami Heat to a 100-96 win Tuesday night over the Cleveland Cavaliers, who played their first game without injured All-Star guard Kyrie Irving…

Miami’s Dwyane Wade sat out resting his knees, but the Heat’s two other megastars put away the Cavs.

Jarrett Jack scored 22 and Dion Waiters added 17 and 11 assists for Cleveland, which was also without forward Luol Deng (sprained ankle).

— Associated Press

Andre Iguodala out at least three games

Golden State Warriors forward Andre Iguodala will be out for a minimum of three (3) games with right knee tendonitis, beginning with tonight’s game versus the Orlando Magic.

Additionally, center Andrew Bogut will miss tonight’s game against Orlando due to left ankle inflammation.

And that’s your Warriors injury report for today.

Kings sign Royce White to second 10-day contract

The Sacramento Kings today signed forward Royce White to a second 10-day contract, according to Kings General Manager Pete D’Alessandro.

White, signed by the Kings to a 10-day contract on March 6, immediately reported to the Bighorns and averaged 8.8 points (.367 FG%, .333 3pt%, .625 FT%), 4.3 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.50 steals and 24.8 minutes per game in starting four games. Twice White scored in double-figures.

Wizards sign Drew Gooden for rest of season

Wizards sign Drew Gooden for rest of season

Washington Wizards President Ernie Grunfeld announced today that the team has signed forward Drew Gooden for the remainder of the season.

Gooden, who signed consecutive 10-day contracts with the team on February 26 and March 8, has averaged 8.1 points and 4.6 rebounds in 14.6 minutes per game in eight games with the Wizards.

The Wizards have a 35-31 record, and are currently the 5th seed in the Eastern conference.