Will Jazz trade Al Jefferson, Paul Millsap?

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As distracted as fans are by trade rumors, coach Tyrone Corbin said Tuesday that the Utah Jazz have done a good job of blocking out speculation and anxiety before Thursday’s 1 p.m. trade deadline.

“These guys understand,” Corbin said. “They’ve been around long enough and understand the rumors is part of the business.”

Center Al Jefferson and power forward Paul Millsap remained at the center of all speculation entering Tuesday’s game against Golden State, but both said they pay little attention.

“It don’t affect me,” Jefferson said.

— Reported by Bill Oram of the Salt Lake Tribune

Will Hornets trade guard Eric Gordon?

eric gordon

After scoring a team-high 20 points in Tuesday night’s loss to Chicago Bulls, New Orleans Hornets guard Eric Gordon appeared unsure about what may happen before Thursday’s trade deadline. Trade rumors are starting to swirl that the Hornets might be willing to part ways with Gordon if they can land the right deal.

ESPN’s Chris Broussard tweeted Tuesday night that the Hornets have made Gordon available for a trade, but that it’s not likely to happen because teams are concerned about his health going forward.

Hornets officials had no comment regarding trade rumors Tuesday night, but Gordon said for the second consecutive day that he’s not concerned about the trade deadline. However, he acknowledged that anything is possible.

“I don’t really get caught up to it,’’ Gordon said Tuesday night. “But you just never know your situation. That’s part of the process but at the end of the day, you can’t worry about that as a player. If it happens, it happens. I’m definitely not worried about it.’’

— Reported by John Reid of the New Orleans Times-Picayune

Raptors deal with broken clock, beat Wizards 96-88

This was a timeless victory for the streaking Toronto Raptors. At least it seemed that way on the floor.

”It felt like I was in high school again,” DeMar DeRozan said. ”I think we got a shot clock violation – I couldn’t even find the shot clock.”

Playing with an improvised scoreboard, horn, game clock and 24-second clock because of a malfunction in the Verizon Center’s scoring system, the Raptors beat the Washington Wizards 96-88 Tuesday night.

DeRozan and Rudy Gay scored 24 points apiece, and Kyle Lowry had 11 points, 10 assists, six rebounds and four turnovers as Toronto moved within one victory of its total for all of last season.

”It was weird. Kyle got stripped, like, three times looking at the clock,” Gay said with a laugh. ”My old AAU coach used to tell me: ‘If you put two rims up in the kitchen, we’ll play you.’ So it don’t matter.”

The Raptors took the lead for good in the second quarter and have a three-game road winning streak for the first time since 2007. They are also 6-2 since Gay arrived last month from the Memphis Grizzlies in a three-team trade, and point guard Lowry is finding a simple formula for keeping both of his top scorers happy.

”Get out of the way, give them the ball and move. ‘Hey, good shot, DeMar.’ ‘Good shot, Rudy.’ Those guys are easy to play with,” Lowry said.

Rookie Bradley Beal, back in the starting lineup for the first time since taking time off to heal a sprained right wrist, scored 25 points for the Wizards, who had won eight of nine at home. Third-year point guard John Wall shot 1 for 12 from the field and committed seven turnovers in one of his most forgettable games as a pro.

— Reported by Joseph White of the Associated Press

Cavs want another first-round draft pick

As the NBA nears Thursday’s 3 p.m. trade deadline, the Cavaliers remain in pursuit of another first-round pick to add to their bulging war chest of draft picks. With time running out, there is at least a decent chance they don’t get it.

There was little chatter regarding the Cavs during the All-Star break in Houston, and for all the conjecture over Mo Speights’ future, multiple sources said over the weekend and again on Tuesday his name has yet to really gain traction in any trade talk.

Speights would seem a likely candidate to move because he has a player option for next season. Neither Speights nor his agent, Andy Miller, has given any indication if he will pick up the $4.5 million option for next season or opt instead for free agency. But about half of the league’s teams could have cap space next summer, making it likely Speights could get a long-term deal making at least the $4.5 million he will earn next season on his current deal.

“I ain’t looking forward to free agency yet,” Speights said Tuesday.

— Reported by Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal

Pau Gasol optimistic he can return before the season ends

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Pau Gasol slowly but surely made his way to the interview table.

That’s because he’s used crutches ever since tearing the plantar fascia of his right foot during the Lakers’ win two weeks ago against Brooklyn, an injury that will keep him out for at least an additional four to six weeks.

Such a timetable means Gasol could return as early as March 22 when the Lakers host the Washington Wizards at Staples Center. At that point, the Lakers would have 13 games remaining on their schedule.

How optimistic does Gasol feel that he could return before the season ends?

“I hope,” Gasol said. “It’s a thing you take one day at a time and you go with the symptoms and see how well they go and quick the body is able to heal with a simple injury. It varies from different individuals.”

— Reported by Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News (Blog)

Isiah Thomas discusses athletic ability of Michael Jordan and LeBron James

Hall of Famer Isiah Thomas said Tuesday that while the debate over whether LeBron James is a better basketball player than Michael Jordan is hardly settled, James is probably the better athlete.

“They’re both great players, and they’re both great in their eras,” Thomas told “The Waddle & Silvy Show” on WMVP-AM 1000.  “In my era, we hadn’t seen an athlete quite like Michael Jordan. He jumped higher than everyone else. He was a little faster than everyone else and he was just the best athlete.

“LeBron James is the best athlete of today, and he’s probably a better athlete than Michael Jordan was. He’s bigger, he’s faster, he’s stronger.”

— Reported by the Sports Xchange

Elton Brand says Mavs must step up on defense

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Elton Brand, one of the players who must shoulder the load when it comes to rebounding, understands the situation. He said the numbers make it clear why they have struggled.

“We play great defense for about 20 seconds,” Brand said Tuesday. “But there are all kinds of stats these days. And the stats say we’re one of the worst teams in the league defensively, 29th, in the last four seconds. So we’re not contesting shots right at the end.

“And the next step is, stopping the offensive rebounds. If you play good defense and don’t get the rebound — that’s cost us games.

“In these last 30 games, we have to take pride in that. We have to get stops and we have to come away with the ball. That’s why Sarge [Bernard James] is out there with his energy and Shawn [Marion], who’s athletic, is there. We got to do it by committee. We have to find a way to get those balls.”

— Reported by Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News

Marreese Speights not worried as trade deadline approaches

Marreese Speights

In Marreese Speights’ five years in the NBA, the 6-foot-10 forward/center has been on three teams. He has played for four coaches and has been traded twice.

So, whatever happens Thursday at 3 p.m., the NBA’s trade deadline, Speights is ready.

“It’s out of my control,” he said Tuesday. “I’ve heard a lot of things in my career. It’s up to the front office. Whatever they do Thursday, we’ll see what happens.”

The Cavaliers acquired Speights this season to help fill the void created when they lost Anderson Varejao to a quad injury. Speights has been a solid addition from the moment he set foot in Cleveland, averaging 13 points and 6.4 rebounds in 10 games. He’s come off the bench throughout that span, though he’s been solid enough that Byron Scott has had to fend off questions about whether he’ll be moved into the starting lineup in place of up-and-down rookie Tyler Zeller.

— Reported by Jodie Valade of the Cleveland Plain Dealer

Kobe Bryant nixed trade to Pistons in 2007

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Kobe Bryant a Piston?

It could’ve happened before the 2007-08 season, if Bryant would’ve waived his no-trade clause, according to a report by Yahoo! Sports’ Adrian Wojnarowski.

The Pistons and Lakers agreed in principle on a deal but Lakers owner Dr. Jerry Buss, who passed away early Monday, and Bryant, who wanted out of Los Angeles but Detroit wasn’t one of his preferred destinations, passed.

A source confirmed the Pistons and Lakers agreed on a deal, which most likely included Richard Hamilton, Tayshaun Prince, Amir Johnson and a future first-round pick for Bryant, who wound up being the 2007-08 MVP.

Another league source said former Piston Grant Hill, who was a free agent that summer as a member of the Orlando Magic, would’ve likely returned to the Pistons to fill Prince’s void at small forward.

— Reported by Vincent Goodwill of the Detroit News

Sidney Lowe arrested on tax charges

Former North Carolina State basketball coach Sidney Lowe was arrested Monday and charged with failing to file his North Carolina state income taxes for three years.

Lowe, currently an assistant with the NBA’s Utah Jazz, didn’t file returns in 2009, 2010 and 2011 — the last three years he coached the Wolfpack, according to the state Department of Revenue. He was booked at the Wake County jail Monday and released on a $10,000 unsecured bond on the misdemeanor charges.

Lowe was not with the Jazz when they returned to practice Monday night after the All-Star break, but head coach Tyrone Corbin said Lowe would be with the team Tuesday when it faces Golden State in Salt Lake City.

“It’s a personal matter,” said Corbin, who indicated he had spoken with Lowe. “We’ll deal with it. He’ll make a statement at some point, but it’s a personal matter.” …

At N.C. State, Lowe was paid a base salary of around $210,000 per year. That was boosted to $760,000 with television and radio commitments, and with bonuses and endorsements could have been up to $900,000 a year. A contract settlement after his 2011 resignation was expected to pay Lowe around $900,000, athletic director Debbie Yow said then.

— Reported by the Associated Press