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Eddy Curry expected to be Mavs starting center for season opener

Eddy Curry, who was waived by the Spurs last Tuesday and picked up by the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday, is expected to be the Mavs’ starting center in their regular-season opener against the Lakers on Tuesday, according to multiple media reports.

The 7-foot Curry is being pushed into service because Chris Kaman is still out with a calf injury, and the Mavs need some size in the middle to go against Lakers center Dwight Howard.

Curry, the No. 4 overall draft pick in 2001, has been a major disappointment in the pros.

— Reported by the Sports Xchange

Rockets waive Shaun Livingston, Jon Brockman, Gary Forbes, Lazar Hayward, JaJuan Johnson

Houston Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey announced today that the team has waived forward Jon Brockman, guard/forward Gary Forbes, guard/forward Lazar Hayward, forward JaJuan Johnson and guard Shaun Livingston. Each of these players were parts of trades involving players or picks coming back to the Rockets, all which aided in the recent trade with Oklahoma City to acquire guard James Harden.

Brockman (6-7, 255, Washington) and Livingston (6-7, 175, Peoria Central High School) were both acquired by the Rockets in a trade with the Milwaukee Bucks on June 27, 2012, helping Houston move up to the 12th pick in the 2012 NBA Draft which was used to select Jeremy Lamb.

Forbes (6-7, 220, Massachusetts) came to Houston via trade with Toronto on July 11, 2012, to acquire a future lottery pick from the Raptors.

Hayward (6-6, 225, Marquette) was part of the recent trade with the Thunder.

Johnson (6-10, 221, Purdue) was acquired by the Rockets from the Boston Celtics as part of the Courtney Lee sign-and-trade on July 20, 2012, which also netted Charlotte’s 2013 second-round pick.

The Rockets roster now stands at 15 players.

Dallas Mavericks waive guard Delonte West

The Dallas Mavericks announced today they have requested waivers on guard Delonte West. West was originally signed as a free agent by the Mavericks on Dec. 13, 2011 and then re-signed on July 26, 2012.

West (6-3, 180) averaged 9.6 points, 3.2 assists, 2.3 rebounds and 24.1 minutes in 44 games (33 starts) last season despite suffering a fractured and dislocated right ring finger on Feb. 15 against the Denver Nuggets. The injury forced West out of 21 games, but he returned to start the final 13 games of the regular season.

West saw action in seven games this preseason and averaged 5.0 points, 1.3 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 17.6 minutes per game.

The Mavericks’ roster now stands at 15 players.

Wizards waive Brian Cook and Shelvin Mack

Washington Wizards President Ernie Grunfeld announced today that the team has waived center/forward Brian Cook and guard Shelvin Mack.

Cook was originally traded to Washington along with Nene on March 15, 2012 as part of a three-team deal that sent JaVale McGee and Ronny Turiaf to Denver and Nick Young to the Los Angeles Clippers. He was re-signed by Washington on September 17, 2012. In 16 games with the Wizards last season, Cook averaged 3.1 points and 2.5 rebounds while shooting .408 from the field. He averaged 3.9 points and 3.3 rebounds in seven games during the 2012 preseason.

Mack was originally selected by Washington with the 34th overall pick in 2011 NBA Draft. In 64 games during his rookie campaign, he averaged 3.6 points, 1.4 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 12.2 minutes per contest. Mack averaged 4.1 points in eight games during the 2012 preseason.

The Wizards’ roster now stands at 15.

Bulls guard Kirk Hinrich limited in practice

Chicago Bulls guard Kirk Hinrich, who has missed time with a strained groin, did some light shooting Sunday afternoon but his status for Wednesday night’s regular season opener against the Sacramento Kings remains uncertain.

“(He’s) day to day,” Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau said Sunday. “He’s improving.”

Thibodeau did not want to guess at Hinrich’s status for Wednesday, but he sounded optimistic that if Hinrich is able to practice the next couple days he would be able to play.

— Reported by Nick Friedell of ESPN Chicago

James Harden plans to sign long-term extension with Rockets

James Harden plans to sign a long-term extension with the Houston Rockets before the regular season begins.

The reigning Sixth Man of the Year joined his new team Sunday after he was traded to the Rockets from Oklahoma City late Saturday. The Thunder acquired guards Kevin Martin and Jeremy Lamb, two first-round picks and a second-round pick in the surprising deal. Oklahoma City also sent center Cole Aldrich and forwards Daequan Cook and Lazar Hayward to Houston.

“It happened so fast, it happened very fast,” Harden said. “But this is the position I’m in in now. Just have to make the best out of it. I’m with Houston now. I just have to come in here and play hard and win games.”

Thunder general manager Sam Presti said Houston was able to offer Harden a contract that Oklahoma City could not.

“Quite honestly, the value of the trade was greater based on the fact that the Rockets could offer him the contract that he was seeking,” Presti said.

— Reported by the Associated Press

After signing in China, Tracy McGrady says he is retired from NBA

McGrady, who played alongside Yao Ming for the Houston Rockets for six years from 2004-10, will reportedly become the biggest earner in the CBA on an estimated $800,000 per year.

The seven-times All-Star has already impressed his new employers with his work ethic and professionalism in practice and maintained he was fully committed to the Eagles.

“I am not going back to the NBA,” said the 33-year-old McGrady, coming off a career-low season averaging 5.3 points in just 16 minutes with the Atlanta Hawks.

“I retired from the NBA. CBA is it. It’s a process you have to go through before you make a decision like this.

“Your family has to be comfortable with your decision, because it’s going to be a long season and I will not be able to be there with them.”

— Reported by Alastair Himmer of Reuters

Dallas Mavericks waive Chris Douglas-Roberts and Melvin Ely

The Dallas Mavericks announced today that they have requested waivers on forward/center Melvin Ely and forward Chris Douglas-Roberts. Both Ely and Douglas-Roberts signed with the Mavericks on Oct. 27.

Ely (6-10, 261) was the 12th overall pick in the 2002 NBA Draft. He has played for five NBA franchises over his eight-year career (L.A. Clippers, Charlotte, San Antonio, New Orleans and Denver) and has career averages of 5.3 points and 3.3 rebounds in 16.0 minutes per game. His most recent NBA experience was in 2010-11 season where he played 30 games for the Nuggets and averaged 2.3 points and 2.3 rebounds in 12.2 minutes per game. In 2012, he played for Brujos de Guayama in Puerto Rico.

Douglas-Roberts (6-7, 210) spent training camp with the Los Angeles Lakers where he averaged 4.0 points in 8.3 minutes in four games. He was waived by the Lakers on Monday, Oct. 22. He is a three-year pro and was originally selected by the New Jersey Nets in the second round (40th overall) of the 2008 NBA Draft. In total, he has appeared in 155 NBA games (53 starts) for the Nets and the Milwaukee Bucks and has averages of 7.7 points and 2.2 rebounds in 20.6 minutes. Most recently, the 6-7 forward spent the 2011-12 season playing for Virtus Bologna of the Italian League.

The Mavericks’ roster now stands at 16 players

Kobe Bryant still dealing with hurt foot

As the Lakers went through new elements of their revamped offense Saturday, Kobe Bryant stayed on the sidelines. He watched his teammates play and also received treatment on his strained and bruised right foot.

It’s all the Lakers’ star really could do.

The Lakers still listed him as indefinite and it’s uncertain whether Bryant will play in the Lakers’ season opener Tuesday against the Dallas Mavericks.

Thus far, Bryant has missed three practices and two preseason games since injuring his foot in the Lakers’ exhibition loss last week to the Sacramento Kings.

“It would surprise me if he didn’t play just because of how tough he is,” Lakers coach Mike Brown said. “But that’s not coming from (Lakers trainer Gary Vitti) because I have not asked Gary.

“He’s a stud, mentally and physically.”

— Reported by Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News

Jason Richardson brings veteran poise to 76ers

The onetime No. 5 overall pick in the 2001 draft, Richardson, acquired from Orlando along with Bynum as part of the four-team deal that also sent Andre Iguodala to Denver and Maurice Harkless, Nik Vucevic, and a protected first-round pick to Orlando, has been a secondary story to Bynum and his aching knees.

This, however, does not bother Richardson one bit.

“He can have all of that attention because I’ve had it before,” said Richardson, who along with Michael Jordan is one of just two players to win the NBA slam-dunk championship in back-to-back years. “I’ve been in the position being that guy, the floor leader and all of that stuff like that. That doesn’t bother me at all. I’m a veteran, and all I care about is winning games.”

— Reported by John N. Mitchell of the Philadelphia Inquirer