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The Rules of Pacers Digest

Hello everyone,

Whether your are a long standing forum member or whether you have just registered today, it's a good idea to read and review the rules below so that you have a very good idea of what to expect when you come to Pacers Digest.

A quick note to new members: Your posts will not immediately show up when you make them. An administrator has to approve at least your first post before the forum software will later upgrade your account to the status of a fully-registered member. This usually happens within a couple of hours or so after your post(s) is/are approved, so you may need to be a little patient at first.

Why do we do this? So that it's more difficult for spammers (be they human or robot) to post, and so users who are banned cannot immediately re-register and start dousing people with verbal flames.

Below are the rules of Pacers Digest. After you have read them, you will have a very good sense of where we are coming from, what we expect, what we don't want to see, and how we react to things.

Rule #1

Pacers Digest is intended to be a place to discuss basketball without having to deal with the kinds of behaviors or attitudes that distract people from sticking with the discussion of the topics at hand. These unwanted distractions can come in many forms, and admittedly it can sometimes be tricky to pin down each and every kind that can rear its ugly head, but we feel that the following examples and explanations cover at least a good portion of that ground and should at least give people a pretty good idea of the kinds of things we actively discourage:

"Anyone who __________ is a liar / a fool / an idiot / a blind homer / has their head buried in the sand / a blind hater / doesn't know basketball / doesn't watch the games"

"People with intelligence will agree with me when I say that __________"

"Only stupid people think / believe / do ___________"

"I can't wait to hear something from PosterX when he/she sees that **insert a given incident or current event that will have probably upset or disappointed PosterX here**"

"He/she is just delusional"

"This thread is stupid / worthless / embarrassing"

"I'm going to take a moment to point and / laugh at PosterX / GroupOfPeopleY who thought / believed *insert though/belief here*"

"Remember when PosterX said OldCommentY that no longer looks good? "

In general, if a comment goes from purely on topic to something 'ad hominem' (personal jabs, personal shots, attacks, flames, however you want to call it, towards a person, or a group of people, or a given city/state/country of people), those are most likely going to be found intolerable.

We also dissuade passive aggressive behavior. This can be various things, but common examples include statements that are basically meant to imply someone is either stupid or otherwise incapable of holding a rational conversation. This can include (but is not limited to) laughing at someone's conclusions rather than offering an honest rebuttal, asking people what game they were watching, or another common problem is Poster X will say "that player isn't that bad" and then Poster Y will say something akin to "LOL you think that player is good". We're not going to tolerate those kinds of comments out of respect for the community at large and for the sake of trying to just have an honest conversation.

Now, does the above cover absolutely every single kind of distraction that is unwanted? Probably not, but you should by now have a good idea of the general types of things we will be discouraging. The above examples are meant to give you a good feel for / idea of what we're looking for. If something new or different than the above happens to come along and results in the same problem (that being, any other attitude or behavior that ultimately distracts from actually just discussing the topic at hand, or that is otherwise disrespectful to other posters), we can and we will take action to curb this as well, so please don't take this to mean that if you managed to technically avoid saying something exactly like one of the above examples that you are then somehow off the hook.

That all having been said, our goal is to do so in a generally kind and respectful way, and that doesn't mean the moment we see something we don't like that somebody is going to be suspended or banned, either. It just means that at the very least we will probably say something about it, quite possibly snipping out the distracting parts of the post in question while leaving alone the parts that are actually just discussing the topics, and in the event of a repeating or excessive problem, then we will start issuing infractions to try to further discourage further repeat problems, and if it just never seems to improve, then finally suspensions or bans will come into play. We would prefer it never went that far, and most of the time for most of our posters, it won't ever have to.

A slip up every once and a while is pretty normal, but, again, when it becomes repetitive or excessive, something will be done. Something occasional is probably going to be let go (within reason), but when it starts to become habitual or otherwise a pattern, odds are very good that we will step in.

There's always a small minority that like to push people's buttons and/or test their own boundaries with regards to the administrators, and in the case of someone acting like that, please be aware that this is not a court of law, but a private website run by people who are simply trying to do the right thing as they see it. If we feel that you are a special case that needs to be dealt with in an exceptional way because your behavior isn't explicitly mirroring one of our above examples of what we generally discourage, we can and we will take atypical action to prevent this from continuing if you are not cooperative with us.

Also please be aware that you will not be given a pass simply by claiming that you were 'only joking,' because quite honestly, when someone really is just joking, for one thing most people tend to pick up on the joke, including the person or group that is the target of the joke, and for another thing, in the event where an honest joke gets taken seriously and it upsets or angers someone, the person who is truly 'only joking' will quite commonly go out of his / her way to apologize and will try to mend fences. People who are dishonest about their statements being 'jokes' do not do so, and in turn that becomes a clear sign of what is really going on. It's nothing new.

In any case, quite frankly, the overall quality and health of the entire forum's community is more important than any one troublesome user will ever be, regardless of exactly how a problem is exhibiting itself, and if it comes down to us having to make a choice between you versus the greater health and happiness of the entire community, the community of this forum will win every time.

Lastly, there are also some posters, who are generally great contributors and do not otherwise cause any problems, who sometimes feel it's their place to provoke or to otherwise 'mess with' that small minority of people described in the last paragraph, and while we possibly might understand why you might feel you WANT to do something like that, the truth is we can't actually tolerate that kind of behavior from you any more than we can tolerate the behavior from them. So if we feel that you are trying to provoke those other posters into doing or saying something that will get themselves into trouble, then we will start to view you as a problem as well, because of the same reason as before: The overall health of the forum comes first, and trying to stir the pot with someone like that doesn't help, it just makes it worse. Some will simply disagree with this philosophy, but if so, then so be it because ultimately we have to do what we think is best so long as it's up to us.

If you see a problem that we haven't addressed, the best and most appropriate course for a forum member to take here is to look over to the left of the post in question. See underneath that poster's name, avatar, and other info, down where there's a little triangle with an exclamation point (!) in it? Click that. That allows you to report the post to the admins so we can definitely notice it and give it a look to see what we feel we should do about it. Beyond that, obviously it's human nature sometimes to want to speak up to the poster in question who has bothered you, but we would ask that you try to refrain from doing so because quite often what happens is two or more posters all start going back and forth about the original offending post, and suddenly the entire thread is off topic or otherwise derailed. So while the urge to police it yourself is understandable, it's best to just report it to us and let us handle it. Thank you!

All of the above is going to be subject to a case by case basis, but generally and broadly speaking, this should give everyone a pretty good idea of how things will typically / most often be handled.

Rule #2

If the actions of an administrator inspire you to make a comment, criticism, or express a concern about it, there is a wrong place and a couple of right places to do so.

The wrong place is to do so in the original thread in which the administrator took action. For example, if a post gets an infraction, or a post gets deleted, or a comment within a larger post gets clipped out, in a thread discussing Paul George, the wrong thing to do is to distract from the discussion of Paul George by adding your off topic thoughts on what the administrator did.

The right places to do so are:

A) Start a thread about the specific incident you want to talk about on the Feedback board. This way you are able to express yourself in an area that doesn't throw another thread off topic, and this way others can add their two cents as well if they wish, and additionally if there's something that needs to be said by the administrators, that is where they will respond to it.

B) Send a private message to the administrators, and they can respond to you that way.

If this is done the wrong way, those comments will be deleted, and if it's a repeating problem then it may also receive an infraction as well.

Rule #3

If a poster is bothering you, and an administrator has not or will not deal with that poster to the extent that you would prefer, you have a powerful tool at your disposal, one that has recently been upgraded and is now better than ever: The ability to ignore a user.

When you ignore a user, you will unfortunately still see some hints of their existence (nothing we can do about that), however, it does the following key things:

A) Any post they make will be completely invisible as you scroll through a thread.

B) The new addition to this feature: If someone QUOTES a user you are ignoring, you do not have to read who it was, or what that poster said, unless you go out of your way to click on a link to find out who it is and what they said.

To utilize this feature, from any page on Pacers Digest, scroll to the top of the page, look to the top right where it says 'Settings' and click that. From the settings page, look to the left side of the page where it says 'My Settings', and look down from there until you see 'Edit Ignore List' and click that. From here, it will say 'Add a Member to Your List...' Beneath that, click in the text box to the right of 'User Name', type in or copy & paste the username of the poster you are ignoring, and once their name is in the box, look over to the far right and click the 'Okay' button. All done!

Rule #4

Regarding infractions, currently they carry a value of one point each, and that point will expire in 31 days. If at any point a poster is carrying three points at the same time, that poster will be suspended until the oldest of the three points expires.

Rule #5

When you share or paste content or articles from another website, you must include the URL/link back to where you found it, who wrote it, and what website it's from. Said content will be removed if this doesn't happen.

An example:

If I copy and paste an article from the Indianapolis Star website, I would post something like this:

http://www.linktothearticlegoeshere.com/article
Title of the Article
Author's Name
Indianapolis Star

Rule #6

We cannot tolerate illegal videos on Pacers Digest. This means do not share any links to them, do not mention any websites that host them or link to them, do not describe how to find them in any way, and do not ask about them. Posts doing anything of the sort will be removed, the offenders will be contacted privately, and if the problem becomes habitual, you will be suspended, and if it still persists, you will probably be banned.

The legal means of watching or listening to NBA games are NBA League Pass Broadband (for US, or for International; both cost money) and NBA Audio League Pass (which is free). Look for them on NBA.com.

Rule #7

Provocative statements in a signature, or as an avatar, or as the 'tagline' beneath a poster's username (where it says 'Member' or 'Administrator' by default, if it is not altered) are an unwanted distraction that will more than likely be removed on sight. There can be shades of gray to this, but in general this could be something political or religious that is likely going to provoke or upset people, or otherwise something that is mean-spirited at the expense of a poster, a group of people, or a population.

It may or may not go without saying, but this goes for threads and posts as well, particularly when it's not made on the off-topic board (Market Square).

We do make exceptions if we feel the content is both innocuous and unlikely to cause social problems on the forum (such as wishing someone a Merry Christmas or a Happy Easter), and we also also make exceptions if such topics come up with regards to a sports figure (such as the Lance Stephenson situation bringing up discussions of domestic abuse and the law, or when Jason Collins came out as gay and how that lead to some discussion about gay rights).

However, once the discussion seems to be more/mostly about the political issues instead of the sports figure or his specific situation, the thread is usually closed.

Rule #8

We prefer self-restraint and/or modesty when making jokes or off topic comments in a sports discussion thread. They can be fun, but sometimes they derail or distract from a topic, and we don't want to see that happen. If we feel it is a problem, we will either delete or move those posts from the thread.

Rule #9

Generally speaking, we try to be a "PG-13" rated board, and we don't want to see sexual content or similarly suggestive content. Vulgarity is a more muddled issue, though again we prefer things to lean more towards "PG-13" than "R". If we feel things have gone too far, we will step in.

Rule #10

We like small signatures, not big signatures. The bigger the signature, the more likely it is an annoying or distracting signature.

Rule #11

Do not advertise anything without talking about it with the administrators first. This includes advertising with your signature, with your avatar, through private messaging, and/or by making a thread or post.
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Does anyone have time to update the last couple of days worth of Insider?

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  • Does anyone have time to update the last couple of days worth of Insider?

    You guys have been great getting this thing up here thanks.

  • #2
    Re: Does anyone have time to update the last couple of days worth of Insider?

    The answer to trade rumor blahs

    By Chad Ford
    NBA Insider
    Send an Email to Chad Ford Thursday, February 12
    Updated: February 12
    7:25 AM ET

    The NBA trade deadline is now a week away. Usually that's an occasion for trade- and rumor-mongers everywhere to celebrate. Usually the biggest trade rumors are running rampant right about now ... but this year? Everyone has already been traded.

    With Rasheed Wallace, Shareef Abdur-Rahim and Theo Ratliff changing addresses on Monday, it's time to ask the inevitable question ... is there anyone worthwhile left to trade? Well, there's at least one.

    Allen Iverson's name is now being tossed around the rumor mill after Sixers GM Billy King admitted AI no longer was untouchable in the aftermath of the Randy Ayers firing Monday.

    Allen Iverson
    Shooting Guard
    Philadelphia 76ers
    Profile

    2003-2004 SEASON STATISTICS
    GM PPG RPG APG FG% FT%
    39 27.4 3.9 6.3 .395 .751

    "Everybody at some point in their career has to be available," King told the Delaware News Journal. "Obviously, it would take a high-quality player to move someone like Allen. But I've got to do what's best for the franchise."

    The problem, as one GM sees it, is King will never get Sixers chairman Ed Snider to agree to an Iverson trade. If King keeps insisting on it, Snider will just fire King and bring in someone else to clean up the mess.

    "Billy thinks that he's got to move Allen if he's going to rebuild this team," one GM told Insider. "But he can't get ownership to sign off on it. So far they don't want to hear it. Allen puts people in the seats every night. Who are they going to get to replace him. If Iverson's gone, the Sixers have no stars left. They'll be bad, and the arena will be empty. At least this way, people are still coming to watch him play."

    Eric Snow
    Point Guard
    Philadelphia 76ers
    Profile

    2003-2004 SEASON STATISTICS
    GM PPG RPG APG FG% FT%
    53 10.6 3.5 7.0 .405 .790

    Instead, the Sixers have tried everything in their power to move Eric Snow, Aaron McKie and Glenn Robinson. The only two players King doesn't want to move are Kenny Thomas and Samuel Dalembert, another GM told Insider. However, if the right deal came along, even Dalembert could be had.

    So far, no such deals have come along.

    Who are the Sixers going to get to play alongside Iverson? Every guy they've brought into Philly as a second option to Iverson has failed. Is there really someone out there worth the trouble? Doubt it.

    More likely, King is looking for cap room in 2005. Getting Snow and McKie's contracts off the books now would help get them there, but it won't be enough. King still needs to get Todd MacCulloch to retire and move either Derrick Coleman or Marc Jackson, as well, before the Sixers would have substantial cap room.

    Talk about a mess. "They may have the worst cap situation of any team in the league," another league executive said. "It's brutal. They should've never signed Thomas to that big deal and given Snow, Iverson and Coleman those extensions. That locked them in for good with a team only Larry Brown knew how to coach. If they're determined to keep Iverson, they're screwed."

    Well ... screwed is a harsh word. Filling the building every night, even when your team is losing, is something, at least. And considering that no one yet has offered a viable alternative to AI in Philly ... you can't blame Snider for wanting to keep AI and cover his losses.


    Around the league

    Erick Dampier
    Center
    Golden State Warriors
    Profile

    2003-2004 SEASON STATISTICS
    GM PPG RPG APG FG% FT%
    51 11.9 11.6 0.7 .517 .636

    Word is the Warriors are still trying to figure ways to kick Nick Van Exel to the curb. The bait, as it was a few weeks ago, is Erick Dampier. The problem is, there isn't another team out there with the type of expiring contracts or cap room the Warriors are looking for.

    The closest could be the Celtics, who are trying to combine the expiring contracts of Chris Mills ($6.6 million) and Chris Mihm ($2. to convince someone to make a deal. That's enough to get Damp, but why would the Warriors give him up without also getting rid of Van Exel? Then again, this is the Warriors we're talking about.

    The Grizzlies have interest, but they would have to send half their team to Golden State to make a deal work. Are Van Exel and Damp, even in Hubie Brown's great system, really worth what it would take to get them? Concerns about Van Exel's attitude and Dampier's knees say no.

    If neither Dampier or Iverson go anywhere, where does that leave us? Probably with an active trade deadline filled with much smaller deals. Who has the best chances of being moved? Juwan Howard, Marcus Fizer, Melvin Ely, Corliss Williamson, Michael Doleac and some wacky combination of low-level Raptors players. Wake me up when it's over.

    Here's the latest on the developing Vin Baker situation in Boston. Baker's agent, Aaron Goodwin, keeps claiming Vin is able to play, but the Celtics claim they've had no contact with him. Baker missed his 10th consecutive game, which means the team can now attempt to void the remaining two years on his contract. With Baker due nearly $30 million over the next two seasons, a lot is at stake for both parties. While dumping Baker and his contract would save a lot of money, it really doesn't get the Celtics that far under the cap. A lower payroll and roster flexibility will be nice. But that's about all they'll see until the summer of 2006.

    What's up with the Knicks? According to the New York press, Isiah Thomas is involved in every deal, ever discussed, in the history of the NBA. Every single one.


    Steve Francis
    Point Guard
    Houston Rockets
    Profile

    2003-2004 SEASON STATISTICS
    GM PPG RPG APG FG% FT%
    51 16.9 5.5 5.9 .403 .765

    Apologies are in order to the record number of readers who wrote in the past two days furious at the three-way trade proposal floated by Insider that would've sent Steve Francis, Eric Piatkowski, Glenn Robinson and Aaron McKie to Portland; Eric Snow, Zach Randolph, Qyntel Woods and Ruben Patterson to Houston and Dale Davis and Damon Stoudamire to Philly.

    Here's what Insider has learned ...

    Houston fans are outraged because Francis is still the franchise, and they don't want to replace him with an overpaid, low-scoring point guard or an overweight, lazy-defending, teammate-punching power forward.

    Portland fans are livid because Randolph is the franchise, and they don't want to replace him with an overpaid, poor-shooting point guard who skips practice for the Super Bowl, a Big Dog with a big mouth who flopped with a similar supporting cast in Atlanta, and an aging role player with a big, fat contract.

    Philly fans are angry because Snow is the best thing that ever happened to Iverson; McKie, I'm told, is the ultimate sixth man (huh?); and hanging on to Robinson, despite the ugliness, is still preferable to getting two guys they really hate in return. Interestingly Philly fans also are angry because King never makes any moves, and they really think he should find a way to dump the contracts of Snow and McKie -- just not for two guys from the Blazers who both happen to have expiring deals in 2005.

    We really should talk more.



    Peep Show

    By Chad Ford
    NBA Insider
    Send an Email to Chad Ford Thursday, February 12
    Updated: February 12
    9:50 AM ET

    New York Knicks: I want what the Knicks' owner is drinking. "I'm looking forward to making a few longer trips in May and even into June," James Dolan said in the New York Post after watching his team lose to the Hornets in New Orleans. "I'd like to see us go all the way. I think this team could. I don't think anybody would say that's not possible. They're only getting better. [Coach Lenny Wilkens] has only been here [14] games. There's no reason to think they're not going to continue to improve." Then he really started getting antsy. "It's hard for me to even say we won't make the playoffs," Dolan said. "There's very little chance we won't make the playoffs. I'm definitely looking forward to the feeling of going to a playoff game," Dolan added. "When I went to the last Knick playoff games, when it got close, I could barely sit in my seat."

    Los Angeles Lakers: The Lakers and Phil Jackson have suspended talks on a contract extension, and now the head coach is referring to his current franchise as "they." "I have no hard feelings at all," Jackson said in the Los Angeles Times. "I actually think it's the right move for them to make with all the free agents they have this summer." Both sides, though, made it clear that talks would resume in earnest after a tumultuous season. "I think that a new contract, an extension, is somewhere between possibility and probability," agent Todd Musburger said. But Jackson wasn't taking anything for granted. "I love to do that," Jackson said. "That's one of my favorite things. That's reality. I've done it two or three times in my career. It's OK. It's what the game's about."

    Detroit Pistons: Different starting lineup but same result as Detroit fell to its fifth straight loss against the Kings Wednesday night. "The reason (for the change) was to get more energy to start the game," Tayshaun Prince said in the Detroit News as he and Elden Campbell were replaced by Darvin Ham an Zeljko Rebraca. "It was sort of unfair to Darvin, though, to be put in a situation like that. He had been playing up-and-down minutes and then to all of a sudden have to start against Peja, that's unfair big-time. But the message Coach was trying to send was that we can't keep starting the games down. I don't think he was saying that me and Elden were the ones not doing it. I think he was trying to show all of us, we have to go harder."

    Seattle SuperSonics: Brent Barry is a free agent next year and teammate Ray Allen is applying to be his agent. "We need veterans on this team," Allen said in the Post Intelligencer. "We need guys who know how to win. We have enough young players as it is. He's a guy that has proven himself. He knows the game. He's smart. Why do you not pay for that?" Barry has missed 11 games this year with a broken hand and the Sonics are 4-7 in his absence.

    Chicago Bulls: Rookie Kirk Hinrich knows he fouls. He just doesn't think he fouls all the time and that, every once in awhile he'd like to get a call, too. "Guys who foul all the time get away with it because refs won't call a foul on every play," Hinrich said in the Chicago Sun Times. "I'm just trying to feel it out to create my style of when I can be aggressive and when I can't." His coach, Scott Skiles, agreed. "You're not allowed to question the officials, and that happens to be a rule I don't agree with," Skiles said. "We all have to be held accountable. I'll keep saying Kirk plays very hard, and he's one of the best defensive guys in the league right now. I'll leave it at that."



    Trade talk will dominate All-Star Weekend

    By Chad Ford
    NBA Insider
    Send an Email to Chad Ford Friday, February 13
    Updated: February 13
    7:57 AM ET

    The NBA doesn't have winter meetings like baseball, where owners and GMs can get together and talk trade. But the NBA All-Star Game is as close as it gets. With just about everyone in the league flying into Los Angeles today, here's the latest scuttle from around the league . . .

    Juwan Howard
    Forward
    Orlando Magic
    Profile

    2003-2004 SEASON STATISTICS
    GM PPG RPG APG FG% FT%
    54 15.8 6.8 2.0 .447 .796

    Will Juwan Howard finally end up in Miami? The Magic, now clearly desperate, have reportedly inquired about Brian Grant's availability. It would take half of the Magic's roster to land Grant, but considering that the only guys on the roster who the Magic want to keep are Tracy McGrady and Drew Gooden -- why not?

    The Wizards are in the hunt for a team willing to take on the last year of Christian Laettner's deal. The team could get around $10 million under the cap next season if it can find a taker for Laettner. What's their best shot? The Raptors are trying to add another big man to shore up their front line and have shown interest in Laettner. The Raptors have several expiring contracts (Michael Curry, Morris Peterson, Michael Bradley) that they're willing to dump in an effort to secure a playoff spot this season. Laettner is in the mix along with Portland's Dale Davis.

    That's not the only deal the Wizards are working on. The team is also reportedly pursuing a deal that would ship Brevin Knight to the Clips for Keyon Dooling and Melvin Ely. However, if the Wizards can move Laettner, they probably won't make the trade for Ely, who would eat into their salary-cap room next season.


    Doug Christie
    Shooting Guard
    Sacramento Kings
    Profile

    2003-2004 SEASON STATISTICS
    GM PPG RPG APG FG% FT%
    50 8.7 3.7 3.9 .469 .853

    The Kings' Doug Christie is now on the block, but will anyone want to pick up the last two years and $16 million left on his contract? Christie was once the defensive heart of the Kings, but his production has really slipped this season.

    Jazz GM Kevin O'Connor said he thinks the team will make a trade by the deadline? With whom? Right now the Jazz are more than seven million under the cap, which means they can absorb one big salary. The talk since December has the Jazz swapping Keon Clark for Tom Gugliotta and at least one first-round pick from the Suns. While both players are in the last year of their contracts, swapping Gugliotta's $11.7 million salary for Clark's $5 million puts the Suns under the luxury-tax threshold for the year. Given the salary, luxury-tax savings and rebates from the league, that could be worth up to $15 million in long-term savings to Phoenix. That's probably worth the pick.


    Jahidi White
    Center
    Phoenix Suns
    Profile


    2003-2004 SEASON STATISTICS
    GM PPG RPG APG FG% FT%
    49 4.4 4.4 0.1 .519 .510

    The Suns are also trying to dump center Jahidi White and, according to one league source, are using Casey Jacobsen as the bait. White has one more year at $6.1 million left on his deal.

    In addition to the never-ending Marcus Fizer sweepstakes, the Bulls are looking to find a new home for Jerome Williams. Despite his energy on the court and his popularity with fans, Williams' relationship with some of his teammates has been rocky in Chicago. He's been especially down on Eddy Curry and Tyson Chandler because of constant mental lapses. It's gotten to the point that coaches had to ask him to quit pulling aside players who blow plays in practice.

    The Pistons are still talking to teams about a way to trade either Corliss Williamson or Chucky Atkins in an effort to get their contracts off the books. With two first-round picks at his disposal that the Pistons don't really need, you've got to believe Joe D will make something happen.

    For those of you always wondering why there are so many trade rumors and so few trades, I give you Danny Ainge. "There's lot of conversations going on. I'm hopeful, but it's got to be the right deal. I listened to over 500 deals since I took the job and I've made two. It's got to be a good deal." Since when, Danny?


    Orlando reportedly involved in multiple trade talks

    WHO INTERESTED THE SKINNY

    Brian Grant
    Heat
    Magic Feb. 13 - Orlando reportedly has inquired again about Grant's availability and might be willing to package half its roster -- including Juwan Howard -- to get him. The only guys the Magic are dead set on keeping are Tracy McGrady and Drew Gooden.

    WHO INTERESTED THE SKINNY

    Gordan Giricek
    Magic
    Bulls
    Jazz Feb. 13 - Magic GM John Gabriel told Florida Today that Giricek, not Juwan Howard, is drawing the most interest as the trade deadline nears. The Bulls and Magic reportedly are discussing a deal to send Giricek and point guard Tyronn Lue to Chicago for Marcus Fizer. Florida Today also reports that Utah could be offering point guard Carlos Arroyo or center Jarron Collins in exchange for Giricek.

    WHO INTERESTED THE SKINNY

    Marcus Fizer
    Bulls
    Magic
    Clippers
    Pistons Feb. 13 - Floriday Today reports the Magic and Bulls could be close to a deal sending Fizer to Orlando in exchange for point guard Tyronn Lue and shooting guard Gordan Giricek.

    Fizer, in the last year of his contract, also is rumored to be under consideration by the Pistons and Clippers. In addition to the proposed deal with L.A. for Melvin Ely and Keyon Dooling, the Ft. Worth Star-Telegram indicates the Bulls are trying to send Fizer to Detroit for either forward Corliss Williamson or guard Chucky Atkins.

    WHO INTERESTED THE SKINNY

    Aaron McKie
    76ers
    Bulls Feb. 13 - The Sixers have been looking to unload McKie's contract, among others, as they look to rebuild, and they reportedly have discussed a deal with Chicago involving Jerome Williams. McKie leads the league in 3-point percentage and would provide the Bulls with perimeter shooting, defense and veteran leadership.

    WHO INTERESTED THE SKINNY

    Jerome Williams
    Bulls
    76ers Feb. 13 - The Bulls and 76ers have discussed a trade involving Williams and Aaron McKie. Despite the energy Williams brings to the court and his popularity with fans, the Bulls don't like his rocky relations with some of his teammates, especially young big men Eddy Curry and Tyson Chandler.

    The Sixers have been looking to unload McKie's contract, among others, as they look to rebuild. McKie leads the league in 3-point percentage and would provide the Bulls with perimeter shooting, defense and veteran leadership.

    WHO INTERESTED THE SKINNY

    Doug Christie
    Kings
    ? Feb. 13 - The Kings reportedly are looking to unload the remaining two years and $16 million on Christie's contract, not to mention his subpar play, but it's not clear who might be willing to take both off their hands.

    "I talked with Rick (Adelman, head coach) and Geoff (Petrie, GM) and they told me they were going on with what we have," Christie said. "You hear stuff all the time, it's part of the profession. Around the trade deadline, any little thing and people react."

    WHO INTERESTED THE SKINNY

    Christian Laettner
    Wizards
    Raptors Feb. 13 - Toronto is looking for a big man to shore up the front line, and the Wizards are looking for someone to take on the last year of Laettner's deal. Unloading him would put Washington around $10 million below the cap next season. The Raptors have several expiring contracts (Michael Curry, Morris Peterson, Michael Bradley) that they're willing to dump in an effort to secure a playoff spot this season. Laettner is in the mix along with Portland's Dale Davis.

    WHO INTERESTED THE SKINNY

    Dale Davis
    Blazers
    Raptors
    Mavs Feb. 13 - The Raptors and Mavericks have shown the most interest in Davis, and if the Blazers can get back a contract that expires after next season and a prospect, they'll pull the trigger. Toronto has plenty of expiring contracts, but they're also discussing Christian Laettner.

    WHO INTERESTED THE SKINNY

    Keon Clark
    Jazz
    Suns Feb. 13 - Phoenix could look to further improve its financial situation for next season by sending Tom Gugliotta and his $11.7 million contract, along with a draft pick, to Utah for Clark ($5 million). The deal works for the Jazz, because they are more than $7 million under the cap. It works for the Suns because, given the salary savings, luxury tax savings and rebates from the league for being under the cap, it could be worth up to $15 million in long term savings.

    WHO INTERESTED THE SKINNY

    Jahidi White
    Suns
    ? Feb. 13 - The Suns are trying to dump White and, according to one league source, are using Casey Jacobsen as the bait. The 6-foot-9 White, averaging just 14.5 minutes, 4.5 points and 4.6 rebounds, has one more year at $6.1 million left on his deal.

    WHO INTERESTED THE SKINNY

    Allen Iverson
    76ers
    ? Feb. 12 - While it's unlikely Philadelphia would ever deal AI, he's fair game for the rumor mill now that GM Billy King has said no one is untouchable. "Everybody at some point in their career has to be available," King told the Delaware News Journal. "Obviously, it would take a high-quality player to move someone like Allen. But I've got to do what's best for the franchise."

    WHO INTERESTED THE SKINNY

    Nick Van Exel
    Warriors
    Grizzlies Feb. 12 - Van Exel told the Contra Costa Times he doesn't want to be traded and he doesn't plan to opt out of his deal after the season. "I want to be here," Van Exel told the paper. "I never said I wanted to be traded. This is where I want to finish my contract."

    The Warriors are thought to be looking to package Van Exel with Erick Dampier in order to clear cap space, but they are finding few partners who can send back the kind of expiring contracts Golden State is seeking. Memphis is one possibility, but it's looking more likely Van Exel will be staying put.

    WHO INTERESTED THE SKINNY

    Erick Dampier
    Warriors
    Grizzlies
    Celtics Feb. 12 - Golden State continues to dangle Dampier as incentive for someone to take Nick Van Exel off their hands, and while there is interest in the big man, there isn't much in the package with the point guard. Boston is trying to package the expiring contracts of Chris Mills ($6 million) and Chris Mihm ($2.8 million), but they don't want to take Van Exel. The Grizzlies have been after Dampier since the offseason.

    WHO INTERESTED THE SKINNY

    Melvin Ely
    Clippers
    Wizards
    Bulls Feb. 12 - The Ft. Worth Star-Telegram reports the Wizards want to acquire Ely in exchange for guard Brevin Knight, with Keyon Dooling leaving the Clippers for Washington in the package. Ely currently is mired on L.A.'s bench behind Elton Brand, Chris Wilcox, Chris Kaman and Peja Drobjnak.

    Previously, the Chicago Tribune reported the Bulls might be interested in an Ely-for-Marcus Fizer swap. Fizer is in the last year of his contract, which would allow the Clippers to get further under the cap this summer to make a run at Kobe Bryant.

    WHO INTERESTED THE SKINNY

    Eddy Curry
    Bulls
    Mavs
    Sonics
    Blazers Feb. 12 - Bulls GM John Paxson has decided he's not ready to give up on Curry or fellow first-round pick Tyson Chandler, saying earlier this week, "Eddy and Tyson aren't going anywhere. We've invested two years in them, and we have them for as long as we want them, so it makes no sense [to trade them]. It would have to be an unbelievable deal for us to even think about it."


    Peep Show

    NBA Insider
    Friday, February 13
    Updated: February 13
    10:26 AM ET

    Los Angeles Lakers: If the Lakers lose Phil Jackson, they're losing more than a coach if you ask this guy. "The NBA is like a feudal system, all these lords and their fiefdoms," said agent Leonard Armato in the Los Angeles Times. "Getting everyone to work together for the common good is like a crusade. Phil is the best of the best at these crusades." And one of Jackson's former players agrees. "I think it is so funny when people say that Jackson wins because of luck, that he wins only because he has all the great players," Steve Kerr said. "That's so wrong. This team had the pieces before he got there, and never did anything."

    Detroit Pistons: Chauncey Billups doesn't feel like much of an all-star these days and he's glad, at least, about that. "I am happy to have this break," Billups said in the Detroit News. "We can sit back, rest our bodies, look at ourselves and say, 'Hey, we aren't playing the way we should be playing.' "We've seen how good we can be and we've seen how bad we can be. Now we need to sit back, look in the mirror and say, 'I need to do this differently, I need to do this better or that better.' We need to come back ready to gear up and go. This losing, it ain't fun, man. We know we are better than this." His coach agreed. "He's got to play better. Maybe he'll make the bonus ball and that'll get him going," said Larry Brown. "He's got to play better and he's got to run the team better and he's capable of doing all those things. We need him. We need somebody to step up and be a leader."

    Seattle SuperSonics: Vladimir Radmanovic wants the dang ball. Or he wants to play for a team that gives him the dang ball. "I just want to make sure everyone gets the best chance possible for what they want, both the Sonics and for me," Radmanovic said to the Seattle Post Intelligencer as his minutes have been gradually cut. "If the best thing for both is for me to be traded, I want whatever will help. If they think I can help here, I want to help every game and not every 10th game . . . Nobody gave me an explanation of why I was going to the bench. The only explanation was that, 'We want to play big basketball.' I don't know if this specific staff likes me or if I'm just a guy they're trying to make fit. It was the worst thing that could have happened at that time."

    Chicago Bulls: After being placed on the injured reserve list for the second time this season, Scottie Pippen has taken to doing his best Arnold impression. "I'm still trying to grease the machine and see if it can make another turn," he said to the Chicago Tribune. "I'm playing. I'll be back after the break."

    Boston Celtics: Paul Pierce doesn't pretend to understand what Vin Baker is going through or the franchise's intention to terminate his contract with $36 million still due for violating his rehab program and being unable to perform. "I hate to see something like this happen," Pierce said in the Boston Herald. "Vin is a great guy. Everyone loves being around him. I can't even think about everything he's going through, because I don't understand it. I've just tried to be a guy who is positive with him all of the time. He's been criticized enough by fans and the media. All we can do is be as positive as possible with him."

    Toronto Raptors: At least one Eastern Conference head coach thinks his side has a chance of winning an NBA title. "My personal belief is maybe top to bottom the West is a little bit deeper (but) the elite teams in both the East and the West are capable of winning the NBA championship," head coach Kevin O'Neill said in the Toronto Star. "That's my feeling. Let's face it, to win the NBA championship, you only have to win one series against the West, you don't have to play three series."
    Mickael Pietrus Le site officiel

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