The Knicks Fix

During my research and interviewing process on Friday for a profile of Zach Randolph, a columnist at the Oregonian told me a few good stories. One was about how neighbors of Randolph's five-acre spread in rural Portland heard angry shouts and curses when the trade was announced on Thursday night.

It didn't come from Randolph. He wasn't there. He was said to be in his new offseason home in Indianapolis, which is near his hometown of Marion, Ind. Reports today have Randolph in LA with his agent (neither one of them called me back! I got immediate beef with them now) before he comes to New York.

Safe to say not everyone in Portland was upset with the deal. The neighbors, for one, hope it means the departure of Randolph's notorious circle of friends, known as the "Hoop Family." Yes, it wasn't too difficult to dig up a lot of dirt about Randolph and his boys. Lewd tales of sexual conduct (one police interview I obtained revealed that Randolph and his friend "share" at least one particular girlfriend) and a lot of wilding and partying. DUI. Marijuana use. Shooting guns in the air.

Sounds like NBA all-star weekend.

But in delving a little deeper, most people I spoke with say Randolph is actually a pretty easy guy to get along with. Charismatic. Friendly. Non-confrontational. One man told me about a time Randolph saw the man and his family standing together at a Blazers function. Randolph walked over to them and offered to sign autographs for his kids and engaged in a friendly conversation with the family.

The problems are mostly blamed on his friends, most of whom are dudes he grew up with that ascended on Portland from Marion.

Others also told me that Portland, the city, was over-sensitive to most of his wrongdoings. He got off on a bad foot with cops when during a traffic stop early in his career, he once tossed his keys into his car and locked it. Can't search anything locked without a warrant.

Jay-Z gave a lesson in "99 Problems"....

Glove compartment's locked, so's the trunk in the back
So you gonna need a warrant for that
(Aren't you sharp as a tack,
You some type of lawyer or something,
somebody important or something?)
I ain't passed the bar, but I know a lil bit
Enough for you to illegally search my ---

That didn't help him make any friends in the force. And when his disrespect continued, they made sure the media knew about every thing he was pulled over for or every time a complaint was put against him.

If you research most of the complaints against him, there has never been enough evidence to prosecute. The sexual assault charge? Police had evidence of several text messages the woman sent as an attempt to get money -- as much as $10,000 -- in exchange for her not pressing charges against him. Eventually, she sued him and they settled out of court.

As for being at a strip club during a so-called bereavement leave he took from the Blazers last season? One person told me that he stopped for a beer at his "regular spot" (apparently, he has his own table at a choice Portland peeler) on the way to the airport to attend the funeral in Indiana.

So I'm told much of his trouble is attributed to it taking place in a small, white-collar city that already had it fill of the Jail Blazers of Rasheed Wallace, Isaiah Rider, Ruben Patterson, etc. But there was one person who said the Portland police's gang unit noticed gang-related symbols around Randolph's house during an episode of MTV "Cribs."

Of course it was once suggested that Quentin Richardson's fists-to-head sign after hitting three-pointers was considered a "gang symbol." Q dismissed that notion, but stopped making the sign anyway. The fun was taken out of it.

What it appears to me is that Zach hasn't had much authority in his life. His basketball talent and his NBA money has made him feel above anyone's rules. Even with documented history of using marijuana, we can't know if he's ever failed an NBA drug test (players are tested four times a year) because that information is never made public. "Not even David [Stern] knows," one NBA source told me.

Hopefully, Isiah Thomas will know. And will know how to deal with it.

And, hopefully, someone keeps Nate Robinson far, far away from the "Hoop Family."

Got home from the MSG Training Facility sometime around 2:30 a.m. It's an even longer drive at night, when there's construction on the LIE and your mind keeps going over the details of a trade you think is nothing but bad news for the Knicks.

What do you guys think? It's funny, all the while I was checking in on the situations with Rashard Lewis, Kevin Garnett and Jermaine O'Neal, the name Zach Randolph kept coming back to me. But, being the enterprising, instinctive reporter that I am, I ignored it. No way the Knicks bring this guy in. Too much baggage. James Dolan doesn't go for people with baggage and a penchant for making appearances on the police blotter.

Someone told me he's a good kid. Just hangs with a bad crowd. Typical story.

I awoke this morning and saw the terrific back page by J-Dub, one of Newsday's most veteran editors. New York Zach Exchange. Great headline, J-Dub.

I'm still trying to see the positives of the deal: a 20-10 guy who is only 25, the disappearance of the Steve Francis contract without having to buy him out, you basically dealt an uninspiring Channing Frye for a dominant low-post scorer and a rebounder.

But the negatives keep creeping back: Randolph's contract (4 years left at $61 mil) is even longer, and more expensive, than Francis' deal, he doesn't play a lick of D and is not a shot-blocker, which means any penetration into the paint will mean more easy baskets for opponents...and, oh yeah, there's that thing about his character and this affinity for firearms and assaults.

Conference call is at 10 a.m. So much still to digest.

I'll check back in later. Sorry, I just don't have the juice going yet this morning.

Oh, and Taurean Green didn't get picked until the second round.

I still say the kid's gonna turn out to be a steal.

It's draft morning. Wilson Chandler still hasn't worked out for the Knicks. But everyone seems convinced he'll be the pick the Knicks make at No. 23. That rumor is hotter than the iPhone.

Yet the more I talk to people, the more I wonder: will that be the only thing the Knicks do today?

Sorry, I had to go with this picture. Hilariously creative, though he got the names over the wrong picture.

Moving on...

I've been through a lot of crazy drafts before. Remember, I used to cover Mike Milbury and the Islanders. (Mike always made it interesting and fun. And, well, busy. There were good years and bad ones. But they were always busy.)

So maybe it's just a reflex that gives me this gut feeling this morning that Isiah has something more going on than any of us know. I've heard he's looked into moving up to secure another pick. (Thanks for that internet rumor, David...but I checked with someone close to Chris Mullin who offered no indication that it was legit, though it was also not denied.)

Still, going against the grain, I made no secret in today's Newsday (check it out here. ) that my choice for the Knicks would be to take Taurean Green from Florida. I just think if you're going to stay the course and develop this franchise, you need to have a potential franchise-point guard waiting in the wings when Stephon Marbury's contract expires.

No offense to Mardy Collins, whom I really like as a person and a player. Some of you may think Nate Robinson is the point guard of the future, but if you ask Nate, even he doesn't consider himself a point guard.

I love Taurean's intangibles, not to mention the fact that he was the floor general for back-to-back NCAA championship teams. A few people I've spoken with about Taurean -- and I don't mean his dad, Sidney, who might be a bit biased, you know -- said he was the cog for that Gator team. Yes, they were loaded with talented players such as Corey Brewer, Joakim Noah and Al Horford, who will go in the top 10. But those close to the Florida program told me that Green was the main cog. When they struggled during the regular season, it was attributed to Green. When they were very successful, again, it was because Green was at the top of his game.

He's still young and physically needs to adjust to the pro game. The scouting report against Green in college was to be physical with him. Take him out of his game and you take Florida out of its game. That says a lot.

But I'll get off his jock now because I'm sure now that I went big and bold about him in the paper, there's no way the Knicks will take him now!!!

Egg, meet face.

It's not the first time. Won't be the last, either. Comes with the job. Like carpal-tunnel syndrome and airport delays. And an expense account.

Regardless, I've been told it's going to be a wild draft day. Kevin Garnett, Shawn Marion, Jermaine O'Neal, etc. all could be part of the news. It might even overshadow the hype surrounding Greg Oden and Kevin Durant.

I encourage you to make regular visits to Ken Berger's NBA blog as day goes into night. Ken plans on updating his blog throughout the draft and he'll talk about the latest rumors. Anything involving the Knicks I'll toss his way, but be sure to check in here, as well, in case something juicy comes to fruition.

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- Have to laugh when I hear commentators on various sports talk shows discussing the NBA draft and BC's Sean Williams. One guy actually said this of Williams (I'm paraphrasing): "Sure, he has been caught with large amounts of marijuana, but this guy has the skills of a top-10 pick!" It's the Pac-Man Jones caveat: Sure, he's a thug who surrounds himself with gun-toting gangstas, but the guy is a really good lock-down corner!

OK, not a fair comparison. But still: Pass.

- Just to share, in one of my innumerable conversations with people throughout the NBA one person who has talked with Isiah told me he believes the Knicks will either be involved in "something big or nothing at all." He said Thomas has his eyes on landing one of the big name players out there and "He'll take crap to get what he wants," meaning, he'll take on a bad contract as part of a deal.

The problem, the person told me, is that "No one wants to help the Knicks." On top of that, of the players out there who are suddenly demanding trades, there's reluctance to send them to New York because, as this person said, "sending someone to New York is a reward."

Don't put too much into it, it was just a casual conversation. But I thought I'd share.

- As I wrote yesterday, I'm told Eddy Curry will be in Las Vegas with several other Knicks to work out while the rookies and young players participate in the summer league. We'll see what type of shape he's in then.

- I don't know about you guys, but I can't wait for this day to be over! Too much information, speculation, rumor and conjecture to digest in a short amount of time. My brain feels like my stomach after a long night at the Churrascaria. And my card always stays on green, baby.

My man Fooch from MSG Network last weekend asked David Lee the only questions people wanted answered . . .

Lee revealed that over the past week he has started to increase the intensity level of his workouts and, so far, his "sore right leg" injury, which hampered him over the last two months of the season, is responding well.

“My health is doing a lot better," Lee told Fooch. "This week I’m starting to go hard, do some full-court running and stuff like that. Very positive results. I’m a little sore because I haven’t used it in a while, but as far as the injury itself, it’s feeling really good.”

Lee said he is not concerned about re-aggravating the injury -- which the Knicks medical staff first called a high-ankle sprain, but then eventually labeled it as a "sore right leg."

“It’s not one of those injuries where it’s going to be chronic," he said. "It’s just something I need to let heal and I’ve done that. I’ve tried to be easy on it a little bit to start the summer . . . As I start to get back into things, running full court and jumping, it’s starting to feel really, really good.”

Among the other Knick injuries, Quentin Richardson, who had back surgery on March 28, is running on the underwater treadmill and participating in shooting drills. Jamal Crawford's ankle fracture is healing nicely and he's pretty much back into regular workouts.

Expect to see Lee along with several other Knicks veterans at the Las Vegas Summer League. They won't be playing, but they will be working out together. Quentin Richardson and Eddy Curry had also planned to get most of the group together in Chicago during the summer.

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Did you happen to see the report in the Daily News regarding Allan Houston's comeback? There have been rumblings of this over the past season, especially each time he showed up at Knicks practicing looking as if he could take the court. It does give the Knicks an interesting option - shooters are always welcome - but it would create even more of a logjam in the backcourt.

- What would you do with Crawford?

- Steve Francis would be buried even deeper down the bench

Perhaps Isiah has a plan to open up some roster spots by dealing players for a pick (He doesn't own a second-round choice). I still don't know if the Knicks buy out Francis. All of the indications I got from people who know what Isiah is thinking say Isiah has no plans to buy out the contract.

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Sorry this is a brief blog everyone, but I'm swamped with NBA draft prep and making calls and writing for the print edition. Just thought you'd be interested in some updates about the current Knicks while we speculate about the future Knicks.

The well-worn story about the Yankees rebirth as a dynasty in the late 1990s is that it was the result of George Steinbrenner's banishment from baseball by then-commissioner Fay Vincent. This all had to do with Steinbrenner hiring Howie Spira to dig up some dirt to smear Dave Winfield.

And you think your boss is a jerk.

Steinbrenner was reinstated in 1993, but those two-plus years he was away allowed the Yankees, led by Gene Michael, to gather and develop a portfolio of blue chippers such as Bernie Williams without the meddling of The Boss. The Yankees got richer investing in their own instead of in overpriced free agents. Suddenly there was stability and there was direction.

And by 1996, there was a championship. Steinbrenner couldn't argue with the stay-the-course success, so he stayed hands off. At least as long as he could. It was enough to rebuild an empire.

Now consider the Knicks.

I remember rewinding my digital recorder (no one uses tape anymore, yo) to make sure I heard Isiah Thomas correctly a few weeks ago in Orlando, when he said the Knicks are "the heathiest we’ve been in a long time."

Healthy? With 33 wins and no lottery pick to show for it? With a huge hole at power forward? With a questionable backcourt? With a luxury tax-laden $87 million payroll that Thomas has the green light to expand if he so wishes?

Hold up. Wait a minute.

Here's where Thomas knows he has to be careful. If he did absolutely nothing but add a player with the No. 23 pick, he'd have a full roster of 15 players. He'd have last season's team back, healthy, and at best they're an 8th seed playoff team. You'd also have to deal with the Steve Francis situation once again (expect more "rehabilitation" trips to Houston) and Jerome James' conditioning questions.

But ride out the year continuing to develop players. In the summer of 2008, you face one major hurdle: Eddy Curry's player opt-out after the 2008-09 season. If he's worth his weight (ha..no pun intended), he's made himself into an all-star and your horse. Perhaps he'd led you to the playoffs. So you work on his deal. Give him the max and eliminate one headache.

Quentin Richardson and Jamal Crawford also have opt-outs after 08-09. Ride them out. You'll need the cap space.

And so you go into the 2008-09 season once again with the same roster plus another draft pick (don't trade this one, unless you can move up to get Roy Hibbert!) and two contract-motivated players in Crawford and Richardson. You also have some huge assets before the trading deadline: the expiring contracts of Francis, Stephon Marbury and Malik Rose.

The Knicks payroll - as it is constructed today - drops to $41 million for the 2009-10 season. But if you reworked Curry's deal, it'll be a little higher - but still workable.

A smattering of names that could be available via free agency in the Summer of '09:

- Our good friend Kobe Bryant has that widely-reported opt-out for 2009-10, just in case things don't work out with Kevin Garnett.

- Seattle's Ray Allen's contract expires after 2009-10, so the Sonics might consider moving him

- Golden State's Baron Davis will be a free agent

- Utah's Deron Williams will be a restricted free agent, unless the Jazz rework his deal. They have a team option for next season.

Another thing to keep in mind is that these players will be a year away from an opt-out:

- LeBron James

- Dwyane Wade

- Chris Bosh

These are all things for Isiah Thomas to consider as he checks the market this summer. As fans, you have to consider it, as well. Most of you on this blog are smart and read the situation well. But there are a lot of fans who get juiced up every time a trade is discussed.

"How can we get into the KG sweepstakes?"

"What will it take to get Kobe?"

"Can we make a deal for Shawn Marion?"

But my boys here on this blog are right. Let's take a lesson from the Yankees. Show some patience and let it ride. The bigger prizes are worth waiting for.

Many of you have expressed an interest ways the Knicks can hold on to Jamal Crawford and still make a good trade for a player such as Rashard Lewis. The natural instinct is to think the Sonics would love to have Mally 'mal because he's from Seattle.

I like Jamal as a person and a player; he gives you all he's got in both areas. But let's be honest, Seattle ain't selling out tickets because Jamal Crawford is in the building.

With a new GM (Sam Presti) and a new coach (eventually...as of now we know that PJ Carlisemo, Scott Brooks and Dwayne Casey each have had interviews with Presti) and the No. 2 pick in the draft (most likely Kevin Durant), the Sonics will be shopping for need. What they need is a point guard and backcourt help. Luke Ridnour and Earl Watson are hardly starting PG material.

Naturally, Crawford certainly fits as backcourt help, though not as a PG. But with Ray Allen entrenched in the shooting-guard spot, why would you want Crawford? If I'm Seattle, I ask for David Lee and Channing Frye for starters. The Sonics are letting Danny Fortson go and with Lewis gone as well, rebounding will be an area of need. Durant can score from the low blocks, but having Frye, an inside-outside guy, would fill a necessity, as well. As for the money-match, I'll leave it to the armchair GMs to dream up how the teams can work something out.

Bottom line, if the Knicks are getting Lewis, they only get him in a sign-and-trade that has Lewis coming with a max contract in his pocket as part of the deal. In other words, big bucks on the payroll.

The other scenario involves the wildly speculative Kobe Bryant move to New York. Would you still not want to trade Jamal if you could get Kobe?

Dream sequence over. Back to reality.

I don't see the Knicks wanting to move Crawford for no reason other than to upgrade. Otherwise, Crawford, who, to me, is still a developing player with a tremendous upside (needs to get better defensively, but who doesn't on this team?) will remain a Knick. I wouldn't put a lot of emphasis on trade scenarios that are tossed around in the general media. Remember, a lot of the speculated names come out based on money-matching.

I also feel moving Jamal without getting a starting-caliber SG back is somewhat detrimental. Some of you may feel Quentin Richardson can slide up into the SG spot, but Isiah Thomas might have him in the right place at this point in his career. Richardson isn't guard-quick, so his defensive ability wouldn't be as effective than when he plays the small forward spot. Another thought is you could start Mardy Collins, who is 6-6 and can defend and pass, in the backcourt with Stephon Marbury. Collins could be the PG on offense and let Marbury be a scorer and on the defensive end Collins could guard the taller SGs. But that's putting a lot of faith in Collins, who played well down the stretch but hasn't shown enough to be relied upon as an everyday starter. At least not yet.

Of course, there's always the re-visit of the "dynamic duo" backcourt of Marbury and Steve Francis.

Uh, no.

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- With NBA/Knicks coverage revving up this week with Thursday's draft, I'll be putting fewer "nuggets" into the blogs to save them for my daily stories for the print edition. I encourage you all to read both and keep up with the great comments, criticisms and insights. I love the enthusiasm some of you have expressed about what we're doing here and I plan to do my best to live up to the recent positive feedback.

- Just made my plans for the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas. Don't be jealous, considering the time of year (and the anticipated triple-digit temps) I've heard people just burst into flames there.

- You read a few David Lee stories over the weekend (we, once again, were somehow shunned from access...I'm investigating). What got buried is that David admits he's still not 100 percent recovered from the mysterious dead-leg injury that hampered him at the end of the season.

- What will be more interesting come Thursday night, when the Knicks pick at No. 23: The surprise pick that Thomas makes or Greg Anthony's reaction to it on ESPN?

So we're told Wilson Chandler does not expect to work out for the Knicks before next week's NBA draft. The Knicks invited the DePaul sophomore to come in during the past few weeks, but Chandler declined because of the ankle injury we told you about previously.

However, Chandler has re-scheduled workouts with a few other teams. Just not the Knicks. And Chandler doesn't plan to.

"I don't foresee us working out for the Knicks," Chandler's agent, Chris Luchey told Newsday's Ken Berger on Thursday.

Luchey did go as far as telling Berger that he re-scheduled with teams that have late-first, early-second round picks. Chandler's schedule is apparently full from now until draft day. Perhaps the Knicks could squeeze him in the morning of the draft.

If the Knicks were as high on this kid as previously reported, do they not need to see anything more from him? Do they not want to look too interested in bringing him in, thus avoiding tipping their hand to anyone selection ahead of them in the first round?

Or are they just not interested? Maybe they already know who they want and Chandler isn't it.

Or perhaps, as one person suggested to me recently, the Knicks already know they won't be using the pick. Perhaps they'll be picking for someone else in what will be a post-draft trade.

So much for the report in the Chicago Daily Herald, which quoted a source that said the Knicks had already promised Chandler they'd take him at No. 23. But Luchey, of course, has no idea where that report came from.

"I would assume that something like that would have to come from Isiah Thomas," Luchey said. "I haven't spoken with Isiah Thomas. I don't know where that story came from."

No one ever does. But if it helped get a few teams picking higher than the Knicks to put more emphasis on Chandler, then Luchey's work -- I mean, whomever's work -- was perfectly executed.

And, of course, if Chandler does happen to be there . . .

"You can print this," Luchey then said, "We wouldn't be mad at the Knicks taking him at 23."

Ugh, agents.

Click.

UPDATE from this morning: Seems another blog, read by a notably different crowd (judging by the superior intelligence, not to mention poignancy, of the comments we get here as compared to theirs...and 50 comments by the same five guys doesn't mean it gets more traffic, by the way) got the callback on the Sean Williams thing before we did. The Knicks attended. We got scooped.

Like Denis Lemieux, the goalie in Slapshot, I feel shame.

And just like that, I'm over it.

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Jon, you're right, Al Jefferson had a great second half this past season. By the end of the year, he was just as dominant in the paint as Eddy Curry. In fact, I recall the game in Boston late in the season where Jefferson had a terrific game. The No. 5 pick also has great value for a team that obviously is preparing for a major rebuild (and already has their own lottery pick at No. 7). I guess my question wasn't posed as if I thought the Knicks could offer more, it was more in disbelief that the Knicks couldn't come up with better.

I know KG, Jermaine O'Neal, Kobe Bryant and Gilbert Arenas are sexier names, but 've maintained that the Rashard Lewis situation will be the one to monitor. Just don't expect it to happen at the draft, where there will be some movement. Lewis will go on the open market on July 1 and there will be some teams that can afford to try to sign him as a free agent. But no one will be able to give him the max other than the Sonics, who then could flip him to a team that can afford to add that kind of hefty scratch to their payroll.

And thanks Jason, for your input on Sean Williams and how to keep Jamal Crawford (and thanks for shamelessly promoting your columns on realgm.com..as if you guys needed any more pub from Newsday). I don't think the Knicks would have to give up Jamal in the Lewis deal because the Sonics already have Ray Allen and I'm not sure Crawford fits. The Sonics desperately need a point guard (no, they won't take Steve Francis), but I doubt Sam Presti would be high on Nate Robinson, despite his Seattle roots. I think the Sonics would want Channing Frye and/or David Lee in anything they do. I would watch for a third team in this process.

Have a great first weekend of summer.

Greg Oden and Kevin Durant will go No. 1 and No. 2 one way or the other. After that, it's anyone's guess. And that carries right up to where the Knicks select at No. 23.

From now until next Thursday, when the NBA draft takes place, you'll read countless mock drafts and analysis pieces that suggest what teams, including the Knicks, have planned. All of this is based on nothing more than speculation and input from agents hoping their players get drafted higher than initially projected.

In other words, as Flavor Flav so eloquently said, don't buh-lee da hype.

Here's a short list of the most interesting names the Knicks have had in for workouts. Keep in mind the Nets, who pick at No. 17, were also part of these workouts.

MY BEST BET - Taurean Green, PG Florida: A proven winner with a coachable personality and attitude. His presence gives you options in the near future (read: Nate Robinson is expendable and Stephon Marbury will be an expiring contract after next season). Isiah Thomas could make him his personal protege and take his time in developing his game at the NBA level.

TYPICAL ISIAH SCENARIO - Wilson Chandler, SF/PF, DePaul: Sleeper pick who has remained mostly mysterious because an ankle injury has caused him to cancel workouts with some teams, including the Knicks. Yet reports claim Isiah Thomas is very high on this physically-gifted swingman who has as much upside (hops, scoring ability) as he does question marks (intensity, consistency).

TYPICAL KNICKS SCENARIO - Sean Williams, PF, Boston College: So many warning signs suggest to stay far away from this kid, who was kicked off his team during the season (he was a sophomore) and then he canceled all workouts with teams and instead, with John Lucas, invited teams in to watch him work out in his own, controlled, environment. So, naturally, you can see Isiah having a jones for this potential disaster, who also is an intriguing raw talent with dynamic athletic ability.

THE WILD CARD, Part I - Stephane Lasme, SF/PF, UMass: Whilwind kind of player, like Renaldo Balkman, but more of a frontcourt player. Long and thin, Lasme has terrific defensive instincts for the ball. He led the nation with 5.1 blocks per game. He and Balkman coming off the bench together would be a chaotic duo, at least for short bursts.

THE WILD CARD, Part II - Daequan Cook, Guard, Ohio State: Solid defender, good shooter and has a history with Isiah Thomas that goes back to when he was AAU teammates with Isiah's son. The Knicks don't really have a good stopper in the backcourt - Mardy Collins might be the only one consistent defender they have - so it wouldn't hurt to add someone. Which is why another Ohio State guard, Ron Lewis, could be a possibility. Lewis likens himself to Bruce Bowen and Raja Bell.

THE WILD CARD, Part III - Glen "Big Baby" Davis, PF, LSU: A physical monstrosity who has uncanny quickness and agility for his huge frame. Yet he seems undersized for a big man role at 6-8 and while he is a good jumper, he isn't a quick leaper. But with Eddy Curry, the Knicks would carry some serious weight in the paint and wear down opponents.

WORTH A SECOND THOUGHT - Marco Belinelli, SG, Italy: The Knicks haven't done much in the European market (can you blame them after the Frederic Weiss debacle?), but if Isiah is looking for a shooter, Bellinelli might be the one. He has the size (though he does need to bulk up) and the athleticism and right now has drawn comparisons to Jason Kapono and Kyle Korver.

DOUBT IT - Aaron Gray, C, Pittsburgh: Isiah told Gray he reminded him of his former teammate, BIll Laimbeer. Not sure that's the best endorsement.

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- Reports out of Minneapolis say Kevin McHale claims he's not "shopping" Kevin Garnett. But clearly he's listening to offers. The Boston Herald says the Celtics are moving closer to making something happen, which would consist of Al Jefferson and the No. 5 pick. The Knicks can't do better than that?

- Looks like the Trail Blazers want one last look. Oden worked out in Portland on Wednesday. Durant is due in Friday. I guess Sam Presti's first job as Sonics GM is easy. Whomever the Blazers do not take, he takes at No. 2. If, somehow, the Blazers take Durant and the Sonics take Oden, Rashard Lewis's future suddenly remains in Seattle.

- Wondering who gets the $5 million ring this time when Kobe realizes he's not getting traded and has to show up for Lakers' training camp in October? Mitch Kupchak or Andrew Bynum?