Cleveland, the league’s only 50-win team so far, has already clinched a playoff spot, and appear to have the number one overall seed in the East locked up for the second consecutive year.

The Nets, on the other hand, are on the verge of losing their 60th game of the season.

Take that, Cavs!

1. Cleveland Cavaliers (52-15, Last Week: 2)

The Cavs have won three straight, and have survived minor injury scares to both LeBron James and Antawn Jamison in the past week.

They’re way ahead of the pack out East, and anything short of an appearance in the Finals would be even more disappointing than last season.

2. Orlando Magic (47-21, Last Week: 3)

Orlando was rolling before losing at home to Charlotte Sunday.

Rashard Lewis and Jameer Nelson were dreadful that night, combining for just seven points on awful 3-17 shooting, including 1-9 from three-point range.

3. Dallas Mavericks (45-22, Last Week: 1)

The Mavs’ streak was stopped in shocking fashion Saturday night, with a 128-94 drubbing at home at the hands of the Knicks.

Dallas was outscored in each quarter that night, including 70-46 in the second half.

4. Los Angeles Lakers (49-18, Last Week: 5)

The defending champs have won three straight, but it hasn’t been easy.

They beat Toronto by two, Phoenix by six, and Golden State by three.

5. Denver Nuggets (45-22, Last Week: 4)

The Nuggets just had their six-game winning streak snapped by blowing a game in Houston Monday night by a score of 125-123.

It was the first time all season that Denver had lost a game in which they scored at least 110 points.

6. Milwaukee Bucks (36-29, Last Week: 11)

Those crazy Bucks are rolling, and have won six straight as of Tuesday.

They’re spry, young, and energetic, and could spell deep trouble for the aging Boston Celtics should they meet in the first round of the playoffs.

7. Oklahoma City Thunder (41-24, Last Week: 10)

Speaking of hot teams, OKC is just about as hot as anybody right now, having notched wins in each of their last five games.

Second-year guard Russell Westbrook is becoming a triple-double threat each and every night, and is averaging 19 points, nine assists, and six rebounds during the streak.

8. Atlanta Hawks (42-23, Last Week: 9)

Atlanta just keeps chugging along under the radar, and sits a half-game ahead of Boston for the third spot in the East.

That will be a very important race down the stretch, as whomever wins the third seed gets to avoid a potential matchup with Cleveland until the Eastern Conference Finals.

9. Charlotte Bobcats (34-31, Last Week: 16)

On the outside looking in a week ago, the Bobcats have rallied to win six in a row and have vaulted up to sixth in the East.

They’re scrappy enough to earn the label of “A team nobody wants to play come playoff time.”

10. Utah Jazz (43-24, Last Week: 6)

The Jazz, despite consecutive losses to perhaps the two hottest teams in the league (Milwaukee and OKC), are still right in the mix for the coveted second or third seed in the West.

Carlos Boozer has been having a great season, and it’ll be interesting to see what happens to Utah if he ends up leaving as a free agent this summer.

Luckily for them, it certainly doesn’t hurt that they hold the Knicks’ upcoming lottery pick.

11. Phoenix Suns (41-26, Last Week:

After losing a tough one at home to the Lakers, the Suns were able to rebound and easily beat the slumping Hornets Sunday.

Amar’e Stoudemire has upped his game in a major way since the trade deadline, and is averaging 31 points and 11 rebounds per game over the last five.

12. San Antonio Spurs (39-25, Last Week: 12)

Surprisingly, the Spurs haven’t missed a beat without Tony Parker, as George Hill has stepped right into the starting point guard duties and has helped them to three straight wins.

He should get some dark-horse consideration for the Most Improved Player Award as his numbers continue to rise.

13. Portland Trail Blazers (41-28, Last Week: 14)

Like the Spurs, the Blazers are playing their best basketball of the season at the right time.

With the way Nate McMillan has been able to keep his team in the playoff picture despite a vast array of injuries all season long, he should be the favorite for Coach of the Year.

14. Boston Celtics (42-24, Last Week: 7)

The C’s have lost three of five, with the three losses coming against teams in the playoff hunt and the two wins coming over doormats.

They’ll certainly be tested in the next week, as four of their next five are against Houston, Dallas, Utah, and Denver.

15. Miami Heat (35-32, Last Week: 13)

The inconsistent Heat currently hold a tenuous three-game lead over the ninth place Bulls.

The next two weeks will be crucial, as they’ll face Charlotte, Chicago, and Milwaukee as they all battle for playoff spots.

16. Houston Rockets (34-31, Last Week: 18)

Calling the Rockets’ playoff chances anything other than “slim” at this point would be a stretch, but they’ve been playing some good basketball lately and have won three straight games.

Luis Scola has been a man possessed in the last week, averaging 27 points and 13 rebounds per game.

They’re currently five games behind the eight-place Blazers.

17. Memphis Grizzlies (35-32, Last Week: 17)

Memphis is tied with Houston for ninth in the West, and the playoffs seem almost out of reach.

However, this season has been an enormously surprising success no matter what happens down the stretch, and Lionel Hollins is another solid Coach of the Year candidate.

18. Toronto Raptors (32-33, Last Week: 15)

19. Chicago Bulls (31-34, Last Week: 20)

I’d put these two teams closer to the bottom if they weren’t “fighting it out” for the final playoff spot in the East.

The Raptors have lost five in a row, and the Bulls have dropped seven straight.

It’s almost as if they’re trying to get the NBA to change its playoff structure in order to allow the 16 best records to qualify.

Good luck to whichever team snags that playoff spot, as they’ll be rewarded by a prompt four-game sweep at the hands of LeBron’s Cavaliers.

20. New Orleans Hornets (33-35, Last Week: 19)

Rookie point guard Darren Collison continues his amazing play with Chris Paul watching from the bench.

He’s averaging 14 points and 13 assists in his last five games, including a nice 20-assist effort in a win over the Warriors last week.

21. New York Knicks (24-43, Last Week: 21)

The “Still waiting for 2010″‘s have looked great in their last two games, both wins.

They avenged a 50-point loss to Dallas earlier in the season by halting the Mavs’ 13-game winning streak in dominating fashion Saturday night.

Second-year forward Bill Walker has emerged as a solid, if still inconsistent, player since being acquired from Boston at the deadline.

22. Detroit Pistons (23-44, Last Week: 22)

The Pistons play the Cavs twice and the Pacers twice in their next four games.

…and that’s just about everything interesting I have here.

23. Sacramento Kings (23-44, Last Week: 25)

Remember when the Kings got off to that solid start in November and December?

They won 14 games over the course of those two months, but have won just nine in the two-plus months since.

24. Philadelphia 76ers (23-44, Last Week: 23)

Philly has lost five straight, and is 1-9 in the last 10 games.

They face the Nets Wednesday in what could shape up to be the worst basketball game ever played.

25. Golden State Warriors (18-48, Last Week: 28)

To their credit, you can’t accuse the Warriors of tanking down the stretch.

They’ve lost three of their last four games, but none of the losses have been by more than five points.

26. Indiana Pacers (21-45, Last Week: 27)

Despite having lost six of seven, the Pacers actually jumped a spot this week, by virtue of everybody else playing so horribly.

They’ll get the chance to play “spoiler” in the next week or so, with games against Charlotte, Cleveland, and Oklahoma City.

27. Los Angeles Clippers (25-43, Last Week: 24)

Interim head coach Kim Hughes has directed his Clippers to a 4-14 record since taking over, including eight straight losses.

They’ve been getting absolutely whipped during the streak, which makes you wonder if they’re tanking, or if they’re actually just that horrible.

28. Washington Wizards (21-44, Last Week: 26)

Speaking of horrible, the Wiz have also lost eight in a row.

However, they actually might have an excuse. Their schedule during the current skid: at Milwaukee, vs. Milwaukee, at Boston, vs. Houston, vs. Atlanta, at Detroit, vs. Orlando, at Utah.

Next four games: at Denver, at Portland, at LA Lakers, vs. Charlotte.

Yikes.

29. Minnesota Timberwolves (14-53, Last Week: 29)

Minny’s ineptitude this season has been completely overshadowed by that of the Nets.

What happens if they land the first pick? Is John Wall good enough to give up on Jonny Flynn/Ricky Rubio, or will they have to take Evan Turner?

95. New Jersey Nets (7-59, Last Week: 30)

Why are the Nets 95th, you ask?

Because they’re probably worse than each of the 65 teams in the NCAA tourney, that’s why.

For everything NBA and fantasy basketball-related, head over to NBA Soup .

Chris Kaman Out, Scheduled to Have MRI

Kaman “tweaked” his back in pregame warm-ups on Tuesday night, and missed the contest. He’s also been ruled out for Wednesday night’s game, and is scheduled to undergo an MRI.

It wasn’t reported as being a serious injury originally, but one has to wonder if the team is pulling the quick trigger on an MRI.

Keep up on Kaman’s status, and feel free to use his replacement, DeAndre Jordan, as the big man has looked good in spot duty for the Clippers.

Kevin Martin to Make His Return on Friday

Martin has been practicing and is gearing towards a return this Friday, although he’s expected to come off the bench in limited minutes.

With Tyreke Evans, Beno Udrih, and Omri Casspi all playing so well together, it’ll be interesting to see whether or not Martin’s scoring ability adds to the Kings’ offense, or takes away from it’s chemistry.

If he has a negative effect, rumors of Martin going on the trade block could emerge.

Vince Carter Still Not Ready to Play

Carter missed Tuesday night’s game (as expected), and will almost definitely not participate in Wednesday’s game.

Orlando head coach Stan Van Gundy suggested he may be out until the Magic end their road trip, which could have him returning next Monday.

J.J. Redick started in place of Carter and logged 37 minutes, while scoring just eight points. It was an off night for Redick, but as long as he’s getting the minutes and shooting 8-12 shots, he’s not a bad Utility play in most leagues.

Kobe Bryant Looking to Play on Wednesday

Bryant sat out of the fourth quarter in Tuesday’s game with “severe” back spasms, making him questionable for Wednesday’s game.

Bryant said that he couldn’t even walk, but his condition is better, and he’s confident he’ll play. With head coach Phil Jackson also indicating Bryant will be able to go, keep him in your starting line-up for tonight.

Devin Harris Expects to Play Against Boston

Harris expects to play against Boston tonight (Wednesday), despite tendinitis in his right wrist.

Weekly league owners should have been sitting Harris this week, anyways, as he an the Nets have just two games this week.

Ron Artest Questionable For Wednesday

Artest played Tuesday night, but is now questionable for Wednesday’s action with a sprained finger.

Artest hasn’t been a great fantasy option (especially in January), as he’s averaging less than eight points per game in the last 13 days.

If Artest is out, look for Luke Walton and Adam Morrison to get some extra minutes, although neither is likely to be even an average fantasy option.

For more NBA news and Fantasy advice, go here.

Gilbert Arenas Likely Done For the Year

Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports is reporting from unspecified sources that Gilbert Arenas is likely done for the season “at the very least”.

Arenas making a mockery of his situation with teammate Javaris Crittenton has apparently infuriated NBA commish David Stern, and the point guard’s prospects for playing anytime soon are getting worse by the day.

For more on Arenas, click here.

Pau Gasol Has Grade One Hamstring Tear

This sounds a lot worse than it is. A Grade Two tear has Gasol missing 11 games earlier in the year. Expect to have him on your bench for at least a week, and maybe a bit longer.

Don’t fret. Gasol is a beast and won’t be out longer than two weeks, at the most.

Blake Griffin Eyeing Return

Griffin is reportedly set to make his NBA debut in roughly two weeks, eyeing a January 20th return.

Read more on Griffin’s possible return here.

Chauncey Billups Expected to Return Friday

Billups, who has missed seven of the past eight games with a groin injury, practiced on Thursday and is expected to return to action on Friday night.

You may want to hold off for a game or two to be sure he’s back to full form, but it shouldn’t be long before Billups is aiding your fantasy line-up with a solid stat line.

Downgrade Ty Lawson going forward.

Kevin Love Suffers Knee Injury, Appears Fine

Love suffered a knee-on-knee injury in a collision with Golden State forward, Corey Maggette, but then returned to finish the game on Wednesday night.

He also suffered an eye injury after being poked, but was able to play through both injuries.

Neither injury appears to be serious, so expect Love to continue his stellar sophomore season in your starting line-up.

For more NBA news and Fantasy Basketball advice, go here.

It’s been officially declared: Tracy McGrady’s days in a Houston Rockets jersey are numbered. In fact, with him no longer participating in games, it’s safe to say they’re actually over.

Both McGrady and the Rockets front office have agreed to work out a deal, one of which will likely come within the next week or so, with the intentions of landing McGrady in a new home before the All-Star break.

McGrady may not be the same player he was two years ago, and whether he can still carry a team on his back is definitely in question. However, he is fully healthy, and did show in limited action this season that he is still a capable scorer if given the opportunity.

The question is, who wants him?

Considering his price tag ($23 million), McGrady will likely be taken by a team that will get him off the books after this season, in an attempt to get rid of their own bad contracts. This makes it very likely that T-Mac ends up with a bottom dweller.

Here’s a look at the top five teams that will either be a good fit for McGrady, have something the Rockets could use, or would pull the trigger on the deal simply for cap relief in 2010.

New York Knicks

New York is actually the most logical landing spot for McGrady, and with a number of young, talented players to move around, Houston would be doing themselves a great service to work something out with the Knicks.

McGrady would go into an offense that would immediately utilize his remaining strong suits, and he’d still be an elite scorer, regardless of whether or not his skills and athleticism are deteriorating.

Houston would likely have it’s picking of a few players, but to land any serious talent like Nate Robinson, David Lee, or Al Harrington, they’d have to throw in another player or two.

Rookie Chase Budinger would appear valuable to the Knicks, as he has the athleticism and outside shot to thrive in an up-tempo offense, while Aaron Brooks would arguably be better suited to run the Knicks’ point than Chris Duhon.

A Swap of McGrady and Brooks for Nate Robinson and Al Harrington is just one of the many logical, and quite realistic trade scenarios, which could (and likely would) include other players that hold expiring contracts.

Outside of an ugly deal with New Jersey, New York has to be the top team Houston is considering making a deal with, judging by available talent, alone.

New Jersey Nets

The Nets are said to be hanging on tight to their “core” of Devin Harris and Brook Lopez, but have apparently left the remainder of their roster open for bidding.

And why wouldn’t they? The Nets have three wins at the time of this article, and very few of their pieces are players that would make a significant dent in a contender’s rotation.

However, Chris Douglas Roberts would certainly hold some value, as would the crafty Courtney Lee. Houston wouldn’t want to give up more than McGrady to pull off a deal, but if it involved either of the “core” players, talks could quickly become more serious.

Philadelphia 76ers

No, Philly isn’t going to trade Allen Iverson for McGrady. In fact, making a move for McGrady could make them relatively competitive right away, and then set them up for some big moves with Iverson and McGrady coming off the books next season.

Regardless, the Sixers are dissapointed with Elton Brand, and rumors are swirling that they feel they’ve seen all that Andre Iguodala can do, which could make him available.

Needless to say, there really aren’t any 76ers players that are “untouchable” these days, and that includes center Samuel Dalembert.

No deal is imminent, but the chatter between the teams hasn’t been quiet.

The Wild Card: Milwaukee Bucks

No one is talking about Milwaukee as a participant in any potential deals with Houston, but it’s no secret that the Bucks are trying to rid of their own veteran shooting guard in Michael Redd.

Milwaukee also isn’t picking up the option on second year forward, Joe Alexander, so it’s a faint possibility that the Bucks could package the two for McGrady.

Both McGrady and Alexander would come off the respective teams’ books after the season ends, and Redd would get his wish to play for a team that will likely be in the thick of the playoff race.

Luke Ridnour is another piece that could be added to the puzzle, as his solid play the past two months has his value quickly rising.

Gilbert Arenas Could Face Grand Jury

The case between Arenas and teammate Javaris Crittenton is gaining momentum, and could now possibly be heard in front of a grand jury.

This is getting more than just a little out of hand. After what was reportedly a joke that including handguns, Arenas is now facing an almost definite form of punishment.

This is an on-going story, so follow-up with more details as it progresses. From a fantasy perspective, this may be the perfect time to sell high on Arenas.

Mike Miller Set to Return This Week

Miller is scheduled to return against the Orlando Magic this Friday, but reports suggest he could return even sooner.

Orlando has a game on Tuesday night, and with Miller’s calf injury healing quickly, there is a slight chance he could be used by then. He should no longer be wasting away on waiver wires, although it isn’t suggested to depend on him until he gets fully back into the rotation.

Pau Gasol Has Hamstring Strain

It’s nothing serious, as the strain is only mild-to-moderate, but the Lakers are expected to exercise caution and sit Gasol against the Houston Rockets on Tuesday.

No reason to kill another championship run over one regular season game.

Francsco Garcia Particpates in Monday’s Practice

Garcia made a brief appearance in Sacramento’s practice on Monday, marking his first practice participation since breaking his wrist on October 9 th.

While it’s much too early to start thinking of what his return could mean, you are still advised to keep him on your monitor, as he could prove to be a decent waiver wire pick-up with Kevin Martin still out.

Lamar Odom Misses Practice With Flu

Odom missed practiced with the stomach flue, and suddenly has his status for Tuesday night’s game in jeopardy. He would be a fantastic start with Pau Gasol almost certainly sitting out on Tuesday.

Monitor his status and plug him in your line-up without hesitation if he’s cleared to play.

Vince Carter to Play Tuesday

Carter will almost definitely play on Tuesday night against the Indiana Pacers. Carter has been in and out of the starting line-up all season with nagging injuries, making him a risky bet on any given week.

However, with four games on the table, as well as a healthy return, this looks to be the perfect week to start Carter with confidence.

Knicks say no to Iverson.

After speculation ever since his release that Allen Iverson could possibly join the 2-9 New York Knicks, the team has reportedly told the 34-year old star that they won’t be bringing him on board.

Despite the “go-ahead” from GM Donnie Walsh, differences with coaching and tea ownership lead to the decision of not signing Iverson, and the future hall of famer will be forced to look elsewhere for his new NBA home.

The Knicks cited team chemistry as a main concern, though many experts suspect the organization of purposely not trying to improve their team so they can get a high draft pick in the 2010 NBA Draft, in addition to aiming for the 2010 free agency class, namely Cleveland’s LeBron James.

Fantasy Perspective: We still think Iverson can help an NBA team out there somewhere (as well as your fantasy team), but it’s looking more and more like he will have to suck it up and accept a diminished role, and that’s if another team is even willing to take the risk.

Hey, if the Knicks think you’re too big of a distraction for their 2-9 squad, things are looking pretty bleak. Stay tuned for more information regarding the star shooting guard.

Griffin should be back in a couple of months.

Los Angeles Clippers rookie C/F Blake Griffin will miss up to six weeks with a stress fracture in his left patella (kneecap).

This hurts the Clippers’ originally solid depth in their front-court, as big man Marcus Camby is dealing with an injury of his own.

Griffin was already dealing with tendinitis in the same knee and was recently considering playing with what doctors thought was a “bone bruise.”

Griffin will now miss the season opener and quite likely the entire first month of the NBA season, and possibly more.

Center Chris Kaman looks to benefit the most in his place, with the aforementioned Camby also out.

Fantasy Perspective: Griffin is still a stud in fantasy (for a rookie), and if you drafted him, don’t panic. Camby will share the load with Kaman when his ankle heals, and Craig Smith and DeAndre Jordan will fight over the extra minutes.

Once Griffin is back, however, it’ll only be a matter of working himself back into the offense to obtain more minutes than Smith and Jordan.

Deron Williams’ Ankle Never to be 100%

After months of resting his injured ankle following the NBA playoffs, the Utah Jazz point guard still hasn’t seen enough progress to feel that his ankle will ever be fully healed.

The season starts in less than two months, so he’s probably right in saying that this is as good as his ankle will get.

Williams has also added five pounds of muscle to help with his durability in 2009.

Yao Ming Admits His 2009-10 is Lost

That’s fine. Hopefully he’ll actually sit-out and let it heal for real this time.

Ming has had so many injuries combined with his non-stop play between the NBA and his China team. The guy is due a break.

Luis Scola, who was already turning into a decent rotation guy, both for Houston and Fantasy leagues, figures to get even more minutes.

Indiana’s Mike Dunleavy Practicing Again

His participation will only be on a limited basis, but it’s a start. After reports that the damage to his knees could be career-threatening, this is very good to hear.

Dunleavy is still a quality player in the league, but may have to fight to ensure a spot in the starting line-up this year. With injuries keeping him off the court for much of last season, Dunleavy has a bit of an uphill battle to fight.

Nate Robinson and David Lee Officially Sign With Knicks

Robinson gets $2.9 million for 2009 and is expected to walk in the summer of 2010, while Lee will get around $8 million for the up-coming season.

There have been rumors that neither player is completely in New York’s future plans, although they both help the Knicks to remain competitive (kind of) for the present.

Both players also have incentive clauses tied into their deals, and both are strong candidates to hear their names discussed when the league’s trade deadline approaches after January.

Despite Signing of Ramon Sessions, Jonny Flynn Starter in Minnesota

That’s what GM Davd Kahn is thinking and keeps saying, but Kurt Rambis will ultimately be the judge. Sessions has good experience and still has decent potential, so the Timberwolves would be doing themselves a favor by letting the rookie learn by coming off the bench.

Either way, all we know for sure is that these two guys will be splitting time at the point, and Ricky Rubio has nothing to do with Minnesota basketball in 2009.

Chris Bosh Hurts Hamstring While Golfing

There isn’t any read word on how it occurred, but it’s bad enough that Bosh has been seen limping, and there is also word that he could miss the start of training camp.

Bosh doesn’t mind missing a bit of camp, and this isn’t anything you or Toronto should worry about, either.

Julian Wright to Start Over Peja Stojakovic?

Coach Byron Scott has discussed starting Wright over the former King to help keep Stojakovic healthy, as well as give the Hornets more depth off their bench.

That’s great, but what about the starting line-up?

Wright is seen as strictly a small forward heading into 2009, and while he has loads of potential and good athleticism, it’s unclear quite yet if he’s truly ready to be a starter in the NBA.

Raymond Felton Signs Qualifying Offer With Bobcats

This is just prolonging the inevitable.

Felton is good enough to keep D.J. Augustin (one of Larry Brown’s favies) away from the starting line-up, but he’s probably a goner come next off-season.

He knows how to lead a team and is an effective starter, but it’s clear that Brown prefers Augustin. Expect more of a timeshare at the point like we saw near the end of last season.

Chris Wallace has had an interesting tenure as General Manager of the Memphis Grizzlies. 

His most notable (and most criticized) move came a couple of seasons ago when he traded the franchise’s most successful and popular player, Pau Gasol, to the Los Angeles Lakers for spare parts, including Kwame Brown and Javaris Crittenton. 

Gasol’s younger brother, Marc, was also included in the deal, and had a successful season as a rookie center for the Grizzlies last season. 

After the 2008 NBA Draft, he made what appears to be a great trade sending the rights to Kevin Love, Mike Miller, Jason Collins, and Brian Cardinal to Minnesota in exchange for O.J. Mayo, Marko Jaric, Antoine Walker, and Greg Buckner.

While Jaric, Walker, and Buckner were scraps, Mayo instantly became the Grizzlies’ best player as a rookie last season, averaging almost 19 PPG. 

This summer, Wallace questionably traded Quentin Richardson to the Los Angeles Clippers for Zach Randolph.

While Randolph puts up nice numbers, he may be the NBA’s version of “Team Obliterator”. 

He’s had several run-ins with teammates, and has never been a positive influence in any locker room.

The move was also questionable because of Randolph’s horrendous contract.

For a player that could probably single-handedly bring down an entire team, the Grizzlies will be paying $16 million this season, and over $17 million next year.

Yesterday, it was announced that the Grizzlies had agreed to a one-year contract with Allen Iverson.

While Iverson still may be a top-tier scorer in the league, the main question I have about this signing is: How are the Grizzlies going to be able to divide the ball between all of their scorers to keep everybody happy?

How is small forward Rudy Gay (who averaged 19 PPG and was already reportedly unhappy with having to share the ball with Mayo last season) going to deal with sharing the ball even more?

How does the second overall pick in this summer’s draft, Hasheem Thabeet, fit into a lineup that already has Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph on the front line?

Is Thabeet even a good basketball player?

Will the locker room self-destruct with both Randolph and Iverson on board?

If the Grizzlies love point guard Mike Conley so much, will they really be able to bring him off of the bench and have Iverson start at the point?

If Conley starts, is Iverson going to be happy as a reserve?

I think the Grizzlies would be best-suited to make Iverson come off of the bench as Mayo’s backup.

For one thing, Iverson has proven that he is certainly not a point guard.

Having him start at that position over Conley would set both Conley and the Grizzlies back.

Iverson would be a great spark off of the bench and could still log plenty of minutes to make a positive difference.

However, I feel like Iverson partially agreed to join Memphis because he would be given an opportunity to start.

I really can’t imagine how a team with so many personalities and so many players that need to dominate the ball, in order to be successful, can combine and become a winner.

Team owner Michael Heisley may only have approved this deal in an attempt to fill seats for a team that was second-to-last in attendance last year. 

In my opinion, the acquisitions of Randolph and Iverson make zero sense for the Memphis Grizzlies. 

These aren’t moves that will make you a championship caliber franchise.

While they may be slightly improved next season, there is still a very, very slim chance that they appear in the playoffs.

It also hurts that they play in the Southwest Division; a division that also happens to have the San Antonio Spurs, Dallas Mavericks, New Orleans Hornets, and Houston Rockets.

A core of Gay, Mayo, Gasol, Conley, and Thabeet would have Memphis looking like a nice up-and-comer.

The additions of Iverson and Randolph just complicate things greatly.

 Taylor Smith

RRR Contributor

It’s September, meaning the NBA regular season will get underway in a little less than two months.

With the season already so close, there are still a few noteworthy free agents available, including Allen Iverson, Nate Robinson (restricted), David Lee (restricted) and Ramon Sessions (restricted).

Given the financial situation around the league, it’s no surprise to see those guys still out there.

Why bother negotiating a contract for someone when their old team will just match it and keep him?

There’s no sense in doing somebody else’s work and ending up with nothing to show for it.

This is the first edition of the “Roundball Roundup,” an NBA feature I’ll be coming out with daily once the season begins Oct. 27.

This time of the year is typically the slowest in terms of NBA news, with free agency winding down and training camps set to begin soon.

In case you’ve missed it, here’s what’s been happening over the course of the past few weeks in the NBA.

Ricky Rubio not coming to Minnesota yet; traded to Regal Barcelona

It appears one of the stranger NBA Draft stories we’ve seen in a long time will be coming to a temporary end.

Spanish point guard Ricky Rubio, drafted fifth overall by the Minnesota Timberwolves, has agreed to be dealt from DKV Joventut to Regal Barcelona, in a buyout that will cost the Euro equivalent of $5.72 million.

According to T’Wolves GM David Kahn, the team initially had been able to strike a deal with Rubio Saturday evening in which the player would appear in a Minnesota uniform this fall.

Rubio’s agent, Dan Fegan, was apparently able to assemble a package of several lucrative endorsement deals for Rubio that was initially attractive enough for both Rubio and DKV Joventut to agree to.

Rubio then decided to back out of the NBA deal, opting instead to play for at least two more seasons in Spain.

Newsday initially reported the Knicks had still been trying to trade for Rubio’s rights from Minnesota, in a package that would’ve included David Lee, Nate Robinson and a future first round pick.

However, Newsday also then reported that several legitimate sources claimed those rumors to be completely false.

The deal with Barcelona means Rubio likely won’t be appearing in an NBA uniform until the 2011 season at the earliest, when he will be 21 years old.

Minnesota GM David Kahn had taken at least three trips to Spain this summer in attempts to negotiate with DKV Joventut to get Rubio to come to the NBA sooner rather than later.

His new contract with Barcelona includes a buyout after two seasons.

Marquis Daniels finally a Boston Celtic

It was initially reported over a month ago that Daniels would become a member of the Celtics, but the Celtics and Indiana Pacers had been trying to work out a sign-and-trade that would’ve suited both sides better than a standard signing.

Daniels signed the biannual exception, meaning his contract will be for no more than two years and a total of $1.99 million.

The Celtics were trying to work out the sign-and-trade in order to increase Daniels’ salary, but couldn’t in the end.

The 28-year-old guard from Auburn averaged just under 14 points per game last year for the Pacers, and should provide the Celtics with a nice scoring threat off the bench.

Stephen Jackson wants out of Golden State

Warriors point forward Stephen Jackson, who had a career year in 2008-09, has said he would like to be traded away from the Warriors.

The Texas native says he would prefer to be dealt to one of the three Texas teams, the Cleveland Cavaliers or the New York Knicks.

Jackson says he wants to be able to contend for a championship again, and apparently feels that his Warriors aren’t particularly close to doing so.

Jackson, like many of his teammates, has clashed at times with head coach Don Nelson.

Also, according to reports, Nelson was preparing a trade offer for his former team, the Dallas Mavericks.

It is unclear what players he intended to involve in the proposal, but there have been whispers that Nelson would like to rid himself of speedy guard Monta Ellis.

Orlando Magic sign guard Jason Williams

A couple of weeks ago, the Orlando Magic continued their summer of spending by inking 33-year-old point guard Jason Williams to a one-year contract.

Williams, who attended the University of Florida, has lived in the Orlando area for the last 10 years.

He took a year off from playing basketball last season to spend more time with his family.

Williams could supplant veteran Anthony Johnson as Orlando’s backup point guard behind all-star Jameer Nelson.

Houston Rockets shopping Brent Barry

In an attempt to free up a roster spot going into training camp, the Houston Rockets are reportedly attempting to trade veteran guard Brent Barry.

Teams reportedly interested in acquiring Barry are the Los Angeles Clippers, Oklahoma City Thunder and Memphis Grizzlies.

The 37-year-old Barry played in just 54 games last season for the Rockets, averaging about four points per game while shooting 37 percent from three point range.

Barry will be a viable long range bench option for any team that picks him up.

Memphis Grizzlies make offer to Allen Iverson

Last week, it was reported and confirmed that the Memphis Grizzlies made their first formal offer to free agent guard Allen Iverson.

Iverson, 34, averaged about 17 points per game last season, playing the majority of the season with the Detroit Pistons.

The six-foot guard is likely the top unrestricted free agent still available.

This late in the summer, there are very few teams still looking to spend money in free agency, especially for an aging guard like Iverson.

The Charlotte Bobcats are another team that has reportedly expressed interest in acquiring Iverson’s services.

Last season was a struggle for Iverson, as he had trouble mixing with what Detroit was trying to do.

Teams are hesitant to add someone like Iverson, a player that has to dominate the ball in order to affect the game.

Teams that have been struggling financially, such as Memphis and Charlotte, are likely interested in Iverson as a way to try and sell more tickets.

In terms of basketball, I can’t see at all how Iverson would fit in with the Grizzlies.

They have an up-and-coming point guard in Mike Conley, a potential all-star two-guard in OJ Mayo, and one of the top young small forwards in the league in Rudy Gay.

It seems to me that Iverson would just complicate things for Memphis, and wouldn’t actually help them win too many games.

He is not a point guard, and with Mayo as the cornerstone and future of the franchise, I can’t imagine adding Iverson would be particularly beneficial.

Golden State Warriors sign Mikki Moore

The Warriors have signed former Celtic Mikki Moore to a one-year contract worth $1.3 million, the veteran’s minimum.

Moore returns to California, where he played in 2007-08 with the Sacramento Kings.

In 24 games with the Celtics last season, the 7’0″ Moore averaged about four points and four rebounds per game.

Moore is athletic and should be able to fit in nicely with Don Nelson’s free-flowing, run-and-gun style of play.

Denver Nuggets interested in Desmond Mason, Wally Szczerbiak, Ronald Murray

The Denver Nuggets, in an attempt to fill a hole at off-guard, are reportedly interested in Mason, Szczerbiak, and Murray.

The 30-year-old Murray, who played for the Atlanta Hawks last season, averaged 12 points per game, while shooting about 45 percent from the floor.

Szczerbiak, who played with Cleveland, averaged just seven points per game, but shot a stellar 41 percent from three-point range.

Mason played last season with the Thunder, but missed the second half of the year with a hyperextended knee.

Mason, a former Slam Dunk champion, averaged just under eight points per game for Oklahoma City last season.

Any of the three players would help fill the void left at shooting guard by the departed Dahntay Jones.

Taylor Smith

RRR Contributor