Court Vision: Timberwolves talking contract buyout with Brandon Roy?

The Timberwolves are reportedly trying to buy out Brandon Roy. (David Sherman/Getty Images) By Ben Golliver • Darren Wolfson of 1500ESPN.com reports

The Timberwolves are reportedly trying to buy out Brandon Roy. (David Sherman/Getty Images)

By Ben Golliver

•  Darren Wolfson of 1500ESPN.com reports Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor says his organization has opened buyout talks with Brandon Roy.

The injured guard, who attempted to make a comeback this season after an unofficial retirement, has played in just five games and has suffered a number of setbacks after a recent arthroscopic knee procedure.

As for whether the Wolves could move guard Brandon Roy's contract, Taylor didn't rule it out. He also confirmed that Wolves president of basketball operations David Kahn has engaged Roy's agent, Greg Lawrence, in buyout talks.

When asked for comment via e-mail, Kahn said, "I think I was pretty clear when I spoke to the media back in late December that I was clear with Brandon that every option was on the table and would be discussed."

•  Mavericks forward Shawn Marion is trying to scare off teams that might try to trade for him, Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas reports.

"If I'm going to get traded, they're going to tell me what's going on and where I'm going," the 14-year veteran said. "Because if I'm going to a (expletive) situation, I'm not going. It's just that simple.

"At this time, I'm too old to be trying to go through and be a, you know what I'm saying, not have a chance to do anything. I'm at a point where I want to be playing for something right now."

•  Sam Amick of USA Today Sports reportsEric Gordon is still thinking about how his free agency went last summer. Gordon says now that he wishes Hornets GM Dell Demps had been more open with him regarding the team's outlook and plans.

"From my perspective, I didn't know who was going to be on the roster this year," he said. "I didn't know who was going to be on this team at all. For sure (he would've liked to have known). I'm close to whatever players who are out here, especially top players out here. When a GM is looking for a good player to make this team successful, don't you want some of your top guys to vibe off of them? A player is going to have more of a relationship with another player than people in the front office."

•  Henry Abbott of TrueHoop runs down a long list of head injuries around the NBA this season and argues that all blows to the head should become flagrant 2 fouls (necessitating an automatic ejection).

•  Zach Lowe of Grantland with some incredibly detailed stats courtesy of new data-tracking in-arena cameras.

Harden averages nine drives per game, which is fifth among players whose teams have the cameras. The top four: Tony Parker (10.8),

Rajon Rondo

(10.1),

Russell Westbrook

(9.3), and Jrue Holiday (9.2). As an aside, that Holiday number is a fantastically good sign for Philly. He ranked below average by this metric last season, and he’s piling up about twice as many drives per game this season, according to the 2011-12 data I’ve reviewed. Philly is still below average as a team in drives per game, which tells you how much heavy lifting Holiday is doing for a very limited bunch.

Back to Harden: Houston is scoring 1.51 points per possession on trips in which he drives at any time in the shot clock. That is easily the highest mark among all players in the 15-team database with more than a token number of drives. It is a mammoth number; keep in mind, teams average just about one point per possession overall. Harden has drawn a foul on one-third of his drives, which is among the highest numbers in the data set, and sort of amazing when you think about it.

•  The Denver Post reports on Andre Miller's annual request for more playing time.

Miller did make some comments to Paul Klee about his role, saying, “I definitely would like to contribute more.”

But agent Andy Miller spoke to his client, and the agent said Friday, “From my perspective, nothing has changed in his goals and why he signed with the team. He wants to continue, and hopefully making the playoffs and a surge deep into the playoffs will also show his commitment.”

•  The Sacramento Beereports on a lawsuit that is trying to hold up arena plans in Seattle. A Seattle-based group recently agreed to purchase a controlling interest in the Kings and has filed relocation papers to move the franchise to Seattle, hoping to play in a new building within 2-3 years.

The suit, brought by a Seattle longshoreman's union, contends the arena financing agreement between local government officials and a potential team ownership group violates state environmental law.

Longshoremen and other workers brought the suit saying they fear they could lose thousands of maritime and industrial jobs if a basketball arena and entertainment district were built in the port area south of downtown Seattle.

•  The Associated Press reportsGrizzlies coach Lionel Hollins, who has appeared at odds with management over recent cost-cutting trades, says that everyone is on the same page.

"There's been a lot of negativity around our team, and me and my feelings about the trade and my feelings about management,'' Hollins said. "Most of it is as far from the truth as it can be.''

"It seems like a lot of my comments are taken in a context that I'm trying to be against management,'' Hollins said. "I'm not against our management and our ownership. In the trade process -- both trades that were made -- I was in communication. They kept me abreast of what was coming on.''

•  James White sounds extremely confident about his chances in the 2013 NBA Slam Dunk Contest in this SlamOnline.com interview.

 I have a general idea of what I want to do when I take the ball and get ready to jump. Everybody knows that I have the dunks from the free throw line and all that stuff in my back pocket. I can always pull those out. I watch what my competition does in the dunk contest and then decide which of my dunks I will do. I have about five dunks where I’m absolutely certain that I will get a 50 on those. So it’s just a matter of when to use which of those dunks.

Have fun out there doing it. That’s the most important thing though. If you think to much about it you will never be loose enough to get it done.

MyFoxHouston.com reports

Royce White

Rockets