Nick Friedell of ESPNChicago.com has a Derrick Rose update: “A new development may help explain why Chicago Bulls point guard Derrick Rose is still hesitant to return to the court. ESPN’s Doris Burke spoke with the former MVP before Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Lakers and reported that although Rose has been taking full contact in practice for well over a month, his hamstrings are “on fire” after those workouts. Rose added that he won’t return to the court until he’s past those issues. A team source told ESPNChicago.com on Friday that one reason why Rose has been hesitant to play despite being medically cleared is because he still is struggling to dunk the same way off his surgically repaired left knee.”- Here’s a report on a big European name who may be coming Stateside next season, via E. Carchia at Sportando: “
Gigi Datome, captain and star of Virtus Roma, may sign in the NBA next season. The forward of the Italian National team is having his best season in Serie A, where he scores 17.8ppg with 5.8rpg shooting with 53.9% from two and 46.1% from the arc in 21 games played. Datome, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport, is drawing interest from at least three NBA teams and one of them are the Boston Celtics. The contract of Datome with Virtus Roma expires at end of the season and NBA is one of the strongest options for his future. - Re Amare's "uninsurable" contract: Not entirely true. It's uninsured against career-ending KNEE or EYE injury. That's it.
@HowardBeckNYTHoward Beck 
Bob Finnan at the Morning Journal in northern Ohio has an update on the Cavs’ plans for their frontcourt: “Cavs center Marreese Speights is expected to opt out of his contract at the end of the season. I don’t believe the Cavs will go out of their way to try to sign him in free agency. Here’s why. Anderson Varejao will be the starting center, flanked by Thompson at power forward, on next year’s team. Tyler Zeller will move back to his role as third big — the first big man off the bench. I believe the Cavs will try to add one of the talented big men with their high first-round pick in the 2013 NBA draft. Then, if they are able to sign Greg Oden, they’d be fortified in the frontcourt. The 7-foot Oden could eventually be worked into the rotation. If he excels, the Cavs would have talent and depth. If he fails to regain his edge, it wouldn’t be the end of the world.”- It hasn’t been a good year for the Pistons and Rodney Stuckey. Carlos Monarrez of the Detroit Free Press describes the latest episode: “Stuckey’s lackluster play earned him a first-half benching by assistant coach Brian Hill, which extended Stuckey’s streak to three games without a field goal. It has been nine days since Stuckey last made a basket from the field, when he scored six points on 3-for-7 shooting March 1 at New Orleans. “I probably wasn’t being aggressive,” Stuckey said softly about his benching. “We did a good job of picking up the slack in the second half. We came in with some good energy defensively. We came down there knocking down shots as well, so we almost had a chance to win the game.” Stuckey played 13 minutes Friday against Dallas before Hill gave him the hook and inserted Khris Middleton, who sparked a furious second-half rally.”
- From @mcten -- Kobe on ABC pregame: It’s not like we (he and Dwight) are best friends either. It’s a good understanding, I think.”
@janiscarrjanis carr - Aaron Bruski of NBCSports.com has some interesting insight on the potential Kings-to-Seattle move: “Seattle enjoys the nation’s No. 12 television market but shares that market with up to six sports teams, an issue that has come under great scrutiny when comparing Seattle with Sacramento, something the Sacramento side brings up often. David Stern pointed the issue out at All Star weekend, Chris Hansen’s group reported the same idea in its market analysis, and Sacramento’s group highlighted the same thing this past week when they unveiled their market analysis to the press. A potential Sonics franchise would share Seattle’s larger market with the Mariners, Seahawks, Sounders, and University of Washington football, in addition to an NHL team if Hansen’s group can make it happen. That would reportedly position Seattle closer to Sacramento’s No. 20 television market, where the NBA enjoys 100 percent market share.”
Despite being waived by Jazz today, Raja Bell ineligible for playoffs with another team. Needed to take buyout by March 1
@tribjazzBill Oram
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Dan Malone is a third-year journalism student at the University of King’s College in Halifax, Nova Scotia. He blogs, edits and learns things on the fly for Sheridan Hoops. Follow him on Twitter.
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