SH Blog: Bobcats to hire Steve Clifford, Howard “wide open” for Dallas

• The Knicks will look to re-sign J.R. Smith, but his brother Chris Smith won’t even be considered, from Zwerling: “They have eight players under contract and they will re-sign J.R. [Smith], making it nine. Then it’s the mid-level [of $3.18 million] and minimum salary guys who want a chance to prove themselves.” Here are some younger point guards and versatile big men who might be attractive, affordable options (the new CBA allows for more opportunities to find cheaper talent): Point guards: Aaron Brooks (team option), Will Bynum, A.J. Price, Nate Robinson andSebastian Telfair. One source said Chris Smith, J.R.’s younger brother, will not be considered. “Chris is not an NBA player — not even close,” the source said. “He will never play for them.”

• Zach Randolph and Tony Parker’s relationship goes way back, according to Mike Monroe of Express-News: “The first time Grizzlies power forward Zach Randolph saw Tony Parker, who was 17 at the time, he wondered if the skinny kid from France was a ball boy who had slipped into a player’s game uniform. “Then I saw him play,” Randolph said, “and I wondered if there was another player in the whole world who was faster changing ends (of the court).” Conversely, Parker’s first look at Randolph was enough to make him believe he would soon be watching in the NBA. “I couldn’t believe a guy built like Zach could have such a soft touch,” Parker said. It was at the Nike Hoop Summit in Indianapolis in 2000 that Parker made his American debut and Randolph cemented a reputation as a big man with rare skills. They have been friends ever since, no matter the rivalry of intense playoff matchups, past and present.”

• Parker denied rumors that he was denied service by a famous restaurant in Memphis, from Marc J. Spears of Yahoo Sports: “A local chef claims he denied service to Tony Parker on Friday night because the San Antonio Spurs point guard didn’t have a reservation. Parker says that would have been impossible – because he says he never went to the chef’s restaurant. The culinary tiff began the night before Game 3 of the Western Conference finals when renowned Memphis chef Kelly English confirmed a Twitter user’s question asking if Parker tried to eat dinner at English’s Restaurant Iris that evening and was “denied service.”

• Mark Cuban says the Mavericks have a two -year plan to get back into contending level, from Tim MacMahon of ESPN Dallas: “We want to be a championship team. We’ve never said we have to be a championship team this year,” Cuban said Saturday on ESPN Dallas 103.3 FM during his first interview since the Mavs’ season ended. “We want to be a better team, a top-seed team. If we get the top free agent, that doesn’t leave us a whole lot of flexibility to add a lot of players, but we have a good nucleus around them. We know we’ll have a good team, but we won’t know if we have a great team. “If you look at this like a two-year plan, then we think we’re on a track to have a great team by the end of next year.”

• Tim Duncan called his team’s run right now a special one, from Jeff McDonald of Express-News: “Eventually, Tim Duncan’s Spurs finished a 104-93 overtime victory Saturday to seize a 3-0 lead over Memphis. Now Duncan is one win from returning to the Finals stage most assumed he already had vacated for good. “This is a special run for me,” Duncan said. “I really want to get this one done. I really want to get back to the Finals. I want to win another championship.”… “We know the work it takes, and how special it is,” said Duncan, who is averaging 18 points and 9.3 rebounds in his 15th playoff run. “I guess you have a better appreciation, having gone that far and been that close for so many years.”

• Phil Jackson discussed which teams have more talent between the 90’s and now, and why he thinks it will be difficult for Kobe Bryant to win another championship:

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