Hooped Up

Chris Mullin, pressed by my esteemed colleague Tim Kawakami, maintained his stance that Jason Richardson is off the market. He said flat-out “No” when asked would Richardson be traded. So, let’s take Mullin at his word. If Richardson is indeed untouchable, can the Warriors still land the player they need? Sounds to me like he’s willing to trade Monta Ellis, Andris Biedrins and Al Harrington — the only other desireable commodities.

Contra Costa Times

Vulcan and the Blazers have made progress on some other rebuilding efforts. They have hired Kevin Pritchard as general manager, have completed a deal to buy back the Rose Garden and are negotiating with Comcast to create an all-sports cable channel featuring the Blazers as a key partner. The team started season-ticket sales promotions weeks earlier than it normally does, and fans appear more hopeful about the team’s on-court prospects.

Oregonian

Bruce Bowen’s kick to the back of Amare Stoudemire’s leg didn’t merit a penalty from the NBA. His knee to Steve Nash’s crotch, however, is getting a second look. The NBA is examining Bowen’s offensive foul on Nash, which left the Phoenix Suns point guard writhing in pain on the court Saturday night and coach Mike D’Antoni screaming at the officials, a league spokesman said Sunday. The foul occurred one minute into the second half when Bowen, trying to clear space, stuck his knee in Nash’s groin. Bowen said he apologized to Nash and told him he didn’t intend to strike him in the crotch.

San Antonio Express-News

Ending educated speculation that highly-coveted free agent coach Sam Mitchell may leave the Raptors for the Pacers or the Bobcats, the NBA’s reigning Coach of the Year and Toronto team president Bryan Colangelo have come to terms, The Post has learned. According to a Canadian Mountie, the fully guaranteed agreement is for three years at $4 million per, a $2.4M raise.

New York Post

Heat coach Pat Riley said Thursday he expects Dwyane Wade to undergo surgery next week and is not certain the guard will be available by the start of next season. “We know that he’s going to have surgery, and we know it’s going to be soon,” Riley said. “I do think something’s going to happen surgically next week.” Riley said he did not know if Wade would first address the tendinitis in his left knee or his dislocated left shoulder.

South Florida Sun-Sentinel

A loss to the Cavaliers means the Nets would face an 0-3 deficit from which no NBA team ever has recovered. And with a second-round flameout, Nets president Rod Thorn likely will break up the Jason Kidd-era team. Elimination by the Cavs would cap a six-year period in which the Nets made two Finals, but failed to get out of the second round for four straight years.

New York Post

In the Bulls matchup with the Pistons, which continues Thursday night with Game 3 at the United Center, Ben Wallace is averaging more points than Ben Gordon and Kirk Hinrich and is shooting better than those two and Luol Deng.

In other words, the Bulls’ top three scorers have to find their touch or they will have a long off-season to search for it.

As usual, coach Scott Skiles answered a question about this dynamic with about as much nuance as a fist to the jaw.

“Let’s face it: Our main players have to step up,” Skiles said. “That’s what happens this time of year. That’s how you advance.”

Deng’s dominance and Gordon’s aggressiveness were big reasons the Bulls swept the defending NBA champion Heat in the first round. Hinrich is struggling offensively for the second straight series.

The threesome is shooting a combined 37.9 percent.

Chicago Tribune