An Eastern Conference executive told the Plain-Dealer that either Milt Newton, director of player personnel with the Washington Wizards, or former Cavaliers forward Danny Ferry, director of basketball operations for San Antonio, will become the Cavs' general manager.

Sources also said that Scott Perry, director of player personnel for the Pistons, may join the Cavs as assistant GM.

David Morway of the Indiana Pacers had been a candidate, but took himself out of the running on Monday.

Larry Brown has told two league sources that he plans to take the Cavaliers' offer to become their next team president. According to the sources, who spoke to ESPN.com on Monday evening, Brown said he would accept the position after the Pistons' season is over.

Pacers senior vice president David Morway, who had been the frontrunner to get the Cavaliers' GM position before Cleveland began flirting with Brown, had given ownership until Monday evening to make a decision before he had to withdraw from consideration. On Monday, Morway found out that the Cavs were going in another direction.

"I'm in a great situation in Indiana working for Donnie Walsh and Larry Bird, and have no desire to leave unless an unbelievable opportunity came along," Morway told ESPN.com. "When I first interviewed, I was told that the general manager position would have full authority over basketball-related decisions and report directly to ownership.

"However, over the course of the last week, they indicated that they were exploring hiring a high-profile team president that would have full control of all basketball decisions. After talking with ownership, it appears that's the direction they are going and as a result, I am no longer a candidate for the GM position.

"I appreciate the interest they showed in me and wish them the best of luck in the future."

Amare Stoudemire had 31 points and one of the greatest blocks in NBA history to help the Suns stay alive for another game, defeating the Spurs by a final score of 111-106.

Joe Johnson had 26 points, shooting 10-15 from the floor, getting adjusted to his mask.

Manu Ginobili scored 28 points, but his flops near the end of the game did more harm than good.

Steve Nash had 17 points and 12 assists, including a key dime to Stoudemire as he was falling out of bounds in the final seconds of the game.

The series now shifts back to Phoenix for Game 5.

With a need for a point guard and Marvin Williams the second best talent in the draft, the Hawks will look to trade their #2 overall selection to the Bobcats for the fifth and thirteenth pick, where they can draft Deron Williams.

The Hawks will also look to sign Stromile Swift in free agency, as they have nearly $20 million in cap space.

Sun Mingming, who is two inches taller than Yao, has attended a training camp in the United States and hopes to be picked in the NBA draft next month, the South China Morning Post reported Sunday.

If the 22-year-old Sun is signed by an NBA team, he would become the tallest player in league history.

Gheorghe Muresan and Manute Bol, at 7-foot-7, are the tallest players in NBA history.

Former NBA player Keith Gatlin, a coach who has worked with Sun, told the newspaper that the Chinese prospect is a 70 percent shooter but needs to work on his agility.

"He really doesn't get much lift and that's something we're looking at to improve," Gatlin said.

Still, Gatlin noted Sun's height means "he pretty much only needs to stand with his arms up in front of the net and he's blocking the basket."

High school guard Gerald Green has hired an agent after applying last month for early entry in the NBA draft.

Green has been projected as a potential thrid round pick to the Portland Trail Blazers.

The 6-foot-8 shooter from Houston's Gulf Shores Academy picked Andrew Vye of Atlanta-based Kauffman Sports Management, Green said in a release Monday.

"I believe their commitment to me as a player and to my career will be consistent," said Green, ranked the nation's top player by recruiting Web site Rivals.com. "They have served in an advisory capacity and always respected the decision-making process of our family."

With Larry Brown all but gone from Detroit at the end of the playoffs, Flip Saunders has emerged as the choice to become head coach of the Pistons, according to the New York Daily News.

After the Pistons reportedly made contact with Saunders as early as April 4th, sources say Saunders has held off on taking a job because of Brown's expected departure, and that Saunders would welcome the chance to take over a veteran team that is currently working on its second straight championship.

Detroit Pistons coach Larry Brown is unaware of the supposed ultimatium from Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert on the supposed deadline for today on whether or not to accept their team presidency but even if their was one, his plans remained unchanged for next season.

Brown still plans to make a decision on his future with the Pistons 72 hours after their season ends. Inbetween that time, Brown will visit the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn and could possibily have a second operation to correct a bladder problem he has had since Nov.3.

"Brown said last week that if the condition was fixed, he planned to return to coach the Pistons. If not, he said he might pursue other noncoaching basketball opportunities -- one of which could be as president of basketball operations for the Cavaliers. "

"No, I talked to Joe (Dumars) and everything is the same," Brown said before Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals Sunday night against the Miami Heat.

A local TV station in Detroit says a deal with the Cavaliers is 90 percent complete but Brown denied it as well.

It looks like the Larry Brown saga will continue.

With questionable officiating, the Detroit Pistons began to self-destruct, allowing the Miami Heat to take a 2-1 series lead with a 113-104 win.

"We're too good of a team to have a meltdown like we had tonight," Detroit's Richard Hamilton said. "This late in the season, the Eastern Conference finals, we can't afford to have those types of letdowns. We let little ticky-tack stuff bother us, and we can't do that."

Dwyane Wade scored 36 points on 12-21 shooting, while Shaq scored 24.

Boston Celtics coach Doc Rivers is still going on about the subject of restraint and mental toughness.  This topic has been in the spotlight ever since his Celtics lost to the Indiana Pacers in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.  One particular incident involved Paul Pierce getting ejected after throwing an elbow to a Pacer player in crunch time after being fouled on the perimeter.

''Danny Fortson knocked down [Manu] Ginobili. And Ginobili got right back up, made the two free throws, and the Spurs won the game.

''To me, that's toughness," said the Celtics coach. ''I keep telling our guys that there's a big difference between being physical and playing aggressive and responding. If someone fouls you hard, you don't respond. You do what Ginobili did. You turn the other cheek, make the free throws and win the game. To me, turning the other cheek is much more of a sign of toughness than pushing back."