Memphis is forcing Stromile Swift to sit against Denver on Wednesday night, suspending the forward for one game for what the Grizzlies are calling 'conduct detrimental to the team', the Associated Press is reporting.

Swift apparently had a disagreement with Grizzlies' Coach Marc Iavaroni during Monday night's 103-84 loss to the Dallas Mavericks.

Marc Stein of ESPN.com has reported that the Memphis Grizzlies and point guard Damon Stoudamire have reached a verbal agreement on a contract buy-out that will make him a free agent next week.

The buy-out is scheduled to take place on Monday, and once Stoudamire clears the 48-hour wavier period he can officially sign with a new team.

The report was confirmed by NBA front office sources.

A sore back has kept Memphis forward Pau Gasol from playing against the Washington Wizards, the Associated Press is reporting.

Gasol warmed up with the team but was ruled out about 30 minutes before the game.

Damon Stoudamire will be in contract tonight as the Grizzlies take on the Washington Wizards, but according to the Associated Press he will not play.

Stoudamire has missed the last 12 games as he waits for a buyout from Memphis, and the 13 year old veteran hopes to soon be free to sign with the team of his choice.

When asked if there were any updates 90 minutes before tip off, Stoudamire replied "not as of this hour. I haven't heard anything. It's still the same".

Stoudamire is owed $4.6 million for next season -- a figure that would be cut in half if he plays in fewer than 55 games or averages less than 20 minutes a game this season.

"I want it done as soon as possible," Stoudamire said. "But, you've got to be patient. You've got to wait."

While the Bulls have aggressively been working the phones with several teams, league sources tell the Bergen Record that they have discussed a trade with the Nets that would send Andres Nocioni and Thabo Sefolosha to New Jersey for Bostjan Nachbar, Marcus Williams, Antoine Wright and Jamaal Magloire.

The Bulls' first choice for a trade still appears to be Pau Gasol.

The Minnesota Timberwolves? Gerald Green will defend his crown in the 2008 Sprite Slam Dunk competition to be held on NBA All-Star  Saturday  Night Feb. 16, at New Orleans Arena (8 p.m. ET on TNT). Green will compete against two first-time entrants: the Memphis Grizzlies? Rudy Gay and former D-Leaguer Jamario Moon of the Toronto Raptors, as well as the Orlando Magic?s Dwight Howard, who competed in the 2007 contest.  

For  the first time, fans will have the final say in deciding the winner of the  Sprite Slam Dunk competition. Following the concluding round of dunks, fans will be able to cast their votes via SMS TXT message and at NBA.com to determine  this  year?s winner.  The dunker with the most fan votes will be named  the  winner of the Sprite Slam Dunk. A panel of judges will continue to  play  a  key  role by determining which two participants advance to the final  round. During the final round, each judge?s vote will count the same as a fan vote.  

Last  year  in  Las  Vegas,  Green,  then  a  member of the Boston Celtics, outlasted  defending  champion Nate Robinson of the New York Knicks for the Sprite  Slam  Dunk  championship. Green tallied the three highest scores of the  night,  including  a  perfect  score  of  50  on  his final dunk as he windmilled while hurdling an All-Star table.  

Golden  State?s  Jason  Richardson  was the last player to win back-to-back Sprite Slam Dunk titles, capturing the 2002 and 2003 competitions. The only previous  repeat  Slam  Dunk champion was Chicago?s Michael Jordan, who won the 1987 and 1988 contests.  

The  dunker  with  the lowest total score from the first round will compete first  in  the final round. Dunks then will alternate until each player has completed  two.   Time limit rules still apply. After the four finals dunks are  completed,  fan  voting  polls  will  open  via SMS TXT message and at NBA.com. Each judge will then provide commentary on the dunkers and hold up a  placard with his vote for the winner. The judge?s votes will be combined with the SMS TXT and NBA.com votes to determine the champion.

It has been a year since Pau Gasol requested a trade out of Memphis, but he remains with the club and his biggest potential suitor the Chicago Bulls remain interested in him.

"I live in Chicago, and all they talk about up there is getting Pau [Gasol]," Memphis Grizzles' owner Michael Heisley told The Commercial Appeal earlier this month. "So he must be pretty valuable."

Through it all, Gasol remains indifferent.

"I thought about it a lot last year," Gasol said of his chances of wearing a Bulls' uniform. "I don't think about it anymore because I know where it got me, which was nowhere. I want to focus on my game and help my team win. If something else happens, then it happens. But until something happens, there's nothing going on."

The Memphis Grizzlies signed forward Bobby Jones to a second 10-day contract, Grizzlies' General Manager and Vice President of Basketball Operations Chris Wallace announced today.

Jones, who signed his first 10-day contract on January 10, has appeared in five games (two starts) with Memphis, averaging 7.2 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.6, assists and 1.00 steals in 19.2 minutes.

In only his fourth game with the club, Jones made his first start this season vs. Seattle on Jan. 18 and posted career highs in points (20), rebounds (13), assists (7), steals (3), and minutes played (40) in a 124-100 victory over the SuperSonics at FedExForum.

According to a report by Chris Sheridan on ESPN.com, it appears that Damon Stoudamire's days in Memphis are coming to a close.

Stoudamire and the Grizzlies are reportedly close to reaching a buyout agreement, although with multiple teams interested in the veteran point guard a trade at this stage still has not been ruled out.

It is believed that both Boston and Phoenix are interested in the 34 year old.

Grizzlies' center Darko Milicic tried to give his teammates the inside presence they've become accustomed to this season.

His knee wouldn't allow him.

Milicic left the Grizzlies' 132-124 overtime loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday night with a sore right knee. He went to the bench for good late in the second period and didn't return.

Milicic will undergo an MRI exam today to determine the seriousness of his condition.

The 7-footer said he aggravated the injury while shooting before the game.

"I hit my knee a couple games before," Milicic said, "but I was able to play. ... Before the game, I was trying to bend down for the ball and could here it popping. The doctors said it wasn't serious, but it felt weak. It's weird. It wasn't that strong."