Jerry Sloan has returned to the Utah Jazz as a senior basketball adviser.

In this role, Sloan will support the Jazz basketball operations and coaching staff through player evaluations at workouts, camps, and summer league; limited pro and regional college scouting; occasional practice observation; and as host of an annual prep and college coaches clinic.

“The basketball knowledge and experience that Jerry brings is invaluable, and his insights will help in our pursuit of becoming a championship-caliber team,” said Rigby. “We are pleased to formally welcome Jerry back into the organization as an adviser.”

“I am glad Jerry is going to continue to be involved with our organization,” said Jazz head coach Tyrone Corbin. “We will benefit from his wealth of basketball experience. I am looking forward to his continued contributions.”

The Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Clippers have reopened talks on a deal involving Doc Rivers and Kevin Garnett.

The Clippers broke off talks on Tuesday, reportedly due to uneasiness about the financial ramifications. But the Clippers returned to the table with the understanding Chris Paul seeks its completion.

Rivers was scheduled to meet with Danny Ainge on Wednesday.

In the discussed trade, the Clippers would send DeAndre Jordan and multiple picks to the Celtics for the right to hire Rivers and to acquire Garnett.

Garnett has a no-trade clause and will waive it to join the Clippers.

Kobe Bryant stressed the importance of the Los Angeles Lakers re-signing Dwight Howard this offseason.

"Those guys are hard to find, they don't grow on trees," Bryant said on 710 ESPN Los Angeles. "When you have someone like that with his talent level, you have to be able to keep him and lock him in with this franchise."

Howard will likely meet with the Houston Rockets, Dallas Mavericks and Atlanta Hawks.

The Lakers can offer Howard more money and seasons than any other team, though he appears to genuinely prefer the situation that increases his odds of being on a title contender.

"I've spoken to him maybe a couple of weeks ago, just to check in with him," said Bryant. "I haven't spoken to him since. I know he's got a big decision to make and I'm sure he'll take the visits and talk to the players on the teams he's considering. We'll touch base a lot more."

Bryant expects Howard and Chris Paul to re-sign with their respective teams.

"There's always so much talk going on, especially with big-name guys going here, going there, but that happens once in a blue moon," Bryant said. "I think at the end of the day, everybody stays."

As Danny Green displays the importance of shooting in the NBA Finals, Christian Watford is impressing teams with his outside jumper and appears poised to be selected in the draft late this month, a source told RealGM.

Watford, the 6-foot-9 forward out of Indiana, has participated in 15 workouts for teams so far and is receiving requests to schedule more. Teams have let Watford know that they believe he has the versatility and jump shot to be a stretch power forward or wing shooter.

In his final two seasons at Indiana, Watford’s scoring average dipped to just over 12 points after scoring 16 per game in 2010-11. Nevertheless, he found a niche as Indiana’s third leading scorer behind projected first round picks Cody Zeller and Victor Oladipo.

Watford shot 48.4 percent from three-point range in 3.4 attempts a game last season, and the 22-year-old believes he’ll carve a role on an NBA team as a knock-down shooter.

The Dallas Mavericks have aggressively shopped the 13th overall pick in order to clear cap room this offseason.

The New York Knicks, Oklahoma City Thunder and Cleveland Cavaliers have reportedly shown interest in acquiring the pick.

The Mavericks are seeking either a 2014 first round pick or a deal to unload Shawn Marion's contract to create more cap space.

Some around the league believe the Mavericks may have already secured a deal for the pick.

Dwane Casey will return to the Toronto Raptors for the 13-14 NBA season as head coach.

The move was expected but confirmed on Wednesday in a press release.

Casey will be in the final season of his contract and his future will be determined by Masai Ujiri.

The Toronto Raptors do not hold any draft picks in next week's draft, but Masai Ujiri is going through preparations in the same manner as any front office.

"For me, it’s not difficult at all because you approach the draft like you are drafting," said Ujiri. "Even though we don’t have a draft pick, we have to be prepared with all our information, all our rankings and every little detail that you need on players in the draft. I think we have to be very prepared going in because you never know what’s going to happen on draft day. You could get a couple of calls that would shock you, so you have to be prepared for any circumstance."

The Toronto Raptors have hired Bobby Webster to become the vice president of basketball management and strategy.

Webster was previously working in the league office and will become the Raptors' capologist.

Dan Tolzman has accepted a director-level scouting job with the Toronto Raptors.

Tolzman was most recently with the Denver Nuggets, where he reported to new Raptors' GM Masai Ujiri.

Tolzman had offers from numerous teams.

Brian Shaw interviewed with the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday for their head coaching vacancy.

Lionel Hollins will interview with the Nuggets on Wednesday.

The Nuggets are searching for a replacement for George Karl.