Former Stanford star Brevin Knight signed with the Charlotte Bobcats today.  Knight brings veteran leadership at the point guard position to the expansion club.

Bernie Bickerstaff said, "We are pleased to be able to get a veteran point guard like Brevin Knight who has successfully directed teams in the NBA."

The Portland Trail Blazers are very unhappy with Zach Randolph.  He was set to be cornerstone of a new era of Blazer basketball, where the only news he would make would be on the court play, not in the court the play.  The recent develops stemming from a shooting involving his brother at a nightclub and Randolph's subsequent allegeded obstruction of justice have made the Blazers reconsider their plans.

The Oregonian is reporting that a trade is being negotiated where the Blazers would send Randolph, Derek Anderson and a 2005 draft pick to Milwaukee for Michael Redd, Desmond Mason and Marcus Haislip.

This deal could be perceived as a success for the Blazers even without Randolph's legal problems, as Redd has become one of the league's most highly touted shooting guards.  The Blazers would receive a player to finally properly fill the position vacated by Clyde Drexler.

The motivation for the Bucks to complete this deal will be because Redd becomes an unrestricted free-agent at the end of this season and this could be the lone opportunity for Milwaukee to get equal value in return.  In Randolph, a restricted free-agent at season's end, they will have the NBA's most promising young power forward.  Even though the Bucks have high hopes for Redd, a shooting guard is an infinitely easier position to fill.

Restricted free agent F Darius Miles and the Portland TrailBlazers are close to reaching an agreement on a six year contract for an unknown sum.

After being traded from Cleveland in exchange for G Jeff McInnis, Miles had a resurgent second half of the season and was a big part of Portland's unsuccessfull playoff push. After becoming a restricted free agent, he initially rejected Portland's original offer sheet, but after an increased offer, decided to remain with the organization.

With the Piston roster loaded with quality frontcourt players, including free-agent signee Antonio McDyess, veteran center Elden Campbell is reportedly likely to be moved.

Campbell was an integral part of Detroit's championship run, as he was part of the force defending and frustrating Shaquille O'Neal.

A possible destination for Campbell could be the Lakers.  He, like Vlade Divac, began his career in Los Angeles, and the Lakers are in need of help in the frontcourt.

As the New Orleans Hornets ready themselves for their third season, its status as a bonafide NBA city remains unclear.  Last year attendance dropped by 5 percent, as nearly 1,000 season ticket holders did not renew.

In attempts to remedy the decline, the franchise's marketing department has worked to assist the city embrace the Hornets. They have run more TV and radio commercials targeting a youthful demographic recently, and implemented a network of regional sales offices aimed at fans from Biloxi, Miss., to Baton Rouge.

"This is a key season for us," Hornets COO Jack Capella said. "We know the league is watching. I don't know that they are looking at it to see whether basketball can make it in this city, but they are certainly expecting us to perform better than we have in the first two years."

There is reason to be optimistic as the Hornets will shift into the Western Conference, meaning more games with high profile teams such as the Lakers, Nuggets, Timberwolves, Kings and Spurs.

Free-agent small forward Michael Curry will meet with the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday.  He played for the Toronto Raptor last season, averaging 2.9 points per game.

It has come down to either Jon Barry or Curry for the Nuggets final roster spot.  After joking that Curry is an "old man, like me," Barry added, "He gets himself ready. He's a consummate pro. A good guy to have in the locker room."

Curry may talk to another few teams, but his agent Guy Zucker did not disclose who might be interested in his client.

Kobe Bryant graduated from Lower Merion High School in 1996 and directly entered the NBA, becoming a member of the Los Angeles Lakers.  He never played for a college team and thus Nike has been unable to issue a retro jeresey of his, as they have with players like Michael Jordan and Chris Webber.

Nike is getting creative though and have signed a  contract with Lower Merion to license the jersey Bryant wore for their school.  Nike's product line would include replicas of the maroon-and-white, No. 33 jersey Bryant wore when he played for the Lower Merion "Aces."

School officials expect royalties of about $100,000 over the next five years from the deal.  Discussion of this deal between the two sides began last February.

After an accusation of indecent assault by a woman at a Philadelphia nightclub, former league's MVP and current TNT analyst Charley Barkley is under investigation.

No official charges have been filed, but the incident is being investigated by the local department's Special Victim's Unit. The alleged event occured at the nightclub 32 Degrees at 1:20am on Friday night.

Charles Barkley retired from basketball in 2000 following a career which included stops in Philadelphia, Phoenix, and Houston. He was named league's MVP in 1993.

No, Gary Payton is not going back to play for the Sonics to finish his career where it began.   Some officials back at the Celtic camp see Payton wearing a Celtic uniform for next season?s opener.

Even with a stubborn Gary Payton and a back court stacked with veteran point guards such as Kenny Anderson and Travis Best competing for playing time, the Celtics still expect Payton to be their starter when next season arrives, according to coach Doc Rivers.

Gary Payton has threatened to retire if he is not allowed to stay in LA as a result of his recent trade to the Boston Celtics.

Former Chicago Bull head coach Bill Cartwright was hired Friday to become an assistant for the New Jersey Nets.  

"Bill brings a wealth of NBA experience to our coaching staff," said Nets CEO Rod Thorn.

Cartwright, a University of San Francisco product, had a very solid NBA career, playing for the New York Knicks and the Chicago Bulls, where he wone three championships.