Bulls GM John Paxson has been seriously discussing trade scenarios with the Memphis Grizzlies, surrounding a deal involving Eddy Curry.  Lorenzen Wright and Bo Outlaw are the likely return pieces, and Paxson may choose to expand the deal by including Eddie Robinson.

There are also trade negotiations involving Tyson Chandler and Dikembe Mutumbo being sent to the Houston Rockets.  Scottie Pippin's name has also come up under a variety of trade scenarios.

Steve Francis was initially very public about being very hurt that Rocket management was attempting to trade him to the Orlando Magic for Tracy McGrady.  Francis was optimistic about the future of Houston basketball with he and Yao Ming as nucleus.  

Now that some time has passed since the trade, Francis is settling into his future with the Magic.  

"I've learned a lot," he said. "So many guys were traded. I've never seen this much action in the NBA in my life as far as so many different moves being made.

"I have no hard feelings toward the NBA. I'm pretty sure anybody will tell you, it's a business. The Rockets traded away their best player in team history, Hakeem Olajuwon. I'm no different."

Francis' first return to Houston will be on January 24th.

As expected the controversy surrounding Gary Payton and his trade to Eastward to the Boston Celtics continued to be drama-riddled yesterday, with Payton making it clear via telephone that his non-presence in Boston at the time when he was meant to report after being traded from the Lakers was no accident.

While he says it is nothing against the Celtics organization, Payton is quite aminant that he will not be playing in the East this season.  Despite his rights currently being owned by Boston he says he'll retire before he reports, claiming he has been disrespected by the Lakers organization.

"I wasn't going to Boston to take a physical," he said. "I ain't going to move my family no more. I can't take my family to Boston. It ain't no disrespect to Boston."

Payton says he prefers to be moved on to either Houston, Minnesota or the Clippers, but if the Celtics decide not to make another trade Payton will have no choice but to become a Celtic or forfeit the $5.4 million remaining on his contract.

"I don't care about that," Payton said. "If it goes down, I'll quit. I can go on and do something else."

Payton said had he known the Lakers were going to trade him, he wouldn't have exercised his contract option for next season.

"They used me to sign so they could get other players," Payton said. "Boston is going to lose out on this. They ain't going to get (nothing). It's about respect. They (the Lakers) didn't respect me. Why should I respect them?"

Bulls GM John Paxson is still hopeful that he can meet Dikembe Mutombo's request to play for a playoff contender.

Dikembe was acquired in a six-player trade with New York last week.  Mutombo and his agent David Falk let it be known that he wishes to play elsewhere, but he did not threaten to retire.

"I have been in contact with a few teams, but nothing is definite at all," Paxson said. "There's no pressure for us to move Dikembe, and if he stays, he can be a valuable player here. Like I've said before, I won't make a trade just to make a trade. It has to be beneficial to us."

Paxson is having discussions with the Rockets and Nuggets, respectively, about shooting guards Eric Piatkowski and Jon Barry.

Former Knick Dikembe Mutombo had plenty of good things to say about owner James Dolan and MSG president Steve Mills, who supported his attempts to build more hospitals in Africa.

The same cannot be said when the conversation turned to Isiah Thomas.

"I have nothing to say about Isiah," Mutombo said. "I don't want to discuss him. What am I going to say? We haven't even had a conversation."

"It's very sad. I'm very sad to leave the city of New York," Mutombo said. "I built a personal relationship with Steve Mills and James Dolan, not just on the basketball court but off it."

Mutombo is not sure he will play with the Chicago Bulls but he won't retire.  He and his agent David Falk may try to force a trade to Houston.

The Rockets signed two solid point guards Monday, with the addition of free agents Bob Sura and Charlie Ward.  

A former Heisman Trophy winner, Charlie Ward is a favorite of Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy after spending many years together in New York and will probably assume the starting role at point.

Sura averaged 14.7 points, 8.3 rebounds and 5.3 assists in the second half of the season with the Hawks.  He is a crafty veteran with great leadership skills to boot.

"We had quite a few people to choose from, and we kind of sat back and made sure we got the right people," (general manager) Carroll Dawson said. "We took our time and didn't just jump at the first thing. I think it paid off, because the result sitting here is pretty solid, and we're very proud and happy about the way it turned out."

The Rockets are now in the market for a back-up center, and there are now rumors of a Piatkowski-Mutumbo trade with Chicago which would make the Rockets a solid contender to win the West.

The Houston Rockets agreed to terms with free agent guards Charlie Ward and Bobby Sura today, ESPN.com has learned.

Ward, who served as Rockets head coach Jeff Van Gundy's starting point guard with the New York Knicks, earns the inside track to become the Rockets' starting point guard. Van Gundy signed another former Knick point guard last year, Mark Jackson, to run the show when the offense often became bogged down under departed point guard Steve Francis.

Bobby Sura comes to the Rockets after splitting last season between the Atlanta Hawks and the Detroit Pistons. The 6'4" combo guard averaged 14.7 points, 5.3 assists and 8.3 rebounds while starting 18 of 27 games for a depleted Hawks squad after coming over in February from Detroit for Rasheed Wallace.

Both will compete with Tyronn Lue and Reece Gaines for playing time beside Tracy McGrady in the Rocket backcourt.

Terms of the deals were not disclosed.