Vinny Del Negro will return as head coach of the Clippers for the 12-13 season.

The Clippers held an option on Del Negro's contract.

Del Negro guided the Clippers to the second round of the playoffs, but had been subject of rumors of his impending dismissal throughout the season.

The Clippers have until June 1st to decide the fate of Vinny Del Negro.

If the Clippers decide to change directions, a source contends Chris Paul has Mike Malone on his short-list of preferred replacements.

Malone worked with Paul during one season as lead assistant of the Hornets.

Malone is widely considered to be the most respected assistant in the NBA without head coaching experience.

Malone is currently assistant coach with the Warriors, but has been linked to several other head coaching vacancies this offseason.

A record 24 teams will compete at the 2012 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas.  From July 13-22, 23 NBA teams, including 11 that participated in the NBA Playoffs, as well as a team of NBA D-League Select players will compete in Las Vegas.

The  2012  competition will mark the eighth summer that the league has been held in Las  Vegas since its inception in 2004. Each of the participating teams will play five game each for a total of 60 contests over the course of the event’s ten days.

The 2012 field for NBA Summer League (years participated) will be the following:

Atlanta Hawks (2010)*
Boston Celtics (2004-07)*
Charlotte Bobcats (2008) 
Chicago Bulls (2005, 2009-10)*
Cleveland Cavaliers (2004-10)
Dallas Mavericks (2005-10)*
Denver Nuggets (2004-10)*
D-League Select (2009-10)
Golden State Warriors (2005-10)
Houston Rockets (2006-10)
L.A. Clippers (2005-10)*
L.A. Lakers (2007-10)*
Memphis Grizzlies (2007-10)*
Miami Heat (2010)*
Milwaukee Bucks (2007-10)
Minnesota Timberwolves (2006-10)
New Orleans Hornets (2005-10)
New York Knicks (2005-10)*
Phoenix Suns (2004-10)
Portland Trail Blazers (2005-10)
Sacramento Kings (2005-10)
San Antonio Spurs (2007-10)*
Toronto Raptors (2008-10)
Washington Wizards (2004-10)

*Indicates 2011-12 NBA Playoff team.

Vinny Del Negro won't have his situation with the Clippers resolved until next week at the earliest, according to sources.

Del Negro has a June 1st deadline in his deal for whether the Clippers will pick up or decline their third-year option.

Sources say Donald Sterling will have a big influence in the decision, which could help Del Negro. The two have enjoyed a positive relationship.

LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Chris Paul, Kobe Bryant and Dwight Howard have been named to the All-NBA First Team.

Tony Parker, Kevin Love, Blake Griffin, Russell Westbrook and Andrew Bynum comprise the All-NBA Second Team.

Rajon Rondo, Dwyane Wade, Carmelo Anthony, Tyson Chandler and Dirk Nowitzki received All-NBA Third Team honors.

There are 10 teams with representatives on the three teams, with the Wolves (Love) being the only non-playoff team. The Hawks, 76ers, Pacers, Bulls, Grizzlies, Nuggets and Jazz each made the playoffs without a representative. Chicago was tied for the best record in the NBA and did not have an All-NBA representative.

James received 118 out of a possible 120 first team votes, while Durant received 117 first team votes.

Wade finished four points behind Westbrook for the second guard position on the second team.

LeBron James headlines the NBA All-Defensive First Team, receiving 53 points.

Joining him on the First Team are Serge Ibaka, Dwight Howard, Chris Paul and Tony Allen.

On the Second Team is Defensive Player of the Year Tyson Chandler, Kevin Garnett, Luol Deng, Rajon Rondo and Kobe Bryant.

Other players receiving votes, with point totals (First Team votes in parentheses): Andre Iguodala, Philadelphia, 19 (4); Joakim Noah, Chicago, 14; Iman Shumpert, New York, 13 (4); Paul George, Indiana, 10 (2); Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City, 9 (2); Josh Smith, Atlanta, 8 (2); Dwyane Wade, Miami, 5 (1); Thabo Sefolosha, Oklahoma City, 5 (1); Grant Hill, Phoenix, 5 (1); Tim Duncan, San Antonio, 5 (1); Avery Bradley, Boston, 3 (1); Marc Gasol, Memphis, 3 (1); Metta World Peace, L.A. Lakers, 3; Shawn Marion, Dallas, 3; Joe Johnson, Atlanta, 2, (1); Mike Conley, Memphis, 2; Derrick Rose, Chicago, 1; Jrue Holiday, Philadelphia, 1; Carlos Boozer, Chicago, 1; Luc Mbah a Moute, Milwaukee, 1.

Chris Paul will recruit players to join him with the Clippers.

“I’ll be the first one to tell any player that this is where you want to be,” Paul said. “The team has all the small things, the great training staff, the great practice facility and a guy like Blake Griffin to play with. So, why not?”

Neil Olshey believes the Clippers have become an attractive destination for free agents.

“I know the culture has changed because we went from a ‘have to’ organization — ‘I have to go to the Clippers,’ ‘I got traded to the Clippers,’ ‘I got drafted by the Clippers’ — to a ‘want to.’ Guys want to be here now,” said Olshey, Clippers vice president of basketball operations. “They want to play here.”

Dwight Howard still prefers a trade from the Magic, according to a source.

Orlando announced that the tenures of Stan Van Gundy and Otis Smith were over on Monday, but Howard still seeks a trade before the start of the season, according to the source.

The Nets are considered the frontrunner, but "it is not going to be a one-horse race,” the source said. The Mavericks and Knicks are also in the conversation, while the Lakers and Clippers are as well to a lesser extent.

Howard is eager to begin the next phase of his career and the Magic don't want a repeat of circumstances they endured during the 11-12 season.

Executives from the Magic are expected to meet with Howard soon and will accomodate his trade request should he ask for a trade.

The team that is able and willing to take back the contract of Hedo Turkoglu is likely to have an edge in trading for Howard.

Neil Olshey was noncommittal on whether the Clippers would pick up Vinny Del Negro’s option for the 2012-2013 season.

"That’s not what we’re here to talk about," Olshey said. "Coaching contacts, GM contracts, trainers' contracts, that’s not today.

"I think we deserve the same courtesy everybody else gets. ...  [Atlanta Hawks Coach] Larry Drewgot his option picked up a few days [after their season ended]. … I think Vinny did a great job, and that’s as far as I’m going to go today.”

Del Negro owns a 72-76 over his two seasons in Los Angeles.

Chris Paul called Neil Olshey shortly after the Clippers' 102-99 Game 4 loss Sunday.

Paul, distraught over being swept by the Spurs, told Olshey that “this isn’t going to happen again.”

“I talked to him, thanked him for the opportunity, and told him that I hated how it ended,” Paul said. “I didn’t think we should have been swept. I told him, ‘I’ll get better.’”

Olshey said that Paul “already wanted to start talking about what we need, what we need to add,” which led the general manager to tell reporters that the star he signed is indeed “all in.”

Paul will enter next season in the final year of his contract.