As the Celtics prepare to try to eliminate the Sixers tonight in Philadelphia, let's check out a few links from around the NBA:
- Chris Broussard said on ESPN's NBA Countdown that Shaquille O'Neal could meet with the Magic brass next week about their general manager opening, via Marc Stein's Twitter. That would certainly be an interesting scenario given the Howard situation.
- Jarrod Rudolph of RealGM.com wonders if the Magic/Dwight Howard mess has become about saving face for the team. Mike Bianchi of the Orlando Sentinel, meanwhile, thinks the Magic need to give Howard a draft-day deadline to decide on his future.
- Nets GM Billy King spoke to Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News about former Magic GM Otis Smith, Dwight Howard, and the upcoming draft lottery.
- In an Insider piece for ESPN.com, John Hollinger lists a few players whose free agent stock has declined in the postseason. Chuck Myron of Hoops Rumors has been tracking playoff performances by free agents in his Money Time feature, and many of the players he names overlap with Hollinger's picks.
- The Bobcats haven't approached Stan Van Gundy about their head coach opening and he's unlikely to be interested anyway, tweets Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer.
- Josh Cohen of OrlandoMagic.com proposes a few trade ideas he thinks could make sense this summer.
- Salary cap expert Larry Coon fielded a numer of readers' questions in a HoopsWorld chat today.