Before the tipoff of tonight's Sixers-Lakers game, Philadelphia GM Tony DiLeo made it known that the club has not had trade discussions about center Andrew Bynum, according to Tom Moore of Calkins Newspapers.  DiLeo also rejected the notion that the Sixers have talked to the Timberwolves about swapping forward Dorell Wright for point guard J.J. Barea.

A recent piece by Marc J. Spears of Yahoo Sports intimated that the 76ers have talked about trading the injured big man and cited one source as saying that the club was fishing for a starting caliber center.  When asked if the Sixers are looking to make a move prior to the February 21 trade deadline, DiLeo said management would do something, “if we can improve our talent level.”  DiLeo also said they aren’t targeting a specific position and that the club wants to see what the team looks like when healthy.

Meanwhile, the idea that the Sixers have discussed a Wright-Barea swap with the Mavs comes from an NBA source who spoke with Moore.  Wright, 27, was acquired by Philly in a three-way deal this summer that sent Jarrett Jack to the Warriors and the rights to Edin Bavcic to New Orleans.  Wright started every game he played in for Golden State over the last two years, averaging 13.8 PPG and 5.0 RPG in 33.5 minutes per contest.  However, he has seen his playing time dip to just over 20 minutes per game with averages of 6.9 PPG and 4.2 RPG.

A glance around the Eastern Conference on Thanksgiving Day:

• The South Florida Sun-Sentinel's Ira Winderman writes that the Heat do not see a need for free agent forward Kenyon Martin. Winderman says if Miami makes any move, it will be to sign or trade for a defensive-minded point guard.
• Dorell Wright, acquired by the 76ers this summer, is not fazed by his decreased playing time, writes Tom Moore of PhillyBurbs.com.
• Nate Taylor of the New York Times attributes the Knicks' early-season success to their defensive focus.
• Jack Appleman of the New York Times examines the impact Gerald Wallace has on the Nets on the defensive end.

• Nets rookie guard Tyshawn Taylor is recovering from a strained right quad, but remains anxiously eager to prove himself to the team's coaches. The former Kansas Jayhawk also said that watching the team practice while being sidelined is helping him become acquainted with how the team is expected to run (Tim Bontempts of the New York Post writes). 
• According to John N. Mitchell of Philly.com, Spencer Hawes is excited about playing power forward next to Andrew Bynum. The former Washington Huskies big man has mostly been playing center since entering the league, but believes he has the skill-set to mesh well with the former Lakers star. 
• John R. Finger of CSN Philly writes about how Maalik Wayns can contribute to the 76ers with his speed and scoring ability. Dei Lynam of CSN Philly says that Dorell Wright has been impressive in camp, especially with his shooting and playmaking ability. Also, Max Rappaport of NBA.com looks at how Dorell, Jason Richardson, and Nick Young form a remarkable combination of viable outside shooters. 
• Knicks point guard Raymond Felton has lost 20 pounds since leaving the Trail Blazers and currently weights 207 pounds, according to Ben Golliver of the Blazers Edge. Felton admitted that his conditioning issues to start the 2011-12 season significantly affected his play early on. 

• Avery Johnson says he understands Shaq's recent comments about ranking Brook Lopez ahead of Dwight Howard, saying that Lopez is "very talented" and that the Nets hope that his skills will all come together this year (Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News). 
• ESPN's Chris Broussard had a one-on-one interview with Joe Johnson about being in Brooklyn and calling the Nets the best team he's ever played with (Insider link). 
• Knicks head coach Mike Woodson weighed in on the importance of earning home court advantage, notes Jared Zwerling of ESPN New York. Zwerling also writes that Carmelo Anthony views the improved competition in the East as a factor that will encourage the team to play harder every game. 
• In another piece for ESPN New York, Zwerling talks about the early impact that Jason Kidd is having on the Knicks thus far and gets a veteran NBA advance scout's take of how the team can manage his role this season.

Chuck Myron already outlined today the flurry of Atlantic Division activity that has occured this week and it just keeps rolling in.  Few would argue that the Celtics, 76ers and Nets have had big offseasons and the talented roster of the Knicks has had one more offseason to jell.  This year promises to be an eventful one in the Northeast.  Let's round up some of the Atlantic Division links coming in on Friday night:

• Greg Payne of ESPN Boston reports that a bunch of Celtics, including Jeff Green and newcomers Jason Terry, Kris Joseph, Jamar Smith and Dionte Christmas, have been participating in informal workouts at the team's practice facility.  Payne adds that Joseph, Smith and Christmas will all be vying for the same job.
• Speaking of Green, the 26-year-old says he has been "cleared for everything" according to ESPN Boston's Chris Forsberg.  Green's contract was held up most of the offseason by insurance issues stemming from the heart surgery that caused him to miss last season.  Green's return is one reason why many think that the Celtics were big winners this offseason.  Green said today, "I've really been able to do everything -- contact, my movements, my shot is there, my lift is there. Everything is coming along."
• Dei Lynam of CSN Philly continues her offseason look at the Sixers' roster by analyzing sniper Dorell Wright, who the team acquired via trade in the offseason.  Lynam thinks that Wright is best suited to come off the bench for Philly while noting that no matter what, the 6-foot-9 swingman will get minutes.  The link includes a video with Doug Collins, who says Evan Turner, Jrue Holiday and Andrew Bynum are the only locks to start.
• Max Rappaport of Sixers.com offers his breakdown of the two vacant open spots in the Philly starting lineup.  He thinks a shooter on the perimeter next to Evan Turner is vital and that Spencer Hawes has the inside track next to Bynum.  It is incredible how different the Sixers team will look from a year ago.
• Jared Zwerling of ESPN New York caught up with four Knicks training camp invitees this week.  Oscar Bellfield, John Shurna, Henry Sims and Mychel Thompson are longshots to make the team's roster, but all seem to be in good spirits in their time at the Knicks practice facility.

9:26pm: The deal has been finalized, according to a press release by the Warriors. The Warriors receive Jack from New Orleans, the Sixers receive Wright from Golden State and center Darryl Watkins from New Orleans, and the Hornets receive the rights to Bavcic from Philadelphia.  

2:35pm: Marcus Thompson of the Bay Area News Group reports that the deal is getting close, but cautions that it's "fragile" and could fall apart. Still, Jack himself seems to acknowledge he'll be moved, tweeting: "Well new Orleans it's been real like to thank all the fans u treated me great during my time as a hornet. ‪#movingon."

WEDNESDAY, 2:17pm: The Hornets have entered the deal, making it a three-way swap. New Orleans will send Jarrett Jack to Golden State, and will receive the rights to Bavcic, reports ESPN.com's Marc Stein (Twitter links). As such, the Warriors will no longer receive a trade exception for Wright.

TUESDAY, 7:08pm: The Warriors will receive Bavcic and a $4.1MM trade exception for Wright, tweets Steinmetz.

5:50pm: The Sixers have agreed to acquire Dorell Wright from the Warriors in exchange for a prior draft pick currently playing overseas, according to Marcus Thompson of the Bay Area News Group (via Twitter). The mystery player involved in the trade is likely Edin Bavcic, whose rights were acquired by the Sixers from the Raptors in 2006, writes Matt Steinmetz of CSNBayArea.com. The move can be made official when the moratorium ends later tonight.

For Philadelphia, the team will absorb Wright and his $4MM expiring contract into the cap space they'll create by amnestying Elton Brand. Still, considering the Sixers already have Andre Iguodala established at small forward and drafted another wing in Maurice Harkless, the acquisition is a little puzzling.

The Warriors, meanwhile, clear a huge $4MM from their books, creating the flexibility to perhaps use their full $5MM mid-level exception for a free agent, rather than just the $3.09MM taxpayer MLE. Look for Golden State to use its new found financial freedom to pursue frontline help, a backup point guard and veteran scorer off the bench, writes Thompson.

Head coach Mark Jackson's staff wanted to upgrade from Wright at small forward and the Warriors front office agreed that a change was necessary, tweets Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News. Wright averaged 10.3 points and 4.6 rebounds per game last season for the Warriors in 27 minutes per game. 

Dei Lynam of CSNPhilly.com first reported that the Sixers would acquire Wright from the Warriors.

Earlier today, we heard from ESPN.com's Chris Broussard that the Nuggets and Warriors had discussed the possibility of a trade that would send the No. 7 pick to Denver and Wilson Chandler to Golden State. Broussard is back with more Warriors info this afternoon, tweeting that the team is eyeing other small forwards besides Chandler, including Rudy Gay, Andre Iguodala, and Marvin Williams. No deals are imminent, according to Broussard, but the Warriors are a good bet to be active either today or tomorrow. Marcus Thompson of the Bay Area News Group has a few more Warriors items, so let's check those out:

• The Warriors do like Chandler, but may not believe he's worth the seventh overall pick, says Thompson. Golden State would want Denver to take on a bad contract like Richard Jefferson's or Andris Biedrins' in order for the deal to work.
• If Andre Drummond is available when the Warriors pick at No. 7, expect Golden State to call up the Rockets to try to work out a deal. The Warriors don't have nearly the same interest in Drummond as Houston does, though some members of Golden State's front office would be willing to roll the dice on the UConn big man.
• The Warriors have also spoken to Milwaukee about trading down to No. 12. A recent report suggested a swap of Luc Mbah a Moute and the 12th pick for the 7th pick, but Thompson thinks the Warriors are more likely to try to reacquire Ekpe Udoh. [Update: Thompson corrects himself in a tweet, noting that the Warriors are ineligible to reacquire Udoh this season.]
• Thompson tweets that rival teams keep inquiring about the availability of Klay Thompson and Stephen Curry, but that GM Bob Myers isn't interested in trading either player. Thompson is the most unmovable Warriors at the moment, according to the Bay Area News Group scribe.
• Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News adds, via Twitter, that the Warriors appear to be "really trying" to move Dorell Wright.

As if the acquisition of Andrew Bogut didn't make enough waves, here are some other things that the Bay Area News Group's Marcus Thompson heard regarding the Warriors organization:

• Thompson tweets that the Warriors are looking to move Stephen Jackson and are likely seeking a big man.
• Dorell Wright wanted to be part of the deal and is not happy that he wasn't included. (Twitter link) 
• While the Warriors were intially reluctant to part with Ekpe Udoh, they included him in the deal after Ellis publicly vented his frustration. Udoh was seen as a necessary casualty as Milwaukee would not concede to a trade without him. (Twitter link)  

The Warriors have made it abundantly clear at this point that they're not interested in trading Monta Ellis unless it means acquiring Dwight Howard. But what does Ellis think of all the trade rumors swirling around him and his Warriors teammates? According to Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News, Ellis and the Warriors have discussed the possibility that it might be time for him to be traded (Twitter link).

While Kawakami notes that the conversation doesn't mean a trade will happen this week, he adds that Ellis is frustrated by the team's inability to build a roster that can contend. Andris Biedrins and Dorell Wright, whose names also came up in trade rumors this week, seem open to the possibility of being traded by the Warriors as well, says Kawakami (Twitter links).

Talking to Marcus Thompson II of the Bay Area News Group about his current situation, Ellis said he wasn't about to request a trade, but hinted that he'd like to play for a contender.

"I probably could go to Orlando or Chicago and get a championship," Ellis said. "But if they don’t move me, what can I do? Hopefully — if they don’t move me – they get somebody in here so we can win and I don’t have to go through this every year."

Ellis is under contract next year, then has an early termination option for 2013/14. Asked if he planned to exercise that option, Ellis was noncommittal, telling Thompson, "We'll see."

6:13pm: According to ESPN.com's Marc Stein, Golden State has moved away from talks of a three-team deal that would send Monta Ellis to Orlando. In a tweet, Stein says the Warriors are far more interested in assembling a package to offer Milwaukee for Andrew Bogut. Stein went on to say that the Warriors would be unwilling to part with Ellis, even if it meant getting rid of Andris Biedrins' contract, one of the worst in the league. According to an ESPN report by both Stein and Chris Broussard, the Magic will continue to spend the next 48 hours seeking various options on how they can add an enticing player to keep Dwight Howard happy. If they can't make a splash, they'll then spend the last 24 hours before the deadline looking at all their trade options.

1:57pm: The Magic, Hornets, and Warriors are discussing a three-way trade that would send Monta Ellis to Orlando, multiple league sources tell Jarrod Rudolph of RealGM.com. According to Rudolph, Warriors players being discussed include Ellis, Andris Biedrins, and Dorell Wright, while Magic players mentioned include Ryan Anderson, J.J. Redick, Hedo Turkoglu, Quentin Richardson, and Daniel Orton. Taking into account the Warriors' reported interest in Chris Kaman, the Hornets' involvement likely means Kaman would be going to Golden State if a deal was reached.

Although nothing is imminent, talks are ongoing, says Rudolph. I'd be surprised to see the three clubs work out an agreement, given all the moving parts involved, not to mention the presence of the league-owned Hornets -- with David Stern still acting as the team's de facto owner, he'll have the opportunity to turn down any trade he doesn't feel benefits the team.

Reports in recent weeks have also indicated that the Warriors aren't looking to move Ellis unless they can acquire Dwight Howard. So it would be unexpected to see them move the Western Conference player of the week to Orlando for non-Howard assets. As Sam Amick of SI.com tweets, Joe Lacob seems unlikely to help the Magic keep Howard, since the Warriors owner covets the star center himself.