Gery Woelfel of the Racine Journal Times has some updates in his latest notebook column on where the Milwaukee Bucks stand in several trade discussions leading up to Thursday's deadline:

• The Bucks are considering making an offer to the Hawks for Josh Smith, writes Woelfel. Smith has been most openly courted by the Nets and Celtics, with Brooklyn reportledly offering MarShon Brooks and Kris Humphries and Boston offering Jeff Green and Brandon Bass. However, Woelfel believes that the Bucks' package could be equally attractive if they include Monta Ellis or Brandon Jennings. They could also make Ersan Ilyasova available in a package for Smith.
• Woelfel writes that the Bucks are open to trading anyone on their roster and no one is off limits, although Ellis and Samuel Dalembert are the two players GM John Hammond would most like to move. Woelfel points to Beno Udrih and Mike Dunleavy as two other potentially attractive assets with expiring contracts.
• Woelfel contradicts a previous report by ESPN on the status of Jennings, writing that the Bucks never made him a formal offer of a contract extension before the October deadline. Jennings is scheduled to become a restricted free agent this summer.
• Forward Drew Gooden is no stranger to the trade deadline, Woelfel writes. The 11-year veteran has been traded five times during the season in his career.

With 10 days left until the trade deadline arrives, Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld surveys the market in his latest NBA AM piece, covering the latest rumors related to the Pistons, Bucks, Raptors, and Jazz. Here are the highlights from Kyler:

• The Pistons are "open for business," and would have interest in unloading Rodney Stuckey and/or Charlie Villanueva. There's also been speculation that Detroit could be convinced to move some of their own players on expiring contracts, such as Will Bynum and Jason Maxiell.
• Josh Smith and Gerald Henderson are expected to be among the Pistons' free agent targets this summer, according to Kyler.
• Brandon Jennings and Monta Ellis are unlikely to be dealt by the Bucks, but Drew Gooden, Samuel Dalembert, and perhaps even Ersan Ilyasova could be had. The price for Ilyasova would be high, however, and so far potential suitors such as the Raptors and Nets seem unwilling to pay that price.
• The Raptors are seeking frontcourt help and looking to find a taker for Andrea Bargnani, but haven't made significant progress on either front.
• Although Ric Bucher reported yesterday that the Jazz are more likely to trade Paul Millsap than Al Jefferson, Kyler suggests the opposite may be true, since Millsap is viewed as the free agent more likely to be re-signed or signed-and-traded in July.
• Any team willing to take Raja Bell off Utah's hands, perhaps in a larger deal, might receive more consideration from the Jazz, says Kyler.

Steve Kyler's latest piece for HoopsWorld is packed full of updates on players who could be on the move before this season's trade deadline. Kyler covers plenty of ground in his column, so let's dive right in and round up the highlights....

• The Kings' uncertain ownership situation may result in a quiet trade deadline in Sacramento. While the situation could change between now and February 21st, Kyler says that for now the team appears "frozen in terms of making deals."
• Kyler suggests it's possible the Grizzlies will explore ways of getting below the luxury tax line that don't involve trading a big contract like Rudy Gay's.
• The Lakers aren't engaged in any trade talks involving Pau Gasol, and may not seriously explore a Gasol deal unless they fall out of the playoff hunt by the deadline.
• While J.J. Redick is drawing plenty of interest, rival teams have also called the Magic about Arron Afflalo and Jameer Nelson. If Orlando makes a move, the club would like to include Glen Davis or Hedo Turkoglu to shed some long-term salary.
• Pointing to Andrew Bogut as an example of an injured player who was dealt last season, Kyler warns not to rule out Anderson Varejao as a trade candidate.
• The Bucks are much more inclined to move players like Beno Udrih, Drew Gooden, and Samuel Dalembert than Monta Ellis or Brandon Jennings, but those secondary pieces aren't drawing much interest.
• Al Jefferson seems more likely than Paul Millsap to re-sign with the Jazz this summer, though clubs have been in touch with the Jazz about both players.
• The Spurs "will be dealing" DeJuan Blair before the deadline, according to Kyler.
• Derrick Williams appears unlikely to be moved by the Timberwolves while Kevin Love remains sidelined with his broken hand.
• Several teams have been calling the Suns to inquire on Marcin Gortat. The Rockets are one team believed to have interest.

Marc Stein of ESPN.com attended the NBA D-League Showcase in Reno, Nevada this week, where many NBA GMs and executives were present. He posted a roundup of trade-related chatter he heard during the event:

• The Raptors are making the hardest push for Rudy Gay, offering the Grizzlies a package that includes Jose Calderon and Ed Davis. Memphis is still undecided as to whether they will move Gay.
• There is a growing sense from front offices around the league that the Lakers will not ultimately trade Pau Gasol this season.
• Teams have continued to ask the Kings about DeMarcus Cousins, and were told that he is not available.
• A source told Stein that it is highly unlikely the Bucks will move Brandon Jennings before the end of the season.
• The Jazz are more likely to trade Al Jefferson than Paul Millsap, even though both are free agents this summer.
• The Hornets are not expected to trade Eric Gordon, despite previous rumors that he may be available.
• Despite his recent statement that he intends on staying retired, the Nets are still making a hard push to convince Phil Jackson to be their next head coach.
• Stein lists several players as having been made known to be available by their teams, including the Raptors' Andrea Bargnani, the Spurs' DeJuan Blair, the Cavs' Omri Casspi, the Rockets' Cole Aldrich, and the Bucks' Drew Gooden, Samuel Dalembert, and Beno Udrih.

With most of the Bench Mob gone, this year's version of the Bulls isn't built for 48 minutes, opines Nick Friedell of ESPNChicago.com. However, Luol Deng seems to disagree with that view, as he told reporters today.

"It's not fair to the guys that are here, the new guys, to be compared to the guys from the last two years," Deng said, according to K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune. "They’re still getting used to it. Even the Bench Mob, the first year we had them, it took a while to get going. When we got going, it clicked. The year after that, last year, what helped us a lot was we had a lot of guys returning so we knew how we play and how to play with each other. We’re still learning how to play with each other."

Here are a few more Tuesday afternoon odds and ends from around the NBA:

• While the Bucks would like to move Drew Gooden's contract, there's no urgency to "dump" him, since he's still a mentor and leader in Milwaukee, says Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld.
• Dwight Jaynes of CSNNW.com makes his case for why the Trail Blazers should consider trading LaMarcus Aldridge. Blazers GM Neil Olshey reportedly told Aldridge last month that the team has no intentions of dealing him.
• Although Pau Gasol has a 15% trade kicker, he'd actually only receive about a 3.4% bonus if the Lakers dealt him, as Eric Pincus of the Los Angeles Times explains.
• Darnell Mayberry of the Oklahoman believes Derrick Williams could be a realistic target for the Thunder if GM Sam Presti gets involved on the trade market again this season.
• Several NBA scouts told Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv that it's unfair to compare Kentucky freshman and potential 2013 No. 1 pick Nerlens Noel to former Wildcat Anthony Davis. "I think Anthony Davis’s IQ is so high that he’s unique that way," said one scout. "This is a guy that was a small player,  a two guard, who could handle the ball, do all those things. I mean, Nerlens could never be a ball-handler. He’s not a passer, ball-handler guy."

4:22pm: The Cavaliers and Jazz are among the many teams not interested in Gooden, according to Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio (via Twitter). However, Amico adds that the Bucks are "sure trying to move him."

11:26am: After averaging more than 26 minutes per game in 2011/12, Drew Gooden has been removed entirely from the Bucks' rotation this season, failing to appear in any of the team's first 11 games. According to Gery Woelfel of the Racine Journal Times, "scuttlebutt around the league" suggests that the Bucks are looking to trade Gooden.

Gooden was fairly productive for Milwaukee last season, recording averages of 13.7 PPG and 6.5 RPG to go along with an 18.8 PER. It's not clear why the 31-year-old has fallen out of favor, but forwards like Tobias Harris and Larry Sanders have seen big bumps in playing time so far this season to make up for Gooden's lack of minutes.

Moving Gooden will be no easy task for the Bucks, particularly with the frequent DNPs doing nothing to improve his stock. The Kansas product is under contract through 2014/15 at an annual cost of about $6.69MM, which figures to make it difficult for Milwaukee to find value on the trade market. For what it's worth, the Bucks have yet to use their amnesty provision, and Gooden is one of only two players on the team still eligible to be amnestied.

Here are a couple notes on the Bucks, a team that begins the 2012/13 season with playoff expectations.

• Ridiculous Upside's Keith Schlosser takes a look at three players in the D-League who could make Milwaukee's roster. They are Alando Tucker, Orien Greene, and Eddie Gill. A major reason for why these guards have a chance is their collective experience in the NBA, which could be useful as they go through preseason. 
• Not all veterans are willing to accept the "mentor" role once their career begins to wind down. However, the Bucks are fortunate in that they have more than one veteran looking to make life easier for the younger guys, writes JSOnline.com's Charles F. Gardner. Players such as Drew Gooden, Mike Dunleavy, and Samuel Dalembert should be great for the Bucks' chemistry as they try to make the postseason. 

The Bucks just made a major trade at the deadline to acquire Monta Ellis, and they may not be done dealing, according to a Western Conference executive who talked to Alex Raskin of HoopsWorld.

The unnamed exec characterizes the Bucks as being in a "win now" situation, and if they fall short of expectations (likely by missing the playoffs), GM John Hammond will look to deal Monta Ellis, Brandon Jennings or Drew Gooden this summer.

They're the three players with the highest scoring averages on the team this year, and Raskin identifies all of them as tradeable assets. Only Ellis, who makes $11MM a year through 2013/14, earns more than $10MM annually, and he plays shooting guard, where talent is at a premium right now, Raskin notes. Gooden, 30, is the oldest of the bunch but is putting up a career-high 14.5 PPG.

This could be wishful thinking by a front-office type who'd like to see those guys on the market. I think it would be premature to drastically alter the team when they'd have less than two months to show what they can do together. Milwaukee has never been a destination for top free agents, and with young assets on generally favorable contracts, Hammond might be wise to demonstrate a little patience here. 

The Warriors are trying to put together a deal for Bucks center Andrew Bogut, writes Marcus Thompson II of the Bay Area News Group. Bogut is drawing interest from a number of teams, we learned yesterday, after the Bucks put him on the market last month.

Golden State is not optimistic a deal can get done, Thompson notes, in part because the price is high.Thompson also says part of the pessimism on the Warriors' front is because they are still looking for players who can help them this season, despite their 15-21 record.

The Bucks aren't insisting that Monta Ellis be a part of the deal, but they would want the Warriors to take back players they don't want, namely Stephen Jackson and Drew Gooden. Jackson played in Golden State from 2007 to 2009, but the coach, GM and ownership have all changed since his stay there. Gooden's contract, which has three years and $20MM left, makes him unattractive to Warriors GM Larry Riley and company.

Thompson speculates that it will take a third team in the deal for it to work.

Bogut, the No. 1 overall pick in 2005, seems resigned to the idea of leaving the only NBA team he's ever known, as indicated by his comments to Charles F. Gardner of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel last night. "Seven years (with the Bucks)," Bogut said. "It could work for us to part ways or it could work for us to stay together. I'll make it a positive either way."