Comcast's Ric Bucher tweets that the Lakers are expected to keep their coaching staff intact, as many of the players have personal favorites among the current assistants. A few days ago, head coach Mike D'Antoni spoke favorably of the coaches that had carried over after Mike Brown's firing, telling ESPN LA: "They're good coaches. I know almost all of them anyway. They work extremely hard. We are in a lot. I just felt like, 'They're here, they're good, why change it?" The list includes former interim-head coach Bernie Bickerstaff, Steve Clifford, Chuck Person, and most notably Eddie Jordan, who had been originally hired by Brown to install the Princeton offense. Here's the rest of what we're hearing out of the Western Conference tonight: 

• Darnell Mayberry of NewsOK focuses on the struggles of Eric Maynor and wonders if it will open up an opportunity for the Thunder's Reggie Jackson at back-up point guard. 
• Jazz point guard Earl Watson told reporters that he's been feeling more comfortable and is getting his rhythm back after returning from a seven month recovery following knee surgery (Bill Oram of the Salt Lake Tribune reports). Head coach Tyrone Corbin remains focused on limiting Watson's minutes accordingly.
• In this video from CSNNW.com, Damian Lillard acknowledged that there are "multiple leaders" on the Trail Blazers when asked if he considered himself the leader of the team. 
• Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe writes about how the Spurs have been able to adapt to the league as their core players have gotten older. 
• Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times has taken notice of the Lakers' increased production from their second unit led by the emergence of Antawn Jamison. 
• While Kelvin Sampson and several Rockets players offered their condolences to Kevin McHale after the tragic passing of his daughter during today's practice, Jonathan Feigen of Ultimate Rockets also took note that McHale had been constantly in touch with the team over the last several weeks to check on them and offer his guidance.
• Yannis Koutroupis of Hoopsworld discusses the promise that Donatas Motiejunas has been showing in the with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers and writes that Rockets GM Daryl Morey has to make a decision on whether or not the rookie big man is ready to be a contributor in Houston. 

With the Olympics set to get underway less than a week from now, Carlos Delfino remains unsigned even though he's talked to a few different teams about employment for next season. The Bucks, however, have not made any contact with the Argentinean swingman and that upsets Delfino. "I expected to have at least a conversation [with Milwaukee]," Delfino told HoopsHype. "I ended up aggravating my injury because I wanted to play with the Bucks. It hurts me a little bit that they have not even reached out to me. Let's check in around the league on the latest news and stories making headlines...

• The Sixers are confident that they made the right decisions this offseason to improve their roster heading into the 2012/13 season, writes Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe. Key additions include Nick Young, Dorell Wright and Kwame Brown while Elton Brand, Jodie Meeks and Lou Williams will be playing elsewhere next season.
• Don't expect to see Adam Morrison on the Clippers' roster next season as he's not playing at the level of an NBA player, predicts Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld (via Twitter). Morrison did managed to score 22 points and grab four rebounds in a summer league victory over the Lakers on Thursday.
• Even though Earl Watson is still months away from being able to play basketball, he's keeping himself a part of the Jazz team by visiting the squad at the Orlando Summer League, writes Brian T. Smith of The Salt Lake Tribune. This is nothing new for the guard as he dressed for a playoff game against the Spurs in May even though he was on crutches. 

Mike Sorensen of the Deseret News has a new column exploring the options the Utah Jazz will have at point guard this offseason. Here are the key points regarding how Utah might address this roster spot:

• Out the four point guards from their 2011/12 roster, Blake Ahearn is more likely than Devin Harris, Earl Watson, or Jamaal Tinsley to not return to the team next year.
• Though the Jazz may look to get younger at point guard through the draft or free agency, management has been pleased with the performance of Harris, who has one season left on his contract.
• Tinsley expressed interest in returning to Utah. The Jazz hold a $1.3MM team option on his contract for the 2012/13 season.
• Sorensen mentions Steve Nash and Andre Miller as options for the Jazz to pursue in free agency, but cautions that their age prevents them from being long-term solutions.

Another element in the dustup between Karl Malone and the Jazz about the end of Jerry Sloan's lengthy tenure as head coach last year came into play today. Utah-area media outlets apparently weren't privy to a team statement that made its way to national writers, according to Brian T. Smith of The Salt Lake Tribune. (Twitter link)

Marc J. Spears of Yahoo Sports tweeted the statement, which contained Sloan's denial that he was forced out, in piecemeal fashion this afternoon. Smith then passed it along as part of a larger piece on the saga.

Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com tweets that amidst all the back-and-forth, Sloan would listen if another team becomes interested in hiring him.

Elsewhere in the Northwest Division:

• Christopher Dempsey of The Denver Post offers an appreciation of durable Nuggets guard Andre Miller, who recently passed the 1,000-games-played mark:
• The Salt Lake Tribune's Jazz beat reporters spoke with Earl Watson about the advanced treatment he received on his sprained ankle.
• Jake Appleman of The New York Times looks at how Ricky Rubio is helping turn around the Timberwolves.
• Nicolas Batum, who will be a restricted free-agent this summer, will have a chance to show off his versatility against the Nuggets tonight. His agent, Bouna Ndiaye, has suggested he will look at other teams before negotiating again with the Blazers after the two sides failed to agree on an extension last month.