Marc Stein's Weekend Dime at ESPN.com is usually full of juicy rumors year-round, and with the trade deadline less than two weeks away, this week's edition is especially jam-packed. Let's dig in:

• The Clippers went fishing for Kevin Garnett, and while the Celtics seem uninterested in such a swap, Stein expects Clippers to keep looking for deals as the trade deadline draws near. L.A. might like to send out DeAndre Jordan, who's eager for more playing time and whose lack of production has frustrated coach Vinny Del Negro, but the more likely trade chip is third-year point guard Eric Bledsoe. Stein hears there's a 99.5% chance Chris Paul re-signs this summer, but if the Clippers endure an early playoff exit, Paul's future, as well as Del Negro's job, could hang in the balance.
• If the Hawks trade Josh Smith, they'll be looking for "a quality young center" in return.
• The Grizzlies have told Zach Randolph they won't trade him, and Memphis is unlikely to make another move involving Randolph or anyone else. Still, despite coach Lionel Hollins' insistence that he and management are on the same page, the coach's dim view of the Rudy Gay trade has cast a pall on the locker room, as Stein writes.
• Reports that the Rockets have interest in Danny Granger are inaccurate, according to Stein.
• Denver isn't biting on an offer for Timofey Mozgov unless the Nuggets get one that's "crazy good."
• The Sixers, open to a shakeup as they wait for Andrew Bynum to make his Philadelphia debut, are shopping Evan Turner.
• Samuel Dalembert was on the market even before he did his best to showcase his value with a career-best 35-point game against the Nuggets this week, and he's not the only player Milwaukee might trade. Monta Ellis and Beno Udrih are among the Bucks who could be on the move.
• Boston isn't better with Rajon Rondo out for the season, but Stein believes the Celtics' six-game winning streak can be at least partially explained by the team's improved attitude without the moody Rondo around.

TNT's David Aldridge checks in as usual on a Monday with his Morning Tip column at NBA.com, and this week's edition is full of trade rumors as talk heats up around the league. Here's a digest of Aldridge's latest scuttlebutt, with a heavy focus on the Raptors.

• While Andrea Bargnani's elbow injury will keep him out for a month, delaying trade talk, one rival GM is convinced he'll eventually be leaving the Raptors, feeling as though there's no doubt GM Bryan Colangelo will trade him.
• The Raptors are leery of adding another international player, according to Aldridge, which would make them reluctant to trade for Pau Gasol. 
• Aldridge speculates the Raptors won't deal Jose Calderon to the Lakers, and instead ship him somewhere for a draft pick to create a massive trade exception. Aldridge writes that such a trade exception would be $15.6MM, but I believe it would be closer to $10.6MM, reflecting Calderon's salary.
• A league executive speculates that the Cavs will hold on to Varejao through the summer of 2014, when LeBron James can become a free agent, so they can make a pitch to their erstwhile superstar. In any case, the Cavs have set Varejao's asking price too high for other teams' tastes, as they often do with their many of their players, according to Aldridge.
• Though the Thunder are reportedly content to stand pat for now, Aldridge believes they could try to move the Raptors pick they got from the Rockets in the James Harden trade, speculating that one of their targets could be Varejao.
• Aldridge spoke with a GM who joins the seeming consensus that the Jazz are more likely to deal Paul Millsap than Al Jefferson. The GM believes Jefferson is a better fit with Derrick Favors. 
• The Bucks want an upgrade at small forward, and Aldridge thinks the team is more likely to move "one of its undersized four or oversized threes" than trade Brandon Jennings or Monta Ellis.
• The Wizards are open to trading one of their big men for veteran help at the point, where they're woefully thin in John Wall's absence.
• The Pacers are willing to tinker, but aren't putting Paul George or George Hill on the table.
• No one aside from Jrue Holiday is off-limits as the Sixers seek a big man, though it would take a lot to pry Thaddeus Young or Evan Turner from their hands.

Linsanity will be back in New York this week, if only for a few hours on Monday when the Rockets pay their lone visit of the season to the Knicks. Jeremy Lin knows the game will be special, as Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle writes. "It will be wild," said Lin, whose Rockets also travel to Toronto for a matinee Sunday versus the Raptors, who have a large Asian fan base. "It will be fun. I don’t really know what will happen exactly. We’re going to go out there as a team. It’s not about me or any individual. I’m going to go out there and try to play as hard as I can, have some fun. Whatever the crowds are like, I’m sure there will be a lot of energy."

Here are a couple more blasts from the Knicks' past and other notes from around the Atlantic.

• Lin isn't the only former Knicks point guard on the Rockets this year, and Toney Douglas, who came to Houston from New York as part of the Marcus Camby sign-and-trade this summer, will return to Madison Square Garden on a roll, Feigen notes. 
• Andrea Bargnani angrily denied the comments he was reported to have made to an Italian journalist, particulary his supposed assertion that the Raptors are the worst team in the league, as Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun notes (Sulia link). Bargnani told Raptors beat writers today that what he said in reference to the team's play was, "Nobody is satisfied. Not me, not DeMar, not coach, nobody."
• The Italian reporter, Davide Chinellato of Gazzetta.it, is standing by his story, and says he has a recording of what Bargnani said (Twitter link; hat tip to Sportando's Emiliano Carchia). 
• Dei Lynam of CSNPhilly.com posits that Evan Turner has become the best player from the 2010 draft. While that's probably open to debate, Lynam points to Turner's three-point shooting, which has jumped from 22.4% last year to 47.5% this season, and his ability to step in at point guard, as he did last night for the injured Jrue Holiday.
• In a Q&A with Joe Brescia of The New York Times, Patrick Ewing reiterated his desire to become an NBA head coach and said his son, Patrick Ewing Jr., has his eyes set on a return to the NBA as he plays in Germany for Telekom Baskets Bonn. The younger Ewing got a cup of coffee in the Association with the Hornets in 2010/11. 

The latest rumblings from around the Atlantic Division on Sunday evening:

• Tom Moore of PhillyBurbs.com doesn't think Evan Turner would merit an extension along the lines of Jrue Holiday's new four-year, $41MM deal if the decision were due today, but if Turner keeps up his improved play all season, his price tag next summer could be higher than Holiday's.
• Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com writes that Carmelo Anthony is earning early MVP consideration.
• Howard Beck of the New York Times writes that Deron Williams is still getting in rhythm leading the new-look Nets.

Anderson Varejao leads the NBA in rebounding and is playing at an All-Star level through the season's first month, which makes the Cleveland Plain Dealer's Terry Pluto wonder whether the Cavaliers could max out on his value in a deal before the trade deadline.

• Jason Terry started slow with the Celtics this season, but appears to have finally found a suitable role with the team, writes CSNNE.com's A. Sherrod Blakely. 
• The Chicago Tribune's K.C. Johnson details how Sixers forward Evan Turner has improved in his three years in the league. 
• The Charlotte Observer's Rick Bonnell believes Kendall Marshall's recent demotion to the D-League shouldn't be observed as a demotion, but an opportunity. 

After a startling slow start to the 2012/13 season, Manu Ginobili is beginning to break out and play like the future Hall of Famer we're accustomed to seeing, writes the San Antonio Express-News' Jeff McDonald. 

• According to Yahoo! Sports reporter Marc J. Spears, Warriors center Andrew Bogut will return to the lineup on Saturday, December 1st against the Pacers. 
• In a mailbag from her readers, the Cleveland Plain Dealer's Mary Schmitt Boyer discusses whether or not the Cavaliers would have any interest in acquiring Sixers swingman Evan Turner. 
• Charlotte Observer reporter Rick Bonnell gives five reasons why the Bobcats are different this season than they were last year. 
• With all their injuries in the front court, the Spurs are thankful to have re-signed Boris Diaw in the offseason, writes the San Antonio Express-News' Jeff McDonald. 
• Magic center Nikola Vucevic is beginning to receive playing time down the stretch of close games, writes the Orlando Sentinel's Josh Robbins. He could develop into a major asset for the team sooner than later. 

We've already had one update out of the Eastern Conference today, with ESPN.com's Marc Stein reporting that the Raptors have Mickael Pietrus on their radar. Let's round up a few more Friday morning items from the East....

• Evan Turner spoke to Bob Cooney of the Philadelphia Daily News about the adjustment from "standing out to fitting in" that he'd made since being drafted second overall by the Sixers in 2010. "I want to get minutes on the court and help the team out," Turner said. "Sometimes people don't think that's something that a guy who was the second pick would do. But here that's what I'm seen as and that's what I'm going to do to the best of my abilities."
• Landry Fields got off to a terrible start with the Raptors, but given his elbow issues, it's unfair to call him a bust at this point, writes Stephen Brotherson of HoopsWorld. According to Brotherson, it will be at least another month or two before the team will really be able to tell what kind of player it signed.
• In his latest mailbag, Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel says a defensive-minded point guard is still something the Heat could use.
• Sam Smith has his own mailbag up at Bulls.com, heavy on Chicago content. Among the highlights: Smith writes that every indication he's gotten to date indicates the Bulls don't plan to amnesty Carlos Boozer next summer.
• Although he acknowledges it won't happen, Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio suggests the Heat should consider trading Dwyane Wade, since a team like the Kings or Hawks would give up plenty of young talent and assets for the perennial All-Star, and the Heat could win without him (all Twitter links).

Through two games, it sure looks like multitude of veteran additions that the Knicks made this offseason have made them a more complete team.  In the Atlantic division's only contest today, the Knicks stayed unbeaten in impressive fashion with a 100-84 win over the rival 76ers.  They are now 2-0 for the first time since 1999.

Let's round up some other Sunday night links from around the Atlantic divsion here:

• ESPN Boston's Chris Forsberg breaks down first round pick Jared Sullinger's night on Saturday, a game in which he was thrust into the Celtics starting lineup in his third game as a pro.  Sullinger responded admirably, grabbing 7 boards in more than 30 minutes of action.
• 76ers head coach Doug Collins is still hopeful that he can help "unlock" third-year swing man Evan Turner, and thinks it could be just one breakout game away, writes John Finger of CSN Philly.  Turner, the second pick in the 2010 NBA Draft, has showed stellar rebounding skills but the rest of his game has yet to develop as planned. 
• Brook Lopez spent much of the offseason in the weight room in an effort to improve his rebounding abilities, writes Roderick Boone of Newsday, but the Nets big man has yet to see the results of his hard work translate on the court.

Earlier updates:

• The Knicks have held their first two opponents to 84 points or less for the first time in 60 years, writes Jared Zwerling of ESPN New York.  Carmelo Anthony seems to be buying into Mike Woodson's defensive philosophy, and his teammates have noticed and followed suit.
• One of those teammates is Knicks guard J.R. Smith, who was told to shoot on Sunday by Woodson and responded with 20 points off the bench, writes Ian Begley of ESPN New York.  Smith, who is normally prone to jacking up too many bad shots, joined the Knicks last season after returning from China and reupped with the team on a two-year deal in July. 
• The rebuilt Celtics may take longer to mesh than originally expected, opines Sherrod Blakely.  Blakely says that Kevin Garnett's defensive abilities make him uniquely critical as all the new pieces try to find their place on the team. 

Here's a look around the league this Sunday afternoon. 

• This offseason the Timberwolves and Trail Blazers were in the news about acquiring Nicolas Batum, but it appears the Cavaliers were heavy in the mix, writes Joe Freeman of the Oregonian. 
• Sporting News reporter Sean Deveney gives his list of breakout stars for the upcoming season, and Sixers swingman Evan Turner heads the group. 
• The Dallas Morning News' Eddie Sefko takes a look at four members of the Mavericks who need to step up their play in Dirk Nowitzki's absence. 
• The Chicago Tribune believes Luol Deng's selfless nature will continue to be a perfect fit with the Bulls. 

The 76ers have picked up their fourth-year option on Evan Turner, the team announced today in a press release. Turner had been the only Sixer with an outstanding team option for 2013/14.

As John Hollinger of ESPN.com points out (via Twitter), even though the move was a formality, Turner's fourth-year salary as a former second overall pick isn't insignificant. Turner will earn $5.29MM this season, then be in line for $6.68MM in 2013/14. He'll be eligible for a contract extension next summer, or restricted free agency in the 2014 offseason.

As next Wednesday's deadline approaches, be sure to check out Hoops Rumors' rookie contract option tracker to keep tabs on which teams have exercised '13/14 options so far.