• One NBA executive tells Bob Cooney of the Philadelphia Daily News that he isn't sure new Sixers GM Sam Hinkie can handle the team's basketball decisions. "I don't think they are leaning on Rod Thorn as much as they should or he wants and I heard there still might be changes to the front office," the exec said. Another rival executive tells Cooney the Sixers have put their coaching search on the backburner.
• Hinkie was part of a Rockets front office that was aggressive in making moves that allowed the team to acquire a star player, and he says he'll bring that approach to the Sixers, notes Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer.
• Greg Oden is drawing rave reviews for his workouts of late, but Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge doesn't give the impression that signing the erstwhile No. 1 overall pick is high on his to-do list, observes Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald. "We’ll look into Greg still," Ainge said. "He wasn’t ready to play when we saw him last. He wasn’t ready to work out — I mean, not like a real workout. We’ll probably check into that some time this summer."
• Bulpett hears that Doc Rivers isn't high on 2012 first-rounder Fab Melo, but Ainge disputes the idea, pointing out that Rivers didn't get much of chance to see the former Syracuse center who spent much of his rookie season in the D-League.
• Bill Walker, who split five NBA seasons between the Knicks and Celtics, has signed to play in Venezuela with Trotamundos de Carabobo, while Mardy Collins, a first-round draft pick of the Knicks in 2006, has joined Guaros de Lara, another Venezuelan team, as Sportando's Emiliano Carchia passes along in a pair of reports. 

A few notes from around the NBA's Central Division.

• The Plain Dealer's Terry Pluto believes the Cavaliers are leaning towards taking Nerlens Noel if they land the first overall pick in Tuesday's upcoming lottery. Cleveland has four draft picks in June's draft but if they can't corral a defensive big man, are still interested in Greg Oden, who's currently rehabbing from a third microfracture surgery and remains an unrestricted free agent.
• Mlive.com's David Mayo takes a look at why the Pistons might be better suited landing with a pick somewhere in the seven or eight range, as opposed to first overall, due to the difference in salary from one to eight, and the amount of money they'd be able to save without giving up much in skill. 
• Providence guard Ricky Ledo is no longer expected to work out in New Jersey this week, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports. But according Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press to Ledo has plans to work out for the Pistons.

The coaching carousel this offseason is personified by Jazz assistant coach Jeff Hornacek. The former Jazz player was a smart shooting guard next to Hall-of-Famer John Stockton, in the backcourt of some consistently excellent Jazz teams. But even with less than three years of experience on the Jazz bench, he's become a go-to interview for teams with a coaching vacancy. 

Brad Rock of the Salt Lake City Desert News opines on Hornacek's bonafides as a head coach somewhere in the league, while current head coach Tyrone Corbin is also in a state of flux, but appears set to return to the sidelines next season after a vote of confidence from general manager Dennis Lindsey. In a summer of discontent for 29 NBA teams (and the city of Seattle), there are still plenty of question marks, like Hornacek, with uncertain, yet bright futures. Like the next item on our list...

• Greg Oden continues to impress those who have seen him workout, with the latest being predraft workout partner and former Ohio State forward, Deshaun Thomas, who told the The Oregonian's Jason Quick the former number one pick, "looks unbelievable." We've already shared Mary Schmitt Boyer's assessment that Oden looks terrific. A number of Eastern Conference teams have already targeted the rehabilitating center and it appears only a matter of time before he's back in the league. 
• Speaking of comebacks, what are the Celtics going to do this offseason? Steve Bulpett at the Boston Herald did an informal survey of general managers at the predraft combine in Chicago on Friday, and they were as undecided as most observers. Some believe the Celtics may make another go of it with Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett, while others think they could blow the whole thing up and trade their franchise mainstays since the summer of 2007 for younger players and draft picks. 
• The Thunder aren't undecided; they're title contenders now, and Barry Tramel writes at the Oklahoman that the Thunder are unlikely to make any splashy moves this offseason with about $66.12MM in salary for 10 players next season. The time for the young team to win is now.
• Also, the Oklahoman's staff answered four different questions about the Thunder's 2012/13 season, the most tenuous one being: was the Thunder's season a failure?

Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times heard from Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau that Joakim Noah might require surgery on his right foot this summer but will opt for rehab as his first option. Cowley also mentions that Chicago will likely have to find a way to re-tool their bench with several one-year deals again, as Thibodeau said that the market will dictate whether or not they'll be able to carry over several of their key role players - namely Nate Robinson, Marco Belinelli, and Nazr Mohammed - into next season. Here's more out of the Eastern Conference tonight: 

• Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe writes that even though Paul Pierce's future in Boston is yet to be determined, one source says that Pierce's family is already preparing for possible relocation while anticipating that the Celtics will look to trade him or complete a buyout this summer. 
• Charles F. Gardner of the Journal Sentinel opines that the Bucks could be looking for backcourt help in the upcoming draft. 
• Former Pittsburgh center Steven Adams would be ecstatic if he wound up with the Wizards, according to J. Michael of CSN Washington. While it isn't likely that Washington would use their lottery pick on Adams, it seems sensible that they'd target the 7-footer with one of their second round picks if he was still on the draft board. 
• Michael-Carter Williams would relish an opportunity with the 76ers if they drafted him, notes Keith Pompey of Philly.com. 
• Mary Schmitt Boyer of The Plain Dealer observes that Greg Oden has been looking great in his workouts as he targets an eventual return to the NBA. As we've heard before, Oden has been linked to a handful of Eastern Conference teams, especially the Cavaliers. 

Typically, when we examine a free agent's value, as we have for a number of players in our Free Agent Stock Watch series so far, we'll make an educated guess about his next contract based on his performance heading into free agency. So when a player hasn't actually seen NBA action in nearly three and a half years, evaluating his recent on-court production becomes a little trickier.

That's the case for Greg Oden, 2007's first overall pick, who hasn't appeared in an NBA game since December 2009. A layoff that extensive generally means we won't ever be seeing the player in an NBA uniform again, particularly when his absence from the Association is due to injuries rather than, for instance, playing overseas. But Oden is still only 25 years old, and has his sights set on a return to the NBA for the 2013/14 season.

Given Oden's history of knee problems, his health has to be the first factor taken into account when we consider whether he'll even land a contract this summer. Having undergone multiple microfracture surgeries on his knees, Oden is still working his way back into playing shape. If he can't get healthy, an NBA comeback will be impossible, but for our purposes, let's assume (and hope) his rehab continues to progress well, without any setbacks.

Despite being out of the league for years, a healthy Oden would still likely draw plenty of interest around the league. Even this season, as rumors swirled that Oden was considering signing immediately in order to rehab with NBA team doctors, we heard plenty of clubs linked to the 25-year-old. The Heat, Cavaliers, Spurs, Bobcats, Mavericks, and Celtics were among the teams rumored to be kicking the tires.

That amount of interest seems to suggest that Oden wouldn't necessarily have to settle for a minimum-salary contract if he's healthy. In fact, his decision to wait until the summer rather than signing a multiyear deal this past season suggests to me that he and agent Mike Conley Sr. will be seeking more than the minimum. During the season, many of Oden's preferred suitors, such as the Heat, were only able to offer a minimum contract, whereas those teams should have more cap exceptions available in the offseason. Miami, for instance, will have the taxpayer mid-level exception at its disposal.

Perhaps paying someone with Oden's injury history more than the minimum salary seems like an unnecessary risk, but as we've seen before, former No. 1 picks continue to make out well on the open market even after it seems like they're destined to be busts. Kwame Brown, for example, has never been more than a passable backup, but after the lockout he received a $6.7MM salary from the Warriors. After missing most of the 2011/12 season, he still managed to land a multiyear deal worth about $2.9MM annually from the Sixers.

Brown has been healthier than Oden, to be sure, but he no longer has the ex-Blazer's upside. Oden has played in a full season's worth of games in his NBA career, recording 9.4 PPG, 7.3 RPG, a .577 FG%, and a 19.5 PER in 82 contests (22.1 MPG). It's probably unlikely that he'd match that production after such a lengthy layoff, even if he were injury-free. But it's not hard to imagine at least one NBA team talking itself into rolling the dice on the Ohio State product, perhaps as a cheaper alternative to another risky free agent big man like Andrew Bynum.

As Oden and his agent search for a new deal this summer, there will be plenty of uncertainty and apprehenesion surrounding the former top pick. If he's healthy though, I could see Oden landing a deal similar to the one Brown got last summer -- a two-year contract worth between $2-3MM annually with a second-year option. That would make Oden a nice value if he could provide even 10-15 good minutes per game, and wouldn't be a disaster for the team if he couldn't stay on the court.

It would be a great story for basketball if Oden makes it back to NBA relevance in '13/14, so I'll be rooting for him as he continues his rehab and searches for a contract this summer.

Mary Schmitt Boyer of The Plain Dealer answered a handful of questions from Cavaliers fans earlier, pointing out that the team will most likely build through the draft and trades. If they were to find someone in free agency, Boyer opines, the Cavs definitely don't want to overpay in order to land their target. She also doesn't see Dwight Howard being a real option, nor does she think Kevin Love or LaMarcus Aldridge will be available on the trade market.  You can find more of her noteworthy points below:

• With four draft picks in June, Boyer thinks that the team will look to package some picks in order to move up or make a trade. 
• Mike Brown appears to be putting his wish list of prospective assistant coaches together, and although former assistant John Kuester has been mentioned, it's not clear if he's interested. 
• Though mutual interest remains between the Cavs and Greg Oden, the team won't be willing to give him an opportunity at just any price. 
• The team is in full support of Anderson Varejao and wants to see him fully healthy and ready to play as soon as possible. 

Greg Oden and the Cavs appeared to engage in heavy flirtation last night, as the former No. 1 overall pick sat in one of owner Dan Gilbert's courtside seats at the Cavs-Grizzlies game. While Oden regards Cleveland as one of his favored destinations for a return to the league, the Cavs haven't made him an offer, agent Mike Conley Sr. tells Chris Tomasson of Fox Sports Florida (Twitter link). Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld believes the big man will eventually sign with the Heat, based on multiple sources who insist Miami will be his choice, in spite of the ability other teams have to offer him more money and a longer contract (Twitter links). Oden isn't expected to sign with any team until the summer, so we'll likely be hearing plenty more about him in the coming months. In the meantime, here's more from around the league:

• Coach Rick Carlisle expects the Mavs will look at players to fill the roster spot vacated today when the team waived Dominique Jones, tweets Earl K. Sneed of Mavs.com.
• Bulls GM Gar Forman says there's no rift between Derrick Rose and the team's front office over the timing of the former MVP's return from injury, notes Fred Mitchell of the Chicago Tribune.
• Henry Abbott of ESPN.com reported yesterday that the NBA and the players union were nearing an agreement that would subject players to blood tests for human growth hormone as soon as next season, but Mitch Lawrence of the New York Daily News hears no deal is close.
• Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com interprets David Stern's call for Sacramento bidders to pour more money into their efforts to buy the Kings as a sign that the commissioner isn't as closely aligned with the city as it might have otherwise appeared.
• Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic caught up with Sacramento mayor Kevin Johnson, who spoke at length about his push to keep the Kings in town.
• For draft prospects on college teams that might not make it to the NCAA tournament, the week ahead will be their final opportunity to make an impression before the combine. Chad Ford of ESPN.com, in an Insider piece, takes a look at five prospects who could be seeing their last collegiate action.

With the trade deadline behind us, some teams are already looking toward this summer's free agent class. Here is a roundup of the latest buzz on that front:

• Acknowledging that Chris Paul and Dwight Howard aren't likely to leave their respective Los Angeles teams, Eric Pincus of HoopsWorld looks at a list of free agents who are more obtainable by other teams, including Atlanta's Josh Smith and Utah's Paul Millsap.
• Ben Golliver of SI.com runs down a list of free agents whose stock has risen or fallen this season. He points to Andrew Bynum as someone who has hurt his chances at a big payday, and Smith and David West as likely candidates for a big payday.
• Jodie Valade of the Plain Dealer reports that Greg Oden, who is gearing up for a second attempt at an NBA career, recently attended a Cavaliers game and had positive impressions of the organization.
• Valade also profiles Rich Paul, a former member of LeBron James' marketing team who is finding success running his own sports agency.

Former No. 1 overall pick Greg Oden has been linked to several teams in the past few months since making it known he's interested in a comeback, but one of the most prominent has been the Cavaliers. Oden was close to signing with Cleveland last month, and though a deal never happened, Oden tells Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal he's still interested in joining the Cavs.

Wherever he signs, it likely won't happen until this summer, as agent Mike Conley Sr. reiterated to Lloyd, in keeping with what Conley has previously indicated. Lloyd reported in February that the Cavs were preparing a three-year deal for Oden that included a team option for 2014/15. It's unclear how much the contract would have been worth, but the Cavs have plenty of cap space now and for this summer, so they could outbid many other teams. Their advantage is somewhat reduced, however, if Oden waits to sign until the offseason, when other clubs will free up more space and have cap exceptions to use on the big man.

Oden, who lives in Columbus, Ohio, and attended Ohio State, is at tonight's Cavaliers-Grizzlies game as a guest of Memphis point guard Mike Conley Jr., the agent's son. The Cavs invited Oden to move down into one of owner Dan Gilbert's front-row seats adjacent to the team's bench, Lloyd notes, and Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio noticed Oden talking with Cavs reserve Luke Walton (Twitter link).

Oden, as his agent has in the past, said the Cavs' partnership with the Cleveland Clinic will be a factor in his decision.

"With my process, one of the top two things I have to think about is the medical staff and how is it going to help me," he said. "I want to play and I want to play for some time. Not just come in and see what happens. I want to be able to have a career."

The NBA's longest current winning and losing streaks both belong to Southeast Division teams, and will be on the line tonight. The Heat are hosting the Magic, in search of their 16th straight win, while the Bobcats will look to snap a seven-game losing streak at home against the Nets. As we wait for the Eastern Conference's best and worst clubs to get underway tonight, let's round up a few notes out of the Southeast....

• Agent Mike Conley Sr. doesn't expect Greg Oden to sign anywhere until July, suggesting to Chris Tomasson of FOX Sports Florida that teams will have more financial flexibility to pursue his client after the season. According to Conley, there is mutual interest between Oden and the Heat, and the two sides expect to talk again in the summer. The Cavs, Bobcats, and Spurs are other potential suitors for the former first overall pick, according to Tomasson.
• Responding to Dwight Howard's suggestion that his Magic teams were "full of people nobody wanted," Jameer Nelson shot back at his former teammate, as Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel documents. "At some point, when are you [Dwight] gonna as a man, when are you going to take ownership and stay out of the media in a professional manner?" Nelson said.
• Mike Scott has returned to Atlanta to rejoin the Hawks after a brief stint with the team's D-League affiliate, according to Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The Hawks officially announced in a press release that Scott has been recalled from the Bakersfield Jam and will be available for tonight's game against the Sixers.