The Jazz are recalling Kevin Murphy from their D-League affiliate, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports (via Twitter). Murphy had been playing for the Reno Bighorns since being assigned by Utah on November 26th.

When Murphy was assigned to the D-League by the Jazz, GM Dennis Lindsey noted that he wanted to see the second-round pick operate as a team player, rather than dominating the ball and trying to rack up points. In 14 games, including 12 starts, for the Bighorns, Murphy averaged 13.2 PPG on .446/.350/.775 shooting.

Here's a look at some items out of the Western Conference..

• Stephen Curry says that the Warriors' trade of Monta Ellis to the Bucks has significantly changed his approach to the game, writes Bill Ingram of HoopsWorld.  Now more of a playmaker, Curry has embraced his adjusted role in Golden State.  “The backcourt that we have, we mesh well together, especially with Jarrett [Jack] coming off the bench, so it’s been a different look, but we are getting used to each other and we are playing well," Curry explained.  The club's acquisition in that trade, Andrew Bogut, figures to give them a major defensive boost upon his return.
• John Canzano of The Oregonian opines that the Blazers need to ease the burden placed on star big man LaMarcus Aldridge in order to help guard against his potential departure.  Aldridge is under contract for $60MM through three more seasons and has yet to win a playoff series in Portland. 
• For guard Kevin Murphy to return to the Jazz, General Manager Dennis Lindsey says that he hopes to see the rookie operate as a team player rather than a "pig scorer", write Brian T. Smith, Steve Luhm, and Tony Jones of the Salt Lake Tribune.  Murphy was demoted to the D-League earlier today and will be in Reno for a minimum of five games.
• One of the Blazers' biggest problems is that they have been unable to develop their recent draft picks into true contributors, tweets Mike Tokito of The Oregonian.  The new CBA places extra emphasis on teams being able to get strong production out of their reasonably-priced younger players, which is obviously essential for a smaller-market team.

Let's check out a few items from around the Association as we prepare for an eight-game evening slate....

• Although we heard on Friday that Dario Saric's contract in Croatia wouldn't have an NBA out until 2014, Saric confirmed today that his new deal will include an NBA out after every season. Saric, who ranks 16th on DraftExpress.com's big board for 2013, indicated that he'd declare for the draft next season if he receives a top-10 guarantee, as Emiliano Carchia of Sportando writes.
• NBA.com's Scott Howard-Cooper notes (on Twitter) that one NBA executive has Saric in his current top 10, but that he's hardly a lock, and plenty can change between now and next June.
• In an Insider piece at ESPN.com, Jay Bilas and Chad Ford debate which college prospect is the early favorite to be picked first overall next June, and discuss a few more draft topics.
• Kevin Murphy, who was assigned to the D-League today, will be with the Reno Bighorns for at least five games, according to Jazz GM Dennis Lindsey (Twitter link via Jody Genessy of the Deseret News).
• Chris Bernucca of Sheridan Hoops fills out a hypothetical roster made up of the NBA's worst contracts.
• Mardy Collins, who played in parts of four seasons for the Knicks and Clippers after being drafted 29th overall in 2006, has reached an agreement to play for Israel's Maccabi Ashdod, reports David Pick of Sportando.
• Lakers offseason acquisitions Jodie Meeks and Antawn Jamison have begun to thrive under new coach Mike D'Antoni, says Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News. Medina adds that there's still no set timetable for Steve Nash's return.

MONDAY, 11:48am: The Jazz have officially assigned Murphy to the Bighorns, Jody Genessy of the Deseret News confirms (via Twitter).

SATURDAY, 4:25pm: The Jazz will send rookie Kevin Murphy to the Reno Bighorns, their D-League affiliate, on Monday as long as the twisted ankle that knocked Mo Williams out of last night's game with the Kings is not too severe, tweets Jody Genessey of the Deseret News. The assignment would be Utah's first of the season.

The Jazz drafted Murphy, a 6'6" swingman from Tennessee Tech, with the 47th overall pick in the draft. He signed a minimum-salary contract that's partially guaranteed for $200K this year and fully non-guaranteed for 2013/14.

Murphy has played just nine minutes in three games for the Jazz thus far, and Utah's backcourt just got more crowded with last night's return of Earl Watson from injury. When the move becomes official, we'll add it to our list of D-League assignments and recalls from the entire league.

The Northwest Division promises to be one of the most competitive in the league during the 2012/13 season. The Oklahoma City Thunder are looking to defend their Western Conference championship; the Denver Nuggets added Andre Iguodala to an already deep team; and the Utah Jazz and Minnesota Timberwolves made key offseason changes that should have them in the playoff hunt. Here is the latest chatter from up north on Tuesday afternoon:

• Mike Sorensen of the Desert News writes that second-year center Enes Kanter is impressing Jazz coach Tyrone Corbin in training camp.
• Steve Luhm of the Salt Lake Tribune has a feature on Jazz second-round pick Kevin Murphy, who is fighting for a roster spot with the team.
• Bill Oram of the Salt Lake Tribune examines the improved shooting stroke of DeMarre Carroll this offseason.
• Iguodala has taken on a leadership role in his first training camp as a Nugget, writes Benjamin Hochman of the Denver Post.
• The Oregonian's Joe Freeman reports (via Twitter) that Blazers coach Terry Stotts will limit all of his players to one half of action during Portland's preseason opener on Wednesday.

10:16pm: The contract of second-round pick Kevin Murphy isn't guaranteed, Smith writes, so that means the Jazz only have 14 fully guaranteed contracts, including Raja Bell's. That provides a little extra room for one of the camp invitees to make the team.

8:54pm: The Jazz will bring point guard Chris Quinn to training camp, reports Brian T. Smith of The Salt Lake Tribune (Twitter link). The addition of Quinn, likely on a non-guaranteed, minimum-salary deal, brings the team's roster to 19 players. Quinn will likely compete for the final regular season roster spot with Trey Gilder, Darnell Jackson and Brian Butch, whose signings were officially announced via press release, as Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld notes via Twitter. Gilder and Jackson appeared close to invites earlier this month, while the signing of Butch was reportedly confirmed a few days ago. 

Quinn has spent parts of five seasons in the NBA, with the Heat, Nets and finally the Spurs, with whom he made his last NBA appearance in 2010/11. The 6'2" 29-year-old averaged 4.6 points and 1.9 assists in 13.8 minutes per game with a 12.5 PER over his NBA career. He spent last season with Khimki BC in Russia, and put up 7.3 PPG and 2.9 APG in 19.4 MPG.

The Jazz have 15 fully guaranteed contracts, though one of them belongs to Raja Bell, who is attempting to negotiate a buyout. If he's successful, that would leave a spot open for Quinn, Gilder, Jackson or Butch, Teams aren't obligated to carry more than 13 players, though, so all of the recent signees must impress in order to stick around.

6:32pm:  The Jazz have officially confirmed that they've signed Murphy, though terms of the deal were not released.  Steve Luhm of the Salt Lake Tribune first reported the signing once it became official (via Twitter).

4:34pm:  The Jazz are close to a deal with Kevin Murphy, whom they took with the 47th pick in June's draft, reports Steve Luhm of The Salt Lake Tribune (Twitter link). The 6'6" Murphy averaged 20.6 points and 5.2 rebounds as a senior for Tennessee Tech last year.

Fellow Salt Lake Tribune scribe Brian T. Smith reported the two sides were making progress on a deal back in August, and that the Jazz were hopeful to have him in camp. If they want to go above the minimum to sign him, the Jazz could use part of their mid-level exception, since they have $2.5MM left after giving $2.5MM to Randy Foye earlier in the summer. The Jazz currently have 14 players on fully guaranteed deals, so bringing in Murphy would put them at the 15-man regular season limit.

Most of the second-round picks who have signed this year have gotten the minimum salary or slightly more in the first year of their deals, followed by one or two more non-guaranteed seasons at the minimum, so Murphy could be in line for a deal with a similar framework. He was one of a handful of unsigned picks when I provided an update on second-rounders earlier this month.

Let's round up a few Thursday odds and ends from around the Association:

• One agent tells Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com (Twitter link) that the Knicks are in no rush to sign any more free agents, while another agent says the Knicks "never do what you would assume."
• Jay-Z's influence on the Nets eclipses his ownership stake, which is just one-fifteenth of 1%, as David M. Halbfinger of the New York Times writes.
• Thunder GM Sam Presti values sustainability, and won't overpay James Harden and/or Serge Ibaka if there are more efficient ways to remain competitive, says Berry Tramel of the Oklahoman.
• Even when the CBA's more restrictive rules for taxpaying teams take effect next summer, teams willing to spend money will find a way to spend it, writes Tom Ziller of SBNation.com.
• The Jazz are making progress in contract talks with second-round pick Kevin Murphy and hope to have him signed before camp starts, tweets Brian T. Smith of the Salt Lake Tribune.
• Rockets owner Leslie Alexander is in talks to buy the Houston Dynamo of Major League Soccer, reports Mark Berman of FOX 26 Houston.

With two days remaining until the 2012 draft, we've seen a first-round pick change hands for the first time this offseason, as the Timberwolves agreed to send the 18th overall pick to Houston in exchange for Chase Budinger and the rights to Lior Eliyahu. The general consensus is that the move is the precursor to a bigger deal for the Rockets, and Houston isn't the only team rumored to be shopping picks. Here are today's draft-related rumors, with the newest updates added to the top of the page throughout the day....

• Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld tweeted that the Bucks are looking to move into the top 10, and are supposedly targeting John Henson. 
• Kennedy says that the Rockets are still trying to acquire another first round pick, most recently in discussions with the Hornets about the 10th pick before talks broke down (Twitter link). He also tweeted that the Lakers and Nets are both looking to acquire a first rounder.  

Earlier updates:

• The Bulls are looking to add perimeter help in the form of a combo guard and shooter, says K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune. John Jenkins, Will Barton, and Tony Wroten are possible targets.  
• Michael Hunt of the Journal Sentinel believes that the Bucks need to start adding talent instead of looking to add more veterans. Charles F. Gardner of the Journal Sentinel says that the team could consider taking a guard with their pick.
• Michael Lee of the Washington Post documented Jay Bilas' thoughts on Harrison Barnes, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, and Bradley Beal. He believes that Beal is the second best prospect of this draft, discusses Barnes' outstanding athleticism, and marvels at Kidd-Gilchrist's versatility and ability to guard multiple positions. 
• Doug Smith of The Star explores the many different directions in which the Raptors could go on draft night, even hearing that GM Bryan Colangelo remains undecided on what he wants to do. 
• Keith Langlois of Pistons.com views the second round as a chance to find perimeter depth and highlights the team's possible targets with their 39th and 44th picks. Among those mentioned are Darius Miller, Kevin Murphy, Kim English, Jae Crowder, Will Barton, and Jared Cunningham. 
• Matt Steinmetz of CSN Bay Area examines the draft's shooting guard options for the Warriors.
• Chad Ford of ESPN.com lists the 10 biggest questions heading into draft night (Insiders only).
• Morley Quatroche of WEEI.com takes a look at J'Covan Brown as a possible second round target for the Celtics. 
• Michael Cunningham of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution profiled Jefferey Taylor and the impact that the three-time SEC All-Defensive team selection wants to make in the league.
• Jonathan Abrams of Grantland provides an outside-the-lines perspective of Royce White and the first-round hopeful's battle with anxiety disorder. 
• Jimmy Smith of the Times-Picayune produced a mock draft of his own, focusing solely on the top-14. 
• Sean Meagher of Oregon Live performed a link roundup of Damian Lillard, who appears to be a realistic target for the Trail Blazers on draft night. 
• Jay Bilas projects Fab Melo as the 30th best available player in the draft (Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel provided a Sulia link). While he sees the 7-foot center as a good rebounder and improved shot blocker, Bilas thinks that Melo's less-than-ideal mobility was offset by playing zone defense at Syracuse and could struggle guarding the pick and roll at the NBA level.
• 76ers GM Rod Thorn feels content with having the 15th pick and doesn't see a situation where he tries to move up (Dei Lynam of CSN Philly reports). Thorn would like to add an athletic big man and believes he will have about two or three of his targets available by the time Philadelphia is on the clock. It should be no surprise that he mentioned Jared Sullinger as one of those targets (Tom Moore of Philly Blurbs tweets). 
• Tim Kawakami of Mercury News tweeted that the Warriors have not made any definitive judgments after the meetings/workouts with Andre Drummond and Harrison Barnes. In another tweet, Kawakami added that Golden State could consider trading down depending on who gets drafted ahead of their slot. 
• In his latest mock draft for Yahoo! Sports, Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress.com shares a number of tidbits. Among them: He's hearing that the Cavaliers are more likely to takeMichael Kidd-Gilchrist than Harrison Barnes if Bradley Beal is off the board at No. 4.
• Warriors GM Bob Myers and owner Joe Lacob flew to New York to watch Harrison Barnes and Andre Drummond in private workouts on Monday, according to Matt Steinmetz of CSNBayArea.com.
• A pair of sources who witnessed Damian Lillard's individual workouts for the Blazers earlier this month raved to Dwight Jaynes of CSNNW.com about the point guard's performance. Lillard is a strong candidate for Portland's No. 6 pick.
• SI.com's Seth Davis has a ton of interesting quotes from scouts and executives on this year's top prospects, while Eric Pincus of HoopsWorld spoke to execs who believe the best values in the draft could be found in the picks in the teens.
• The Warriors don't appear to have the assets to move up and may simply opt to take the best player available at No. 7, says Marcus Thompson of the Bay Area News Group. Damian Lillard and Dion Waiters are top contenders for the Warriors' pick.
• Tim Bontemps of the New York Post thinks the Nets will draft a European player to stash overseas with their No. 57 pick.
• A swap involving the Bobcats' No. 2 pick and the Cavs' No. 4 pick could have enough momentum to get done, writes Ken Berger of CBSSports.com in a piece that includes a handful of other draft tidbits.
• Gery Woelfel of the Racine Journal Times wonders whether the Bucks will consider drafting Fab Melo if Meyers Leonard and Tyler Zeller are off the board at No. 12.
• Draymond Green is working out for the Pacers for a second time today and is a candidate to be picked at No. 26, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports. However, another player working out for Indiana today, Will Barton, figures to be the team's pick if he's still on the board at 26, says Sean Deveney of the Sporting News (Twitter link).
• ESPN The Magazine (Insider link) has released its annual players-only mock draft, in which a player representative from each team plays GM and makes his team's picks. Somewhat bizarrely, the players let Bradley Beal slip to J.J. Redick and the Magic at No. 19.
• Washington guard Tony Wroten is drawing interest from a pair of teams with picks in the 20s. Ronald Tillery of the Memphis Commercial Appeal says Wroten has piqued the Grizzlies' interest, while Chad Ford of ESPN.com says the Hawks have become "enamored" of Wroten.
• Within the same mock draft, Ford says the Hornets offered the Rockets the No. 10 pick for Nos. 14 and 16 last week, but that Houston turned them down.
• The Warriors' No. 7 pick could be in play for the Rockets as they look to line up a big offer for Dwight Howard, tweets Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News.
• It appears unlikely the Raptors will trade the eighth overall pick, according to Eric Koreen of the National Post.
• 76ers president Rod Thorn doesn't expect the team to trade up from No. 15, tweets Tom Moore of PhillyBurbs.com.
• The Suns' interest in Arnett Moultrie is intensifying, says Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic.
• There's a decent chance that the Kings will draft a player that didn't work out for the team, writes Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee.

Yesterday's roundup of draft links included a ton of updates on workouts and speculation on where certain players may land. We expect more of the same today, so we'll track today's draft notes right here, adding new items to the top of the list throughout the day....

• Anthony Davis has decided to hire Wasserman Media Group to represent him, tweets Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports. The former Kentucky star will work out for the Hornets on Tuesday, tweets Adam Zagoria of Zagsblog.com.
• The Jazz will host six players on Saturday for a pre-draft workout, according to a team press release. The participants will include Kim English, Jorge Gutierrez, Noah Hartsock, Robbie Hummel, Toure' Murry and Malik Wayns. 

• Perry Jones III, Terrence Jones, Arnett Moultrie, and John Henson will work out against one another for the Suns tomorrow, tweets Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress.com.
• Alex Raskin of HoopsWorld explores whether John Henson is a perfect fit for the Pistons at No. 9.
• Andre Drummond has an individual workout with the Wizards scheduled for Monday, tweets Michael Lee of the Washington Post.
• In a series of tweets, Vincent Goodwill of the Detroit News lists the prospects the Pistons have worked out this week.
• We rounded up a handful of draft rumors from ESPN.com's Andy Katz in a separate post.
• Damian Lillard to Joe Freeman of the Oregonian (Twitter link) on the possibility of being drafted by the Trail Blazers: "I could see it happening. And I hope so. I think I really fit in here."
• The Nuggets have a six-player workout scheduled for Monday, according to a team press release. Will Barton, Royce White, Andrew Nicholson, Marquis Teague, Tyshawn Taylor, and Kevin Murphy are the participants.
• Evan Fournier and Will Barton will work out for the Bucks tomorrow, according to Gery Woelfel of the Racine Journal Times (via Twitter).
• ESPN.com's David Thorpe (Insider link) examines potential targets for the 76ers at No. 15, concluding that Terrence Jones could be the best fit.
• The Wizards will work out Harrison Barnes next Tuesday, tweets Michael of the Washington Post.
• Michael Kidd-Gilchrist believes the Wizards would be a playoff team if they drafted him third overall, he tells Michael Lee of the Washington Post. Kidd-Gilchrist is working out alone for Washington, with Austin Rivers, Terrence Ross, and Tomas Satoransky in a group workout, tweets Lee.
• Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress.com has published his latest mock draft for Yahoo! Sports.
• SI.com's Sam Amick takes a look at Andre Drummond's stock, and says the Hornets haven't made a draft-day promise to Austin Rivers.
• At Raptors.com, Jay Satur has the list of prospects working out for the Raptors today.