There are only four games on the NBA schedule tonight.  With anticipation for the NCAA Tournament ramping up, we should expect the NBA draft updates to pour in.  Here are a few links from around the league and the college ranks:

• Whether John Wall is worthy of a max deal is still up for debate, writes HoopsWorld's Alex Kennedy.  It was reported earlier today that all signs point to the Wizards offering Wall a max contract.  Kennedy indicates that while Wall and the Wizards have been stellar since his return, plenty of evaluators still have their doubts that Wall can take the jump to legitimate stardom.  Wall will become a restricted free agent after next season, but says he would prefer to sign an extension before that happens.
• We heard earlier today that North Texas forward Tony Mitchell intends to enter this June's NBA draft.  Our Luke Adams noted that Mitchell seemed to take a step back this year in his sophomore season.  CBS College Basketball Insider Gary Parrish agrees, writing that Mitchell projected as a mid-to-late first rounder last year and that his sophomore season undoubtedly hurt his draft stock and could cost him millions. 
• While his playing time has been drastically reduced in his second season, Nets guard MarShon Brooks has made the most of a recent uptick in minutes, writes Tim Bontemps of the New York Post.  Assuming the Nets will continue to be aggressive in their pursuit of a title, Brooks, currently fifth in the team's guard rotation, could be a value trading chip down the line given the ability he showed as a rookie.
• If you ever have the urge to check in on your favorite retired player, Sham Sports has a recently updated (and very entertaining) compilation of the whereabouts of former NBAers.

Josh Smith appears to be the big-name player most likely to be moved before tomorrow's trade deadline, and Tuesday brought plenty of updates and rumors on his potential destination. We rounded up those updates right here, and we'll track today's news here, with any new items added to the top of the page throughout the day:

• "Source after source" informs HoopsWorld's Alex Kennedy that Smith will be dealt by the deadline (Twitter link).
• With the Suns apparently standing pat despite a report classifying them as the frontrunner for Smith, it looks like the Bucks are in the lead for Atlanta's athletic power forward, as Sean Deveney of The Sporting News writes. The Bucks are willing to risk losing Smith in free agency, but chances are strong that he'll re-up in Milwaukee for the right price, according to Deveney. Still, Milwaukee won't include John Henson or Larry Sanders in any deal for Smith.
• Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio believes the Nets are the frontrunners, with Milwaukee a darkhorse (Twitter link).

Earlier updates:

• Smith is open to playing with the Bucks even if Monta Ellis is not around, reports Gery Woelfel of the Racine Journal Times (Twitter link).
• Despite a report previously stating that the Nets are “solely focused” on Smith, a league source says that is definitely not the case, according to Alex Raskin of HoopsWorld.
• The Suns, Bucks, and Nets are currently viewed as the three most likely destinations for Smith, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports.
• A source tells Sam Amick and Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today that it's not inconceivable the Hawks hang on to Smith through the deadline. With a huge amount of cap space available this summer, Atlanta could still re-sign the forward to a reasonable contract if another club doesn't make him the max offer he's seeking.

• Ideally, if they trade Smith in the next 24 hours, the Hawks would like to acquire a young center, expiring contracts, and young players or draft picks.
• Amick and Zillgitt also report that the Nets' current offer for Smith is MarShon Brooks, Kris Humphries, and a first-round pick. Brooklyn is unwilling to include a second first-rounder at the moment.
• The Wizards' interest in Smith has all but disappeared, as Washington isn't willing to give up any of the players Atlanta is seeking for the forward, according to Amick and Zillgitt.
• Although the Bucks would like to acquire Smith without giving up Monta Ellis, the Hawks are targeting Ellis along with at least one expiring contract in their talks with Milwaukee, according to ESPN.com's Marc Stein.
• The Bucks, Wizards, and Nets have been the most diligent in pursuing Smith, sources tells TNT's David Aldridge (Twitter link).
• Smith likes the idea of playing with Brandon Jennings and Monta Ellis, so the Bucks are trying to find a way to acquire the Hawks forward without giving up either of their backcourt starters, tweets Chris Broussard of ESPN.com. Even if the Bucks can somehow pull that off, it'd be an awfully risky move, considering all three of those players are potential free agents.
• In another tweet, Broussard wonders if the Celtics could land Smith without moving Kevin Garnett or Paul Pierce, noting that Jeff Green would be a good fit in Atlanta. Broussard adds that rival GMs insist Rajon Rondo is available, though I would assume that's a separate thought, rather than a suggestion that Rondo would be part of an offer for Smith.

The Nets have been offering a package of Kris Humphries and MarShon Brooks with frequency, as we've heard the pair linked to the Celtics for Paul Pierce and the Hawks for Josh Smith. Brooklyn also offered those players to the Bucks for Ersan Ilyasova this week, but Milwaukee turned them down, as Marc Stein of ESPN.com tweets.

The Nets pursued Ilyasova over the summer before he re-upped with the Bucks, and they reportedly went after him earlier in the season as well. The Bucks, though, appear to want an overwhelming offer in return for their outside-shooting power forward, and it looks like Humphries and Brooks don't fit the bill.

Now that their names have been bandied about in so many rumors, there could be pressure on Brooklyn to take whatever they can get for Humphries and Brooks. HoopsWorld's Steve Kyler wonders about the awkward situation that may follow if they remain on the team past the deadline (Twitter link). Of the two, Brooks would appear the easier to move, since he's on a rookie deal. Humphries makes $12MM this year and next on a two-year contract.

5:31pm: A source with ties to the Nets indicates to Alex Raskin of HoopsWorld the team is unlikely to acquire Pierce.

4:25pm: The Celtics and Nets have discussed a trade for Celtics star Paul Pierce, league sources told Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports.  However, the Celtics want a better package than what Brooklyn is currently offering, according to the sources.

The Nets' offer centered on forward Kris Humphries, guard MarShon Brooks and a first-round draft pick.  "The Celtics still highly value Pierce and it wouldn't make sense to trade him for that kind of a package if they're keeping Kevin Garnett," one league source said.

Boston has shown interest in forward Mirza Teletovic and securing another possible first-round pick, but the Nets don't seem willing to pay that kind of price for the 35-year-old guard.  Boston had interest in guard C.J. Watson in a separate deal, but GM Billy King & Co. don't want to part with him, sources said.

The Nets and Celtics discussed a deal for Pierce at last year's deadline, but the C's decided to keep him for another playoff run.  The veteran is averaging 18 PPG for the Celtics this season while shooting just 41% from the floor, his worst percentage in the past eight seasons. 

Last night, ESPN.com's Marc Stein reported that many teams around the NBA are convinced that the Hawks will move Josh Smith by Thursday's trade deadline. Stein cited the Celtics as one team with interest, but wrote that he couldn't see them giving up Paul Pierce in a deal for Smith. We'll likely hear a few more rumors and rumblings on Smith today, so we'll round all those up in one place, with the latest updates added to the top of the page throughout the day:

• The Nets' latest offer includes Kris Humphries, MarShon Brooks, and either a first-round pick or the draft rights to Bojan Bogdanovic, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports.
• HoopsWorld's Alex Kennedy says the strangest rumor he's heard involves Josh Smith and filler (possibly Zaza Pachulia) going to the Knicks for Amare Stoudemire and Iman Shumpert. 

Earlier updates:

• ESPN's Chris Broussard tweets that although the Suns have been in touch with the Hawks regarding Smith, a deal is very unlikely. 
• The Hawks called the Clippers and asked about acquiring Eric Bledsoe in a Smith trade, but the conversation was short, according to Broussard, who says the Clips aren't really interested in Smith (Twitter link).
• Broussard adds in a second tweet that Smith heading to the Suns in a package headlined by Marcin Gortat is "unlikely."
• Most of the offers the Hawks have received so far for Smith have been underwhelming, tweets Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld.
• Several members of the Warriors organization tell Marcus Thompson of the Bay Area News Group (Sulia link) that they think Smith would be an ideal fit in Golden State. However, the club wouldn't want to give up Klay Thompson or Harrison Barnes for a free-agent-to-be, so a trade is "improbable at best."

• In talks with the Bucks, the Hawks' primary target is believed to be Monta Ellis, according to Stein (via Twitter).
• While the Nets continue to pursue Smith, the Hawks don't have interest in any offer that sees them take on Kris Humphries, tweets Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com. There aren't many clubs interested in acquiring Humphries in a three-way deal either, says Windhorst.
• One team close to the situation predicts that the Nets will ultimately land Smith in a three-team deal, according to Stein.
• Stein adds that the Suns and Bucks are also viewed as strong suitors for Smith. However, with both clubs, there are doubts about whether the veteran forward would be willing to re-sign as a free agent this summer.
• The Rockets are fans of Smith, but are more likely to pursue him this summer than this week, says Stein.
• ESPN.com's Chris Broussard tweets that the Wizards have made all but three players (John Wall, Bradley Beal, and Nene) available in talks for Smith.
• The Timberwolves still aren't believed to be in the mix for Smith, tweets Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities.
• Sources tell John Mitchell of the Philadelphia Inquirer that the Hawks approached the Sixers about trading Smith for Evan Turner and Spencer Hawes. However, it seems Philadelphia wasn't interested.

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.

Trade talk has come in fits and starts over the past few days, but the action should start to pick up soon. Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor is among many who expect discussion to intensify this weekend, tweets Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities. As the clock ticks closer to the deadline, which is a week from Thursday, here are a few late-night nuggets:

• While we've heard the Nets will go after Paul Millsap if they don't land Josh Smith, Nets Daily reports that Brooklyn has more interest in Millsap anyway, adding that MarShon Brooks and Mirza Teletovic are drawing consideration from other teams (Twitter links). 
• The Lakers have an open roster spot, but coach Mike D'Antoni isn't anxious to add anyone, notes Eric Pincus of the Los Angeles Times. "We could bring somebody in and have them sit on the bench for a while but that doesn't make any sense either," the coach said. "You're playing games that you have to win. . . . Would I even play him?"
• Though he said this weekend that he couldn't assure Iman Shumpert he wouldn't be traded, Knicks coach Mike Woodson indicated to Stephen A. Smith on ESPN New York 98.7 FM radio that Shumpert is staying put. Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com has the details. 
• Center Nerlens Noel, one of the top contenders to become the No. 1 overall pick in June, suffered a knee injury in Kentucky's game tonight and, according to Andy Staples of SI.com, left the arena in a wheelchair en route to a hospital (Twitter links). 
• Texas Legends co-owner Donnie Nelson, who doubles as president of basketball ops for the Mavs, maintains the "door is open" for Delonte West to join the D-League team, even though the guard has yet to report after the Legends acquired his rights last month, The Associated Press reports (link via ESPN.com).
• The Chicago Tribune's David Haugh wonders if agent B.J. Armstrong and the Wasserman Media Group, along with Adidas, are pushing the Bulls to delay Derrick Rose's return until next season.
• Jessica Camerato of CSNNE.com catches up with Shelvin Mack, whom the Celtics are reportedly considering.

No team was more active last summer than the Nets, who signed two maximum-salary players and traded for a third in the span of a week. So it only seems appropriate that the club would be busy again at the trade deadline. Brooklyn has been linked to multiple possible trade targets this month, including Ben Gordon of the Bobcats and Josh Smith of the Hawks.

However, according to Mitch Lawrence and Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News, the Nets aren't overly optimistic about landing Gordon or Smith. The Daily News report indicates that Brooklyn has "cooled" on Gordon, who the club doesn't view as a good fit defensively. Lawrence and Bondy also suggest that the Nets are pessimistic about their odds of landing Smith, since the Hawks are seeking a more attractive package than Brooklyn's, which would include Kris Humphries and MarShon Brooks.

While talks with the Bobcats and Hawks may not be progressing, the Nets are still hoping to land a big man. Brooklyn is focusing on a group of power forwards that includes Paul Millsap, according to the Daily News report. Nearly a month ago, we heard that the Nets might try to make a play for Millsap, though a deal wasn't considered likely.

As trade rumors continue to swirl around the Nets, GM Billy King insists that he likes the current roster, and that a move isn't necessarily in the works. Even though he's in the last year of his contract, King wants to avoid making a desperation move, telling reporters yesterday that he won't shake things up for the sake of it.

"Are we going to make a trade? We may, we may not,'' King said. "I'm not going to make a trade just to make a trade. Do I believe this group can regroup and play well? Yes."

Although the Knicks have slowed down a little since their torrid start to the season, Carmelo Anthony told reporters this weekend that he doesn't think the team should be involved in trade talks, a point he reiterated last night.

"I love this team, I love the chemistry on this team -- if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it," Anthony said, according to Marc Berman of the New York Post. "Right now we’re tops in our division. That was one of our goals. Second in the Eastern Conference, we’ll take that right now. There’s always a lot of talk around the Knicks come trade time. We don’t need that."

Here are a few more notes from around the Atlantic Division:

• Glen Grunwald may not end up moving Iman Shumpert, but he's at least exploring some possibilities, says Berman. According to Berman, the Rockets' director of scouting attended Sunday's Knicks/Clippers game, though it's not clear whether he was there to observe more than just Shumpert.
• Steve Popper of the Bergen Record and Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com both wonder whether or not Anthony is right about the Knicks not needing to make a deal.
• The Nets would like to make a trade in the next nine days, and would be willing to dangle MarShon Brooks and perhaps a first-round pick along with Kris Humphries in the right deal, reports Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld. When I examined Humphries' trade candidacy in December, I wrote that he may have to be packaged with Brooks and/or draft picks to draw much interest.
• In addition to talking with the Hawks, the Nets have also had exploratory conversations with the Cavaliers, tweets Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio.
• Jessica Camerato of CSNNE.com looks at four guards playing at the Celtics' D-League affiliate in Maine, noting that they could be candidates to join Boston's roster in the wake of Leandro Barbosa's injury.
• While a D-League call-up is one option for the Celtics, Greg Payne of ESPNBoston.com points out that there are plenty of others. However, Payne expects the team to stand pat until the trade deadline.

As a heavy slate of NBA basketball games are already underway on this Saturday evening, here's a closer look at the Atlantic Division. 

• ESPNNY.com's Jared Zwerling talks about a lot of Knicks related things, including the health of point guard Raymond Felton and the chances head coach Mike Woodson has at coaching the Eastern Conference All-Star team in Houston later this month. 
• With Rajon Rondo out for the rest of the season, Celtics guard Leandro Barbosa now has the opportunity step in and fill a ball-handling/scoring void that the team seriously needs, writes ESPNBoston.com's Greg Payne. 
• Nets guard MarShon Brooks is looking to increase his playing time, writes Newsday's Roderick Boone.