With just a handful of games left in the 2012/13 regular season, only one postseason club in either conference is locked into its playoff seed -- the East's top team, the Heat, remain a comfortable 10 games up on the second-place Knicks, despite the fact that New York has won 13 consecutive contests. The Bucks aren't locked into that No. 8 seed in the East yet, but they'll likely end up there,  meaning last night's game in Miami, in which the Heat beat Milwaukee 94-83, figures to be a playoff preview.

Here's more from around the Eastern Conference:

• When he hits free agency this summer, a long-term contract will be a priority for current Sixers guard Nick Young, as he tells Lang Greene of HoopsWorld.
• Kyle Lowry called his first year with the Raptors frustrating and disappointing, but believes the team has the talent to bounce back next season, writes Doug Smith of the Toronto Star. As Smith notes, Lowry's contract for 2013/14 is mostly non-guaranteed, but after giving up a likely lottery pick for Lowry and trading Jose Calderon, the Raptors are a mortal lock to bring back the former Rocket next season.
• Given Jimmy Butler's emergence, the Bulls should "think long and hard" this offseason about whether to consider shopping Luol Deng, says Nick Friedell of ESPNChicago.com.
• Earlier this week, Heat president Pat Riley suggested that he wants to keep Miami's Big Three intact for years to come and "have one of those 10-year rides." Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel explores Riley's comments in his latest mailbag.
• Pistons coach Lawrence Frank, who may be on the hot seat this summer, expressed some annoyance to Terry Foster of the Detroit News about the way many of his coaching colleagues are criticized.

It's been months since Derek Fisher, Billy Hunter, and the NBPA were making headlines, but the law firm hired to look into how the Players' Association has spent its money and conducted its business is nearly ready to release the results, reports Ken Berger of CBSSports.com. While it's not clear exactly what the report will reveal, several players believe the union needs a change in leadership, and are hoping Hunter will step down from his post even if the report exonerates him of any wrongdoing, according to Berger.

The latest edition of Berger's "Postups" column also features some trade rumblings, so let's round those up....

• Mark Cuban's declaration this week that the "Bank of Cuban" is open was met with indifference by some rival executives, who don't see many attractive assets on the Mavericks besides Dirk Nowitzki. "I don't think anybody is in a hurry to get [Chris] Kaman or [Elton] Brand and all that stuff," a rival executive said. "Unless he's trying to take a contract that's loaded."
• Since Grizzlies CEO Jason Levien is determined to make a good basketball trade rather than just dumping salary, there's a growing sense that Memphis will hang on to Rudy Gay and others, and deal with the team's cap and tax issues over the summer. I suggested as much when I looked at the Grizzlies' cap situation earlier this week.
• While Greg Oden doesn't expect to return to action until next season, he hopes to sign with an NBA team in the next month to get into a training and conditioning program with a club. The Celtics are monitoring Oden's progress, and Jeff Goodman of CBSSports.com reports that the Spurs and Cavaliers have also expressed interest.
• Berger suggests that Nick Young is worth keeping an eye on as the trade deadline approaches, since his expiring contract could be valuable for a team in need of a scorer. The Sixers are currently four games out of a playoff spot -- if they fall any further back, it definitely wouldn't surprise me to see them consider selling off pieces like Young.

• Nets rookie guard Tyshawn Taylor is recovering from a strained right quad, but remains anxiously eager to prove himself to the team's coaches. The former Kansas Jayhawk also said that watching the team practice while being sidelined is helping him become acquainted with how the team is expected to run (Tim Bontempts of the New York Post writes). 
• According to John N. Mitchell of Philly.com, Spencer Hawes is excited about playing power forward next to Andrew Bynum. The former Washington Huskies big man has mostly been playing center since entering the league, but believes he has the skill-set to mesh well with the former Lakers star. 
• John R. Finger of CSN Philly writes about how Maalik Wayns can contribute to the 76ers with his speed and scoring ability. Dei Lynam of CSN Philly says that Dorell Wright has been impressive in camp, especially with his shooting and playmaking ability. Also, Max Rappaport of NBA.com looks at how Dorell, Jason Richardson, and Nick Young form a remarkable combination of viable outside shooters. 
• Knicks point guard Raymond Felton has lost 20 pounds since leaving the Trail Blazers and currently weights 207 pounds, according to Ben Golliver of the Blazers Edge. Felton admitted that his conditioning issues to start the 2011-12 season significantly affected his play early on. 

• Avery Johnson says he understands Shaq's recent comments about ranking Brook Lopez ahead of Dwight Howard, saying that Lopez is "very talented" and that the Nets hope that his skills will all come together this year (Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News). 
• ESPN's Chris Broussard had a one-on-one interview with Joe Johnson about being in Brooklyn and calling the Nets the best team he's ever played with (Insider link). 
• Knicks head coach Mike Woodson weighed in on the importance of earning home court advantage, notes Jared Zwerling of ESPN New York. Zwerling also writes that Carmelo Anthony views the improved competition in the East as a factor that will encourage the team to play harder every game. 
• In another piece for ESPN New York, Zwerling talks about the early impact that Jason Kidd is having on the Knicks thus far and gets a veteran NBA advance scout's take of how the team can manage his role this season.

Earlier today, we heard Grizzlies power forward Darrell Arthur had suffered a leg fracture, and the team's website reports the left leg injury will keep him out four to six weeks. The timetable is longer for center Hamed Haddadi, who'll be rehabbing for the next eight weeks after right thumb surgery, according to the team. Since Marreese Speights enters camp as the only healthy big man on a guaranteed deal behind Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph, the injuries could represent an opportunity for camp invitees Jerome Jordan, Jarrid Famous and Michael Dunigan. Here's the rest of what's happening around the Association:

• Nick Young expressed his excitement about his new Sixers teammates to reporters today, including Dei Lynam of CSNPhilly.com. He also spoke about how he ended up in Philadelphia. "I was shocked. I didn’t see this being one of the places I was going to come to," he said. "(Coach) Doug (Collins) called me early, 6:00am L.A. time, and we were just talking and it was a great talk. He had a good spirit to him. He talked to my dad and my mom and once my mom started raving about him that was pretty much it."
• Brian T. Smith of The Salt Lake Tribune hears that Raja Bell and the Jazz haven't made any progress toward a buyout with the start of training camp looming just five days from now (Twitter links). 
• Jenni Carlson of The Oklahoman believes the Thunder are willing to become a taxpaying team to retain James Harden, but the question is just how much they're willing to dole out.
• Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel has details on some of the 23 new members of the Magic front office, coaching and scouting staffs, including recently retired guard Anthony Parker, who'll work as a scout.
• James Worthy's favorite offseason addition for the Lakers is Steve Nash, and the Hall-of-Fame forward has some strong criticism of Dwight Howard, as Kevin Ding of the Orange County Register writes. 

Wizards owner Ted Leonsis sat down with Washington Post columnist Mike Wise earlier this week to discuss a number of topics related to his team's offseason and its recent acquisitions. Leonsis provided a number of interesting quotes on the Wizards' roster decisions, so let's dive right in and check out the highlights....

On the decision to amnesty Andray Blatche:

"I [was] torn. I believe people should have second and third chances. On the other hand, I don’t know where he fits now in this lineup. On the other hand, he [was] the last remaining touchpoint from the previous teams. That’s what [was] being discussed and weighed.... I’m not afraid of amnestying him and paying him the money. We have turned the entire lineup in one and three-quarters seasons. We shouldn’t forget Gilbert [Arenas] played here John Wall’s rookie season until he traded himself to Orlando."

On whether Leonsis recognizes Blatche's contract extension was a mistake:

Yes -- we made a mistake. Although the NBA has had close to $250MM of amnestied players to date. Sometimes you get a chance to take a mulligan under the new rules and that is what we did."

On when a star player might want to come to Washington in free agency:

"I think when we can establish we’re a perennial playoff team and when we have one or two young stars -- real, legitimate stars. Everyone knows that John Wall is a burgeoning star.... I think most people in the league feel this year, next year that John has the opportunity, if he improves, to be a real star player.... I view it as my part of my mission as an owner to create an environment, fan base and player development system that allows him to be a star. I think it’s a two-way street. You can’t put the onus on just the player. You have to surround him with the right people, have the right coaches."

On the expectations for the coming season:

"I won’t be happy with our plan if we’re back in the lottery.... If we just miss making a playoff spot, no, the world is not going to end. If we’re picking third because we have the second-worst record, no, I will not be happy.... We’ve turned over the roster, turned over the coaching staff. We’ve have good drafts. We took the second-highest-paid player in the league -- I think one of the bloggers calculated he averaged $23K per minute -- and replaced him with two players that will play big minutes who each averaged 10-15 points a game. We were getting zero from Rashard [Lewis]."

On how the team's roster is different after this year's trades:

"Culturally, every one of these guys is a good guy. It’s a big change. And no one is playing for a contract. I don’t think Nick [Young] and JaVale [McGee] were bad people. But they wanted stats. I understand that, relate and get it. But they weren’t playing as a team. You saw at the end of the year with Nene, who already got his big contract, right. So stats weren’t important to him. The little things were important to him."

THURSDAY, 2:28pm: The Sixers have officially signed Young, the team announced today (Twitter link).

FRIDAY, 9:57am: The 76ers and Nick Young have agreed to terms on a contract, according to agent Mark Bartelstein (Twitter link via Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports). The deal will be for one year and $6MM, says Marc Stein of ESPN.com (via Twitter).

Young, 27, was acquired by the Clippers at this year's trade deadline, but after L.A. re-signed Chauncey Billups and added Jamal Crawford, it became clear Young would be playing somewhere else next season. The Lakers, Celtics, and Hornets were among the teams rumored to have some interest in the five-year veteran.

The Sixers' agreement with Young doesn't necessarily mean unrestricted free agent Lou Williams is headed elsewhere, but you have to think it doesn't bode especially well for Williams' future in Philadelphia.

2:47pm: Allen left Miami without giving the Heat an answer on their offer and is "torn" on whether to leave the Celtics, says Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com. TNT's David Aldridge adds (via Twitter) that the Grizzlies and Timberwolves are still options, though Allen doesn't have plans to visit either team. I'd guess his decision comes down to Miami and Boston.

FRIDAY, 1:54pm: The Timberwolves are the "dark-horse" in the chase for Allen, tweets Ric Bucher of ESPN.com. As Bucher acknowledges though, Minnesota is an extreme long shot.

12:56pm: The Clippers are out of the running for Allen after reaching deals with Jamal Crawford and Chauncey Billups.

12:47pm: To alleviate Allen's concerns about potentially becoming a trade chip, the Celtics are prepared to include a no-trade clause or trade kicker in their offer, says Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald.

10:16am: Even though they've agreed to terms with Jason Terry, the Celtics are still interested in bringing back Ray Allen. However, it appears the Heat and Clippers are in the lead to sign the veteran shooter, according to Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com. Windhorst says LeBron James and Chris Paul are both actively recruiting Allen on behalf of their respective teams.

We heard earlier this week that Allen was scheduled to visit the Heat today and the Clippers tomorrow. Both teams have made the 36-year-old a priority in free agency, though neither club can offer as much as the Celtics can, barring a sign-and-trade. The Heat have the $3.09MM mini mid-level to offer, while the Clips have the full $5MM mid-level. The Celtics are said to be willing to offer two years and $12MM to bring back Allen. The Grizzlies have also expressed interest for their $5MM MLE.

Allen's decision, which Windhorst says might happen by the end of the week, could have a significant impact on the offseason's shooting guard carousel. The Clippers are also considered to be the frontrunners for Jamal Crawford, though he is still weighing his options, according to TNT's David Aldridge (Twitter link). You'd have to assume that the Clips can only sign Allen or Crawford, rather than both. Meanwhile, if the Celtics miss out on Allen, they're "strongly considering" a pursuit of Nick Young, says Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio (via Twitter).

The Lakers are interested in Nick Young and Brandon Rush, Mike Bresnahan of The Los Angeles Times (via Twitter) has learned.  As Bresnahan rightfully notes, Young is unlikely to sign for the Lakers' $3MM mini-mid-level exception but Rush could be a possibility.

The Warriors officially tendered a one-year qualifying offer to Rush on Tuesday.  The soon-to-be 26-year-old could be tough to land as well, however, as Golden State GM Bob Myers has openly said that he wants to retain Rush.

As the first day of free agency continues, reports continue to pour in on teams reaching out to certain players, perhaps to schedule meetings or make contract offers. We've rounded up plenty of those items already today, but we'll use this space to follow a few more updates, as they come in....

• Jason Terry is drawing interest from the Celtics, Suns, Mavericks, Grizzlies, and Clippers, tweets Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports.
• Expect the Heat, Celtics, Lakers, Hawks, and Knicks to have interest in Rashard Lewis when he clears waivers, tweets Spears.
• Brandon Bass is interested in re-signing with the Celtics. However, the Pacers, Nets, Mavericks, Heat, Knicks, and Hawks are also intrigued, says Spears (via Twitter). The last three teams would likely need a sign-and-trade deal to have a chance at Bass.
• The Hornets have expressed interest in Nick Young, tweets John Reid of the New Orleans Times-Picayune.
• The Thunder may be the frontrunner for Hasheem Thabeet, says SI.com's Sam Amick (Sulia link).

It's past midnight on the East Coast, and that means teams may negotiate with free agents from other clubs, as the NBA's offseason gets under way in earnest. Players can't officially sign contracts until July 11, and trades can't be made official until that date either. That doesn't mean there won't be plenty of talk and agreements in principle between now and then, and if this evening is any indication, we're in for a busy couple of weeks ahead. There are several bits of news rolling in on free agents as July begins, so we'll round up what we're hearing around the late-night rumor mill here.

• The Lakers are seeking a point guard in free agency, and in addition to reaching out to Ramon Sessions, they're also targeting veterans like Chauncey Billups, Jameer Nelson, and Kirk Hinrich, according to Dave McMenamin of ESPNLosAngeles.com.
• In search of a center, the Mavericks have shown some interest in Hasheem Thabeet and Joel Przybilla, says Jeff Caplan of ESPNDallas.com.
• The Cavaliers have expressed interest in Jonny Flynn, tweets Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld. They're also eyeing Sonny Weems, according to Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio (Twitter link).

Earlier updates:

• The Mavericks are interested in Anthony Randolph, according to Jeff Caplan of ESPNDallas.com.
• Jamal Crawford was contacted by six teams tonight, with Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld identifying the Celtics, Suns, 76ers, Timberwolves, and Clippers, while Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com says the Pacers were also in touch.
• Seven teams contacted Ian Mahinmi when free agency opened, but the Mavericks weren't one of them, says Jeff Caplan of ESPNDallas.com.
• The Kings have reached out to Terrence Williams, tweets Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee.
• There are five or six teams ready to make Lou Williams a contract offer, tweets John Mitchell of the Philadelphia Inquirer.
• Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak has already called Ramon Sessions to open dialogue about a new contract, says Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times (via Twitter).
• Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports clarifies an earlier item on Omer Asik (linked below), tweeting that a Blazers contingent met with Asik tonight, but that GM Neil Olshey was meeting with another player.
• After his meeting with the Rockets tonight, Omer Asik will sit down with Blazers GM Neil Olshey, who plans to make him an offer, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports. 
• Rockets free agent Goran Dragic wants to be the starter no matter where he winds up, Wojnarowski also tweets.
• The Clippers will talk with Nick Young, Randy Foye and Jamal Crawford, Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times tweets.
• Lakers unrestricted free agent Jordan Hill will meet with the Wolves on Monday, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports. 
• The Nets are committed to reaching a deal with Mirza Teletovic but are waiting to find out what happens with Deron Williams first, reports Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News (Twitter link).
• Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak contacted Devin Ebanks via text message about re-signing him, tweets Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Times.
• Rockets GM Daryl Morey is meeting tonight with Bulls restricted free agent Omer Asik, and K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune hears the Rockets are prepared to offer Asik a deal worth $8MM a year (Twitter link).
• The Mavs may have interest in Wolves unrestricted free agent Michael Beasley, tweets Ken Berger of CBSSports.com. 
• The Clippers had contact tonight with Chauncey Billups' representatives, writes Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times.