After looking at the NBA's most cap-friendly deals a week ago, Grantland's Bill Simmons returns today with his picks for the league's top 30 worst contracts. Within the piece, Simmons passes along an interesting nugget regarding the Thunder's James Harden trade talks.

Multiple sources tell Simmons that the Warriors were the first team Sam Presti called when he explored a Harden deal, as Oklahoma City hoped to land Klay Thompson. However, Golden State, wary of future tax bills, wanted the Thunder to take back Richard Jefferson or Andris Biedrins, rather than cheaper or shorter-term contracts, which resulted in Presti exploring other options and eventually reaching an agreement with the Rockets.

While the Warriors would have been in line for a huge tax bill for 2013/14 if they'd extended Harden to go along with all the other big-money contracts on their books, it's hard not to be intrigued imagining what a Harden/Stephen Curry backcourt would have looked like.

Here are a few more Friday notes from around the Western Conference:

• Sports marketing expert David Carter spoke to Sam Amick of USA Today about the Kings sale, exploring whether Sacramento is a better basketball market than Seattle, why a public subsidy in Sacramento's arena proposal could appeal to the NBA, and a handful of other topics.
• ESPN.com's Chris Broussard explains why he believes it's in Dwight Howard's best interests to re-sign with the Lakers this summer.
• Another busy summer is in store for the Mavericks, as the team continues to seek a talent that would make Dirk Nowitzki the second-best player on the roster, writes Dwain Price of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
• Despite the team's projected cap space, the future isn't looking particularly bright for the Mavericks, according to Gil Lebreton of the Star-Telegram.

In addition to publishing a new installment of his Postups column, Ken Berger of CBSports.com joined Kevin Corke (video link) to discuss a few trade rumors. Here are a few items of note from both Berger links:

• The Warriors don't necessarily have to get under the tax threshold this year, but at some point they're interested in getting out from under Andris Biedrins' and/or Richard Jefferson's contracts. Golden State may be willing to include a first-round pick to move one of those two players.
• Berger feels like the Mavericks could be a darkhorse for Josh Smith, despite reports indicating that Dallas isn't interested. The Mavs have at least internally discussed the possibility of making a run at Smith, says Berger.
• While Sacramento isn't expected to officially present its bid to keep the Kings to the NBA's Board of Governors until April, mayor Kevin Johnson will be in Houston this weekend to update David Stern on his progress and to lobby team owners to not give up on Sacramento.
• The player's union is also expected to meet during All-Star weekend to decide on Billy Hunter's future. However, even if the player reps vote to oust the executive director, Hunter may challenge the authority and composition of the union's new interim executive committee. Such a decision could also open the door for a civil lawsuit.

The Warriors will be adding one potential impact player to their rotation for the season's second half, but he'll be returning from an injury rather than arriving via trade. According to Marcus Thompson of the Bay Area News Group, while Golden State is welcoming Andrew Bogut back to the lineup, it's highly unlikely that the team acquires another player via trade. One team source told Thompson that the odds of a Warriors move are "remote."

The Warriors wouldn't mind adding a big man, and Thompson mentions names like Timofey Mozgov and DeJuan Blair as potential fits. The club could also use a backup shooting guard or an athletic wing. However, acquiring anyone that fits that bill would likely require Golden State to give up a player it likes, in which case the team would prefer to stand pat.

The Warriors are also slightly above the luxury-tax threshold, so if anything compelled the team to make a move, it might be a desire to get out of tax territory. Still, Thompson believes the Warriors would have to shed a big contract like Richard Jefferson's or Andris Biedrins' to get below the tax line, which is extremely unlikely.

Even without Bogut for most of the season, the Warriors are exceeding expectations, having recorded a 28-17 record so far, good for fifth in the Western Conference.

Earlier today, Ken Berger of CBSSports.com reported that 24 Hour Fitness founder Mark Mastrov, who previously attempted to buy the Golden State Warriors, is interested in buying the Kings from the Maloof brothers and keeping the team in Sacramento. For a full recap of Berger's information and other reports that have emerged today regarding a potential Kings sale, keep an eye on HoopsRumors.com's roundup.

Berger wrote another column today that features updates on several high-profile players who may be on the move at the trading deadline. Here are the highlights:

• Berger gives an update of the rumors surrounding the Grizzlies' efforts to move Rudy Gay. The Warriors, Suns, Raptors, and Kings have shown the most interest in trading for the seven-year veteran, whom Berger writes the Grizzlies are looking to move primarily to avoid paying luxury tax.
• Berger writes that the Suns' offer would be centered around Jared Dudley, draft picks, and the ability to absorb the majority of Gay's contract. The Raptors could offer Andrea Bargnani and Jose Calderon, although the Grizzlies are looking to get at least one good young player in return.
• A potential deal with the Warriors is unlikely, writes Berger, because it would likely involve Memphis taking back either Andris Biedrins or Richard Jefferson, neither of whom the Grizzlies have any interest in.
• Berger writes that the Knicks are open to trading Amare Stoudemire for cap relief, although he does not believe it likely that a team would be willing to trade for him given his health and contract.
• Berger is more optimistic that the Celtics would be able to move Paul Pierce if they were so inclined, because his contract is only partially guaranteed for next season and he is still performing at a high level.

9:19pm: The Cavaliers would appear to be an ideal trading partner considering the amount of cap space, draft picks, and young talent they have, but the Grizzlies have not had any discussions with them about Gay nor would they likely be interested in what Cleveland would be willing to concede (Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio reports). 

6:25pm: Matt Moore of CBS Sports writes that the Grizzlies are said to only be interested in a salary dump and view draft picks as the only value return.  

4:37pm: The Kings and Celtics are other teams that have had conversations with the Grizzlies about Gay, according to Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld. Kennedy also points out that the Rockets and Raptors have shown interest in Gay in the past, and are candidates to re-enter the mix.

12:37pm: The Warriors also engaged in preliminary discussions with the Grizzlies about Gay, but talks didn't go anywhere, reports Marcus Thompson of the Bay Area News Group. The Warriors like Gay, but the Grizzlies aren't interested in taking on any of Golden State's bad contracts (ie. Richard Jefferson), and the Warriors likely don't have the combination of young players and draft picks that Memphis is seeking, according to Thompson.

Zach Lowe of Grantland reported last week that the Warriors had "long coveted" Gay, but said they didn't seem to be a good match as a trade partner for the Grizzlies.

11:04am: The Grizzlies and Suns are engaged in trade talks centered around Rudy Gay, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports. According to Wojnarowski, there's no framework of a deal in place at the moment, but the Grizzlies have "expressed a strong desire" that any package include Jared Dudley and future first-round picks.

Grantland's Zach Lowe reported last week that the Grizzlies were willing to make Gay available for cap and tax purposes, and mentioned Phoenix as one team that could get involved. The Suns' room under the cap and extra first-round picks make them a decent match for Gay and the Grizzlies, though Wojnarowski notes that there are doubts within the Suns' organization about whether the team can absorb Gay's contract, which has two more years and over $37MM remaining on it after this season.

According to Wojnarowski, the Grizzlies have been shopping Gay to multiple clubs in an effort to avoid paying the luxury tax this season. The new ownership and management group isn't confident that the team, as constructed, is strong enough to contend for the Western Conference title, says Wojnarowski.

It was a big day for the Warriors on Wednesday, as the team locked up point guard Stephen Curry to a four-year, $44MM extension, then went out and beat the Suns in a nailbiter in Phoenix, despite a rough outing from Curry. As the Warriors prepare for tomorrow's home opener against the Grizzlies, let's round up a few notes on the team, courtesy of Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News (all links go to Twitter):

• Curry's $44MM deal is fully guaranteed and doesn't contain any injury clauses, according to Kawakami. It'll start at just over $10MM next season.
• Kawakami estimates that Curry's extension means Golden State will have about $73.6MM committed to nine players for 2013/14. I'm not sure the team salary heading into the summer will be quite that high -- by my count, the Warriors' nine players will cost between $65MM and $66MM, though Kawakami's figure would be within reach if Carl Landry and Brandon Rush each exercised their $4MM player options. Either way, the luxury tax looks like a real possibility.
• Despite the Warriors' significant 2013/14 salary commitments, Kawakami doesn't expect big contracts like Richard Jefferson's and Andris Biedrins' to be moved. As he points out, it's hard to move that sort of salary without either taking on longer-term money or giving up draft picks.

Brandon Roy's knee appears to be holding up so far for the Timberwolves, an early sign that his $10.4MM contract might prove a shrewd gamble by GM David Kahn. We've heard about the influence Roy's friend and current teammate Will Conroy had on channeling him to the Wolves, but that's not the only push Conroy gave him.

• Roy wasn't sure about coming back at all until Conroy sold him on the idea, Ray Richardson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press writes. "He was one of the main influences for me to take it serious," Roy said about Conroy. "I was kind of playing around at first, but he was the one who told me, 'You're not done.' He was real big for my confidence."
• In the same piece, Conroy insists to Richardson that Roy's presence isn't the reason why he was invited to Wolves camp. "I'm here because they thought I could help the team," said Conroy, who was also in camp with the Wolves last year. "Kahn and (coach Rick) Adelman know what I can do."
• Richard Jefferson said he experienced "culture shock" after his trade from the Spurs to the Warriors last season, according to Marcus Thompson II of the Bay Area News Group. Jefferson says the laid-back atmosphere that disturbed him last year has changed with the additions of Jarrett Jack and Carl Landry, the return of Andrew Bogut from injury, and a stricter attitude from coach Mark Jackson. 
• As for Bogut, the big man expects he'll be ready for game action when the regular season opens, but Matt Steinmetz of CSNBayArea.com says there's a legitimate chance he could need more time.
• Jeff Duncan of The Times-Picayune shares initial observations from some of the Hornets about top-pick Anthony Davis, two preseason games into his NBA career. 
• Though to a smaller degree than Davis, 25th overall pick Tony Wroten is also making his presence felt for the Grizzlies, as Ronald Tillery of the Memphis Commercial Appeal examines.

Earlier today, we heard from ESPN.com's Chris Broussard that the Nuggets and Warriors had discussed the possibility of a trade that would send the No. 7 pick to Denver and Wilson Chandler to Golden State. Broussard is back with more Warriors info this afternoon, tweeting that the team is eyeing other small forwards besides Chandler, including Rudy Gay, Andre Iguodala, and Marvin Williams. No deals are imminent, according to Broussard, but the Warriors are a good bet to be active either today or tomorrow. Marcus Thompson of the Bay Area News Group has a few more Warriors items, so let's check those out:

• The Warriors do like Chandler, but may not believe he's worth the seventh overall pick, says Thompson. Golden State would want Denver to take on a bad contract like Richard Jefferson's or Andris Biedrins' in order for the deal to work.
• If Andre Drummond is available when the Warriors pick at No. 7, expect Golden State to call up the Rockets to try to work out a deal. The Warriors don't have nearly the same interest in Drummond as Houston does, though some members of Golden State's front office would be willing to roll the dice on the UConn big man.
• The Warriors have also spoken to Milwaukee about trading down to No. 12. A recent report suggested a swap of Luc Mbah a Moute and the 12th pick for the 7th pick, but Thompson thinks the Warriors are more likely to try to reacquire Ekpe Udoh. [Update: Thompson corrects himself in a tweet, noting that the Warriors are ineligible to reacquire Udoh this season.]
• Thompson tweets that rival teams keep inquiring about the availability of Klay Thompson and Stephen Curry, but that GM Bob Myers isn't interested in trading either player. Thompson is the most unmovable Warriors at the moment, according to the Bay Area News Group scribe.
• Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News adds, via Twitter, that the Warriors appear to be "really trying" to move Dorell Wright.

Reports continue to suggest that the Trail Blazers are enamored by Damian Lillard, enough to draft him sixth overall. Such a move would mean that one of the players initially viewed as a consensus top-six pick, Andre Drummond, could be available when the Warriors picked seventh overall. According to Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News, there could be a very interesting debate among Warriors execs if Drummond was on the board at No. 7. For what it's worth, our mock draft earlier this week had Lillard to Portland at six and Drummond slipping to the Raptors at eight.

Let's round up a few more Warriors-related rumors from Marcus Thompson of the Bay Area News Group....

• The Warriors haven't talked to the Bulls about the possibility of acquiring Luol Deng, but Deng would be on the team's short-list of veteran small forward targets. Thompson suggests Golden State could offer a package centered around the 7th pick and Richard Jefferson.
• Even though Klay Thompson is already on board as the starting shooting guard, the Warriors like Dion Waiters and Terrence Ross a lot. The club figures to target the best player available, so the roster overlap shouldn't be a major factor, says Thompson.
• Some teams at the end of the first round, such as the Thunder and Heat, may have interest in trading out of the first round to avoid adding a guaranteed contract. Thompson speculates that perhaps a package of the Warriors' two second-rounders (Nos. 35 and 52) would interest the clubs at the back of round one.

In his first game since becoming a member of the Warriors, Richard Jefferson had a tough go, making just two of 14 shots and scoring nine points in just under 38 minutes of play. On Thursday, the Spurs dealt Jefferson for veteran swingman Stephen Jackson. Due to the approximate $30 million due his way over the next three years (including an $11 million player option in 2013-14 which he's likely to exercise), the Warriors were questioned for making the deal.

Here are a few other notes from around the league. 

• John Denton tweets that Otis Smith is content with the Magic roster and can't see adding any of the recently bought out vets like Derek Fisher and Ronny Turiaf.  CBS Sports' Matt Moore explores potential landing spots for Fisher.  
• The Blazers have announced a Monday press conference for Jonny Flynn and Hasheem Thabeet, suggesting they passed their physicals (via Mike Tokito tweet).
• Yesterday, Yahoo! Sports' Marc J. Spears wrote a detailed feature on Lamar Odom's struggles in Dallas. Inside the piece, Spears notes that Odom formally requested a buyout in February, but was rejected by owner Mark Cuban and general manager Donnie Nelson. 
• Upon hearing that Ronny Turiaf has officially been bought out by the Nuggets, WEEI.com's Paul Flannery takes a look into whether the Celtics might be interested in bringing the 6'10" Frenchman aboard. Boston made no moves at the trade deadline but with the future of Jermaine O'Neal still in serious doubt, they're still in need of a big man or two. 
• Since taking over for the Trail Blazers former head coach Nate McMillan, Kaleb Canales has decided to utilize LaMarcus Aldridge more from the elbow. According to CSNNW.com's Chris Haynes, the move was made before Friday night's win against Chicago, and Portland's best player has said he's enjoying the change.