Rumors, moves, injuries and newsmakers...

Does Cassell face a potential suitor Monday?; Big Ben, Wally World, West, and Smith look good for the Cavs; Hughes and Gooden debut for the Bulls; Bargnani bounces back; J.R. Smith heats up; The Shaq trade is already looking bad; and more...
SAM'S AUDITION? 
The NBA's Feb.21 trading deadline has come and passed, and plenty happened. Plenty also didn't happen, with a handful of established veterans staying put despite widespread rumors they would be moved. Players like Sam Cassell.

So what happens now? For Cassell and those other veterans, a new deadline looms: March 1st. That's the final date for players to join new teams and also be eligible for the playoffs. The Los Angeles Daily News reports Cassell is hoping to be bought out by the Clips, which stands to reason: at 38, he may not get too many more chances to help a team make a run at the rings.

While Cassell has been sidelined recently by a sore right wrist, on Monday he and his Clippers host the team Cassell was most linked to in trade rumors this season: the Boston Celtics. Will Sam I Am make it onto the court to remind the Celts what he can do?

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BULLS 
How much will Drew Gooden and Larry Hughes play now that they're with the Bulls? If Sunday is any measure, then they will play regularly, but not huge minutes (at least for the next little while). The two both came off the bench Sunday against the Rockets, with Gooden seeing 25 minutes and Hughes playing 22. It is very likely both will play larger roles going forward as they get used to the team's plays and style.

CAVALIERS 
So how are all the new Cavs fitting in with their new team? Excellently, if Sunday's debut is an indicator. Ben Wallace, Wally Szczerbiak, Delonte West, and Joe Smith all played Sunday against the Grizzlies, and the quartet were all impressive in their debuts. Big Ben looked rejuvenated with 12 points, 10 boards, and some stifling defense, while Wally World scored 10 points in 32 minutes off the bench. West started at the point for the Cavs (handing out six assists to go with five points) while West also came off the pine, chipping in 14 points and six rebounds to the 109-89 victory.

GRIZZLIES 
Draftng quality big-men has always been riskier than draft guards, simply because the big fellas traditionally don't pan out as much. Interestingly, the Grizzlies have two of the most high-profile disappointments at center in recent years: Darko Milicic (drafted No.2 overall in 2003) and Kwame Brown (taken No.1 overall in 2001). On Sunday, Darko seemed to lose his starting gig to Kwame, who made his first start at center since be acquired by the Grizz at the start of February. At this point, neither player is really a great fantasy option

MAVERICKS 
Wonder if it will take long for Jason Kidd to make the Mavs a better team? Don't wonder much longer, because he's already doing it, and in impressive fashion. On Sunday, playing in just his third contest since being acquired from New Jersey, Kidd dropped 17 assists, 12 points, four steals, and seven boards on the Timberwolves to lead Dallas to a 99-83 win over the Timberwolves.

NETS 
He won't likely be starting once Devin Harris recovers from a sprained ankle in a couple of weeks, but Marcus Williams is making the most of his time as a starter. With Jason Kidd now in Dallas, Williams has started the past four games for the Nets and has looked excellent. In his second start (Feb.20 against the Bulls) Williams dropped 25 points on the Bulls, and in his fourth start (Saturday versus the Pacers) Williams handed out 13 assists.

NUGGETS 
Now might be a good time to scoop up J.R. Smith off the wire in your fantasy league (if he's still there). While he's still not in the starting five for the Nuggets, the uber-talented scorer is finishing games for them and has been on a hot streak lately. Over his past six games Smith is averaging 22 points per game, including a 43-point explosion on Friday night against the

PISTONS 
Winning in the NBA is all about making adjustments, and to their credit, that's what the Pistons have been doing. For the past half decade they have been renowned for leaving their dependable starting five on the floor for most of the game, but this season they're getting a lot of mileage out of playing their young bench. Sunday was a perfect example of their new regime, as the quintet of Jason Maxiell, Jarvis Hayes, Amir Johnson, Rodney Stuckey, and Arron Afflalo played at least 16 minutes apiece in Detroit's 116-86 blowout win over Phoenix.

RAPTORS 
What's wrong with Andrea Bargnani? Apparently only some inconsistency. After starting February with an impressive string of games that made him appear to put his sophomore slump behind him, Il Mago practically disappeared in two recent games that saw him average just 4.5 points per outing. But Sunday the lanky big-man bounced back again with an impressive 25 points, seven boards, and five assists in Toronto's 115-92 trouncing of the Knicks.

  SUNS 
Is the Shaquille O'Neal trade already turning into a bust for the Suns? Many NBA execs and observers openly doubted the wisdom in moving a superstar in his prime (Shawn Marion) for an aging, declining, and badly-fit O'Neal when the trade was consummated a few weeks ago. Now, after three games, the Suns are 1-2 with Shaq, including Sunday's embarrassing 116-86 loss to Detroit. While O'Neal is averaging 11.3 rebounds per game as a Sun, he is also managing just 8.7 points per game.

TRAIL BLAZERS 
The worst-case scenario for the Blazers: to lose Brandon Roy for an extended period of time. So it's obvious that the team is holding its breath right now as they await further word on their superstar guard's sprained right ankle. On Sunday Roy sustained an aggravation of a previous ankle injury, and it's unknown how long he might be sidelined. If he's out long, look for Martell Webster, Travis Outlaw, and Jarrett Jack to see added playing time for Portland.