Rumors, moves, injuries and newsmakers...

Dwyane's done for the season; Iverson plays on through cracked finger; Butler practices again; 3-D for LeBron and Hedo; Smith on fire again for Denver; Ricky and Cook fill in for Wade; and more...

NO WADE! 
There were rumors about it, so it's not exactly a shocker. But Dwyane Wade is gone for the rest of this NBA season.

The superstar combo guard will miss the final quarter of Miami's season (20 games) after team boss Pat Riley announced Wade will have shock-wave therapy on his sore left knee. The loss of Wade is actually not nearly as relevant to the Heat (who are an NBA-worst 11-50) as it is to fantasy poolies, who will be losing roughly 25 points, seven assists, and 1.7 steals per game for the rest of the way.

So who will step up in Miami to replace the rehabbing superstar? The most likely fill-ins are Ricky Davis and rookie Daequan Cook. Davis is a known commodity capable of big numbers, while Cook has been good whenever given regular playing time. And expect even more from the already-overworked Shawn Marion. The Heat play next on Wednesday, at home to the Knicks.

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THE ANSWER PLAYS THROUGH PAIN 
Once again, Allen Iverson is playing through pain. The aging but still-dominant combo guard reportedly has a fracture at the end of his right ring finger, but he suited up and played Monday against the Spurs and scored 28 points against a tough defense. INTEL: Iverson has a long history of playing regardless of pain or minor injuries. Be aware that this most recent problem might affect his shooting, which might in turn affect his percentages and scoring stats. But don't expect a big drop-off from the Answer.

BUTLER BACK AT PRACTICE 
On Monday All-Star small forward Caron Butler practiced with the Wizards for the first time since being knocked out of action Feb.5. A hip injury has sidelined the do-it-all small forward for over a month. INTEL: With Butler back the Wizards look like a very dangerous team, especially since Gilbert Arenas is also getting healthy. Butler may not be quite as dominant on his return, partially because of his injury and partially because he will have to share the ball with Arenas again.

ANOTHER LEBRON TRIPLE-DUB 
With 24 points, 11 assists, and 10 boards on Monday, LeBron James now has seven triple-doubles this season. His latest 3-D effort came in Cleveland's 88-80 win over the Trail Blazers. INTEL: It goes without saying that LeBron is a fantasy goldmine. What will be interesting is whether he finally cops his first league MVP award, especially with Kobe Bryant and Tracy McGrady playing so well out West. Despite his heroics, James still needs to hit more free throws and his team is still just 37-27.

HEDO SEEING 3-D 
Continuing with his true breakout season, Orlando swingman Hedo Turkoglu posted a triple-double Monday against the Hawks, dropping 23 points, 13 assists, and 10 boards in the Magic's 123-112 win. INTEL: Turkoglu remains a somewhat streaky player because so much of his game is often perimeter-based, but there's no arguing that he has top-tier talent. Head coach Stan Van Gundy has done a great job of recognizing that, giving him a bigger role than he had before, and letting him become a key go-to guy for Orlando.

J.R. CONTINUES TO PRODUCE 
Continuing his consistent scoring of late, Nuggets' sixth man J.R. Smith scored 22 points Monday in just 29 minutes in Denver's 107-103 loss to the Spurs. INTEL: Even though Smith is averaging a healthy 25 minutes per game over his last five outings, this doesn't necessarily mean he will become a starter anytime soon. The one thing you can count on is that Smith will score points no matter how much time he gets, but head coach George Karl hasn't yet indicated that he's ready to let Smith play more than reserve minutes.

RICKY STEPS UP FOR MIAMI 
With Dwyane Wade sitting out the rest of the season, Ricky Davis appears to be ready for a big boost in playing time. Monday Davis started at small forward and posted 27 points, six assists, and three steals in Miami's 99-98 loss to the Clippers. INTEL: Davis has always been dogged by a reputation as a me-first player, but the fact is he's a very professional performer who is a pass-first swingman. Now that he's starting he will put up star-caliber stats in scoring and assists.

HEAT ROOK COOKIN' 
First-year guard Daequan Cook got the start at shooting guard Monday in place of Dwyane Wade, who has been shut down for the rest of the season to rehab his sore knee. Cook responded with 23 points and two helpers in the Heat's 99-98 loss to the Clips. INTEL: Cook has a lot of talent and has had a very solid rookie campaign so far for a player who is only 20 years old. This is a nice performance from a guy who just got called back from the D-League, and Cook has the goods to keep up the good work going forward.

MIAMI WAIVES SMUSH 
Over three months after placing point guard Smush Parker on the inactive list, the Miami Heat waived him Monday. He was originally declared inactive after getting into an altercation with a parking attendant. INTEL: The Heat had been trying to move Parker's deal for months but found no takers. Now they will have to eat part of his contract. He remains a talented guard, but after having attitude problems in both Lakerland and Miami, Parker's likelihood of playing a big role for another team soon looks unlikely. When you rub Phil Jackson and Pat Riley the wrong way, it's not great for your rep as a coach's player.

CAT CLIPS THE HEAT 
Cuttino Mobley continued his up-and-down season Monday with another 'up' effort, posting 29 points, six boards, and three steals to lead the Clippers to a 99-98 win over the Heat in Miami. INTEL: 'Cat' came off the bench in this one, as L.A. head coach Mike Dunleavy appears to once again be enamoured with the idea of having the not-so-productive Quinton Ross start at shooting guard. Mobley can still have the occasional good night, but this probably doesn't indicate a return to above-average statistical output.

RATLIFF TAKES TWO 
Is Theo Ratliff suddenly becoming a fantasy factor again? After signing recently with the Pistons, the veteran center has started two straight games in place of the ailing Rasheed Wallace, who has been out nursing a sore ankle. INTEL: Ratliff's primary fantasy value is as a shot-blocker, and he has produced in that category during the two starts (averaging 2.5 swats per game). That said, with Wallace expected back soon, don't expect Ratliff to become a fantasy force the rest of the way.