NBA Rumors Roundup: Stephen Curry Rolls Ankle, Posey to NY Knicks Off and More

Most free agents have signed, and the trade rumors simmering around the NBA have cooled down, but there is still a flurry of activity going down prior to the 2011-12 season beginning.

With a number of players on the trade block and a few others still deciding on where they'll play this season, the rumor mill will almost certainly be churning well after the campaign tips off.

Teams are wrapping up preseason games and a heavily expedited offseason is shortly coming to a close, and Christmas Day can't come soon enough.

Greivis Vasquez

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The New Orleans Hornets are looking to add some depth to the roster, and the team has expressed an interest in Memphis' reserve guard.

Vasquez, a 6'6" second-year player, performed well for the Grizzlies during his inaugural season, and it's not a surprise to see the Hornets show some interest as a backup to Jarrett Jack.

The team doesn't have much to offer in return outside of Quincy Pondexter in exchange for Vasquez, and that makes a potential trade between these two clubs tough to concoct.

Dante Cunningham

Cunningham, a restricted free agent, hasn't generated much interest on the open market to this point, but it looks as if he may have finally found a home.

After the Grizzlies lost Darrell Arthur for the season due to a torn Achilles tendon, Memphis extended a three-year offer sheet to Cunningham which Charlotte has three days to match.

The Bobcats roster is pretty much set despite the obvious lack of talent in the fold, and Cunningham would represent a versatile player coming at a reasonable price if signed.

Reggie Evans

Evans is a gritty, tenacious player who isn't afraid to leave it all out on the court, and he is an absolute beast when it comes to patrolling the glass.

After taking his time to decide between a handful of offers, Evans decided that he'd join the party in Los Angeles and hook up with the Clippers on a one-year deal worth the veteran's minimum.

He's an excellent addition to a club that needed to add front court depth behind DeAndre Jordan and Blake Griffin, and Evans should fit in very well into a transformed locker room.

James Posey

Posey was cut loose by the Pacers using the amnesty clause, and after being so seldom used by the team, it'll be interesting to see how much he may have left in the tank.

New York was known to have him on the radar, but after adding Baron Davis and the (official) signing of Steve Novak looming once he clears waivers on Wednesday, the Knicks no longer see Posey as a piece of the puzzle.

He'll almost certainly have his tires kicked by some team looking to add leadership, experience and depth to the bench, but he may have to wait a little longer than expected to find his new home.

James Harden

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Harden is on the verge of a full-fledged breakout season for Oklahoma City, and this may finally be the time he finds himself in the starting lineup.

Scott Brooks is usually very cryptic with the plan for his team, but he seemingly left the door wide open to the idea of Harden shaking his sixth man role to begin the game on the court.

A lineup of Russell Westbrook, Harden, Kevin Durant, Serge Ibaka and Kendrick Perkins can cause a lot of problems if it stays healthy throughout the regular season, and it's easy to see why so many people are excited about the future of the Thunder.

Samuel Dalembert

Dalembert has found himself in an odd spot and still without a team, but after Chuck Hayes' heart condition forced the Kings to void his physical, it opened up an avenue for the big man's return.

The lengthy center said that if everything aligns, he'll return to the Kings on a short-term deal, and that should be a move beneficial to both sides.

The shot-blocker will get an opportunity to re-enter the free-agent market in the foreseeable future and return to a team where he's already familiar with what is being asked of him.

Stephen Jackson

Jackson has been dealing with a bad back since training camp opened up, and there were some concerns after he got a second opinion on it.

Despite an uncertain prognosis, Jackson returned to the Bucks on Tuesday and pronounced himself ready to practice, so it shouldn't be a long-term issue for the newly acquired scorer.

He'll play a big role in the backcourt alongside Brandon Jennings for the Bucks this year, and the team is hoping his arrival translates to a better finish to the season.

Stephen Curry

Curry's surgically repaired ankle was the talk of the summer during the lockout, and all indications have pointed to him feeling much better after rest and rehab.

In a preseason game on Tuesday night, Curry gave everybody a scare when he rolled the same ankle and went down to the court in a heap.

He left the game and exited the arena on crutches, and the promising young guard will be re-evaluated on Wednesday to see what type of damage may have been done.

Paul Pierce

Pierce's mysterious heel injury has some in Boston worried, and Doc Rivers is already questioning his availability to play in the Christmas Day opening affair.

The Celtics leader feels that it's the type of injury that gets worse if he were to try and play through it, and Rivers admitted that he is concerned about Pierce's short-term availability.

If he is forced to sit on the sidelines for an extended period, it's really going to hurt this team, and Boston has to be hoping that Pierce gets back out on the court very shortly.

Houston Rockets Have Agreed to Deal with Samuel Dalembert

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Samuel Dalembert has reached an agreement with the Houston Rockets on a two-year deal according to Marc Stein of ESPN.

For a team in desperate need of size, this was a much needed signing—Jordan Hill and Hasheem Thabeet don't exactly inspire confidence.

Dalembert will provide a solid presence on the boards and patrol the paint as the team's enforcer. He should be a nice complement to Luis Scola.