NBA Rumors and News Roundup: Latest on Dwight Howard Trade, Steph Curry's Ankle

Dwight Howard trade rumors and Stephen Curry's ankle are two topics that fans can bank on hearing a lot about as the 2011-12 NBA season progresses.

Now that the action is in full swing, we have already seen some very interesting story lines begin to play out, and the league will be filled with intrigue and excitement during a heavily anticipated shortened season.

There are going to be a lot of injuries and a myriad of trade rumors to accompany them, so we certainly won't run out of things to discuss at any point during the year.

Joel Przybilla

Przybilla would have had a new team already had he not been wavering on his stance on whether he wants to continue playing or not, but it would be a surprise to see him remain home for the entire year.

The Bucks are targeting him to be the backup for Andrew Bogut, and his agent confirmed that several other teams are interested in bringing him aboard as well.

Although he declined to give specifics, both Miami and Los Angeles (Clippers) are thought to be contending to sign him, but there's no question a plethora of teams with size concerns could use him.

Erick Dampier

Dampier really didn't show much to be desired during his tenure with Miami, and he hasn't received many nibbles around the league.

The Celtics have serious concerns in the middle, and after previously expressing some interest in Dampier during the the onset of free agency, it's possible the team could look to revisit the idea of adding him.

He wouldn't really be an upgrade over Jermaine O'Neal, but with Chris Wilcox dinged up and Greg Stiemsma not ready to play, the Celtics have to start looking for unorthodox solutions.

J.J. Barea

Barea and Rubio have been playing in spurts together on the court, and the diminutive guard pairing has produced in more favorable fashion than some could have expected.

After sustaining a quad contusion during the preseason, Barea injured the hamstring on his same leg during Tuesday night's game and was seen "limping noticeably" in the locker room afterward.

Although he's currently listed as day-to-day, it definitely wouldn't be surprising whatsoever to see him miss at least one game in the near future in order to return to full strength and prevent aggravation.

Derrick Favors

Favors starting ahead of Paul Millsap might have been a shock to some, but it doesn't sound like Utah has any plans to make an alteration to that plan in the near future.

Coach Tyrone Corbin believes that Favors has earned the starting gig, and kicking Millsap to the second unit allows the Jazz to boast a more productive second unit.

Favors' size allows him to bang around with some big bodies down low, and if he can learn to stay out of foul trouble, he'll be a force to be reckoned with in a hurry.

Matt Barnes

Barnes was locked into a battle against Devin Ebanks for the starting job prior to the season, but he's seemingly fallen out of the rotation since he was relegated to a bench role.

Although he's been available to play, Barnes is battling a case of bursitis in his hip, and that could be a lot more cumbersome than either he or the Lakers are letting on.

It would be mildly shocking if Barnes continues to sit at the end of the bench, as his defensive tenacity is something his team could certainly use on the court.

Chris Wilcox

Wilcox looked like a solid addition to add depth to the bench prior to the season beginning, but his $3 million salary makes him look like slightly less of a bargain as initially believed.

He's struggled to play the role the team has asked him to undertake in the early going, and now he's on the sidelines with a shoulder injury.

The veteran big man has already been ruled out of action for Wednesday's game, and the team has to be hopeful that it doesn't turn into a long-term concern.

Kyrylo Fesenko

Fesenko had a ridiculous number of teams lining up for him before he finally made a decision as to where he'll sign next, and his choice of team is an awfully interesting one.

The still-developing big man agreed to a one-year pact with Golden State, and now the Warriors are rolling with a rotation of Andris Biedrins, Kwame Brown and Fesenko.

That isn't exactly the most inspiring group of talent, especially when the team has more than $17 million invested in the three of them for just this season.

Jeremy Lin

Lin has been waived by both the Warriors and Rockets already this season, but that hasn't stopped him from continuing to chase his hoop dreams.

The Harvard grad was claimed off waivers by the New York Knicks, and it's a move that makes sense in the short-term with veteran point guard Mike Bibby battling a bad back and Iman Shumpert sidelined with a knee sprain.

His contract is non-guaranteed, so it's a low-risk move for a team that needs help in interim.

Jeff Green

Green had his contract voided by the Celtics after failing his physical due to an aortic aneurysm, but he's still very much a part of the Boston roster.

There's an interesting wrinkle in Green being out for the season, as he will now once again be a restricted free agent during the 2012 offseason.

While that might not be a big deal for some, it hurts his leverage in negotiations with other teams and could result in a more favorable contract from the Celtics perspective should the team be interested in retaining him.

Paul Pierce

Pierce has been forced to sit out the first two games of Boston's regular season due to an ongoing heel issue, but the team is not expecting it to be a long-term absence.

Although he's been ruled out of Wednesday's game against New Orleans, Pierce is hoping to return to the court on Friday, which would mean he'd miss just three games for the Celtics.

Not so coincidentally, Friday also marks Boston's home opener, so it shouldn't come as any sort of surprise that Pierce is pushing to be ready for that game.

Stephen Curry

Curry's ankle issue is going to be problematic all season, as he's already rolled it twice after having it surgically repaired in the offseason.

Despite an MRI revealing nothing more than just a sprain, Curry will reportedly sit out Wednesday's game against the Knicks in order to give his ankle ample time to heal prior to Golden State's next contest.

As long as he avoids any sort of structural damage to the area, Curry is going to keep going out there and be an integral part of everything that the Warriors do this year.

Dwight Howard

Orlando might not be actively shopping Howard at this time, but that certainly won't prevent speculation about where he might land, and it definitely won't hold up any other interested teams from calling.

If the Magic decide to move the franchise center, it will be in a package for "multiple established veterans" rather than youthful pieces, as the 85-year-old owner of the team has no interest in going through a rebuilding process with his club.

The Hawks have checked in on Howard despite Atlanta not being on Howard's short list of preferred destinations. It will be very entertaining to see how this saga ultimately unfolds.