NBA Rumors and News Roundup: LeBron's Birthday, Dwight Howard Trade Talk, More

The injuries are beginning to pile up around the NBA, and roster depth is going to be tested early and often during the 2011-12 season.

With action going down every night, there is no shortage of basketball to watch for fans who have been anxious for it during an extended offseason, and there have already been several intriguing stories to watch.

Teams have been inconsistent, but that should've been expected, and there is no reason to get too high or too low on your favorite club.

Mo Evans

Mo Evans has had a troublesome knee issue that has kept him on the sidelines, and it doesn't appear as if it's going to improve at any point in the near future.

The veteran swingman is set to receive an MRI on the area, and Evans concerned that another surgery could be forthcoming due to the swelling and soreness of his knee.

The Wizards are a team looking for some semblance, and a loss of a reliable producer off the bench like Evans won't help this team turn the corner.

Malcolm Lee

Lee was a second-round pick of Minnesota in the 2011 draft, and it was surprising to see the franchise give him a three-year, fully guaranteed deal.

He showed some flash of his potential in the preseason, but his surgically-repaired knee is causing him problems, and he's going to get an opinion on it as a result.

Minnesota won't push him to play through the pain, and even if he has avoided any sort of structural damage, it may be a while before we see him on the court.

Mike Conley

Conley sustained a sprained ankle in the opening moments of Wednesday's game, and he's not expected to be back out on the court this weekend.

The young point guard was still in a walking boot on Thursday, and he's a near certainty to miss at least the next two games for Memphis.

Jeremy Pargo will get the starting nod in his absence, but the sooner Conley can get back on the court, the better it will be for the Grizzlies chances of winning.

Baron Davis

The lack of a true point guard is killing the Knicks in facilitating the offense right now, but don't expect to see Baron Davis' back miraculously heal.

There have been varying reported timetables as to when he might return, but Mike D'Antoni confirmed that he doesn't expect to see Davis in a game for about another five weeks.

New York is going to have to learn how to operate with Toney Douglas running the show in the meantime, and it's clear this club has a lot to figure out.

Andrew Bynum

Bynum has been watching his teammates play through the first four games of the season, and it's pretty amazing Los Angeles has gone 2-2 without him inside.

Now that his four-game suspension is up, he'll return to the starting five and give the Lakers have a very strong presence beneath the basket paired alongside Pau Gasol.

Although his knee issues are always cause for concern, Bynum looked really strong in the preseason and it will be interesting to see how he comes out of the gate.

Paul Pierce

Pierce's heel injury has healed more slowly than some Celtics fans would like, but it may not be much longer before he makes his return.

Boston's captain is pushing hard for a Friday return in order to make his debut for the C's home opener, and he took to Twitter to give an update on how his progress was coming along.

He probably wouldn't have tweeted that he was very close if he was still planning on missing more time, and his team desperately needs him to get back out there.

Eric Gordon

Gordon's sore, swollen knee took him out of consideration to play in the Hornets win over Boston on Wednesday, and the team certainly won't push it with its most talented scorer.

Coach Monty Williams does not expect Gordon to be ready for the team's game on Friday, and it's probably in the best interest for both parties in order to prevent Gordon from missing substantial time later in the year.

The Hornets will look to come home with another win despite the absence of Gordon. Hopefully this doesn't turn into a long-term concern for a player who has dealt with injury issues over the course of his brief career.

LeBron James

Today is LeBron James' birthday. He's turning 27 years old.

It's nothing short of incredible to witness what James has been able to do, and it's frightening to imagine what he might have in store for the remainder of his career.

Amar'e Stoudemire

Stoudemire has fallen in love with the idea of being a stretch 4, and both his decision-making and shot selection have suffered as a result.

The Knicks were embarrassed by the Lakers in Los Angeles on Thursday, and Stoudemire suffered a sprained ankle in the process.

He already expressed that he wouldn't necessarily be ready to play against the Kings on Saturday, and that would really be a devastating blow to a team that is searching for answers.

Kobe Bryant

Much of the focus has been on Bryant's wrist injury and how he's been able to play through it, but the knee procedure he underwent in Germany during the offseason can't be talked about enough.

After hampering him for several seasons, Bryant revealed that his knee feels 95 percent better, and it's been evident by the spring in his step.

He's played through a myriad of injuries throughout his career, and there is no reason to think that is going to stop now.

Dwight Howard

The Howard trade rumors will swirl until he's dealt out of town, and there seems to be a new development on the front at least twice per week.

Orlando is reportedly willing to listen to offers from any team, not just Howard's preferred destinations, and it could trigger a deal where a club would be willing to "rent" the big man without the assurance he'd sign a long-term extension.

The Magic will go through a litany of scenarios before making any final decision as to what they will do with Howard, but it would be downright shocking to see him in a Magic uniform after the trade deadline.