NBA Rumors and News Roundup: Dwight Howard to Warriors, Rose's Elbow and More

The Golden State Warriors are ready to make a play for Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard, even if it means that the team has to trade for him without the assurance he'll sign a long-term extension.

As trade rumors continue to swirl around Howard, the litany of injuries continue to pile up around the league, and there are a number of guys dealing with a myriad of different ailments.

Roster depth (or lack thereof) has been on full display despite teams playing less than 10 games so far this season, and the importance of a strong bench will be critical to sustaining success.

Chuck Hayes

Hayes got a brief scare before the season when the Kings thought he might have a heart problem, but he received full clearance to play and assurance that he was fully healthy.

Serving as a defensive anchor for the Kings down low, Hayes went down in Sacramento's first game since firing Paul Westphal and dislocated his shoulder in the process.

He's expected to be out for two to three weeks as he allows the injury to heal.

Nicolas Batum

Batum has been inconsistent this season due to the plethora of depth on the wing Portland now possesses, but he's an incredible young talent.

There is a mutual interest between he and the Trail Blazers in regards to extending his contract, and the two parties are expected to meet to discuss the situation next week.

Although Batum's agent said that there was no rush to get something done, the Blazers would be foolish to let him slip through the cracks and see him head elsewhere.

Jason Kidd

Kidd has aspirations about continuing his playing career until he's 40 years old, but the veteran point guard has not looked the same this season.

Averaging just 4.9 points, 3.8 rebounds and 4.5 assists in 28 minutes per game this season, Kidd is on track to post the worst numbers of his illustrious career.

He left Thursday's blowout loss to San Antonio with a back injury and will be re-evaluated Friday, salting the wounds even further in regards to the Dallas' disappointing start.

Landry Fields

Fields was a fan favorite for the Knicks during his surprising rookie season, but he's really struggled to match the initial success he had last year.

Mike D'Antoni is considering inserting Iman Shumpert into the starting lineup on Friday in an effort to kick start the offense, and Fields could very well lose his role as a result.

Although D'Antoni wouldn't say whether Shumpert would start at shooting guard or point guard, it would make a lot more sense for Fields to head to the bench than Toney Douglas.

Josh McRoberts

McRoberts has carved out a nice role for himself with the Lakers as a reserve big man behind Pau Gasol, and his energy has been a welcome addition to the second unit.

Unfortunately for the Lakers, he's been dealing with a nagging toe injury which doesn't appear to be getting any better, and he's missed the last two games as a result.

He's uncertain to play in Los Angeles' game on Friday against Golden State, and the team has to be hopeful that his absence doesn't turn into an extended one.

Mike Miller

Miller has yet to play a game for Miami this season while he continues to recover from offseason hernia surgery, but his return to the court is right around the corner.

He's not expected to participate in any action before the beginning of next week, but if all goes according to plan, Miller could very well suit up for the Heat on Tuesday.

After all of the setbacks Miller has had in his brief career with the team due to injuries, he's likely chomping at the bit to prove he can be an asset for the team.

Keith Smart

It's not often that a head coach is fired after just seven games of the regular season, but that's the decision Sacramento made on Thursday when Paul Westphal was "relieved" of his duties.

Not only was assistant coach Keith Smart bumped up and pegged as the new head coach of the team, but the Kings gave him a two-year deal to serve in that role.

Sacramento seems to have responded well, as the Kings rallied back from a serious deficit to beat Milwaukee on Thursday night, and DeMarcus Cousins logged a very healthy 19 points and 15 rebounds in Smart's first game patrolling the sidelines.

Adam Morrison

Morrison was playing well overseas during the summer and was released from his contract with Red Star Belgrade in Serbia in order to pursue other opportunities.

The Gonzaga product is close to signing a contract with Besiktas in Turkey, the same team that employed Deron Williams during the lockout.

He appeared to be bulked up and playing with the confidence he showed during his collegiate tenure over the summer, but he's still got an uphill climb in front of him to return to the NBA.

Stephen Curry

Curry has sprained his surgically-repaired ankle three times already this year, and the Warriors are facing a really tough decision as to how to handle him at this point.

He's been ruled out for Friday's game, and Curry will be re-evaluated over the weekend to see what the best course of action is given his latest sprain.

Whether he continues to play through it or receives some time off to let it heal, Curry and ankle are becoming synonymous and this will be a story to monitor all season long.

Derrick Rose

Rose banged his elbow in Wednesday's game and insisted that he was okay following negative X-rays, but he was still sore on Thursday after getting treatment.

As a result, Rose enters Friday with the questionable tag and may be forced to sit out in order to let it heal before it turns into a larger concern.

With a shortened season and an expedited pace of play, the Bulls will have to be very careful in how they handle Rose's elbow.

Kobe Bryant

Bryant's wrist injury isn't going to suddenly improve for the Lakers, and he's going to exhaust every option available to him in an effort to stay on the court.

The orthokine therapy he underwent in Germany during the offseason has seemingly worked wonders for his knee, and now he's considering using the same procedure for his wrist.

If he does go that route, Bryant has promised that he won't miss any games, and it will be very interesting to see how he plans to address the injury going forward.

Dwight Howard

The Warriors have emerged as "aggressive suitors" for Howard in a potential trade.

Golden State would be willing to trade for Howard without the assurance that he'd sign a long-term extension.

The team is hopeful that they'd be able to sell him on a future and what the surrounding area has to offer him both on and off the court.

It's a nice idea, but there are some problems with the scenario.

The Magic might not exactly be thrilled by the idea of taking back Stephen Curry as the centerpiece given his ankle issues, and the team doesn't have a first-round pick available to trade until 2016.

Despite that, GM Larry Riley admitted that his team would like to bring a superstar into the fold, so the speculation will continue to run rampant.